Annie entered the supermarket with wide eyes, overwhelmed by its enormity. The shelves stretched endlessly, stocked with products from around the world, a far cry from the small, bustling market she was used to. The quietness of the store was unsettling—she missed the familiar clamor of her mother negotiating with vendors.
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As she wandered through the vegetable aisle, the fragrant aroma of fresh produce greeted her.
Annie: "That smells good..." she murmured appreciatively, taking in the scents of vibrant, crisp vegetables. She filled her cart with a colorful array of produce, feeling a sense of satisfaction as she selected the freshest items.
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With her cart brimming with vegetables and fruits, Annie made her way to the rice section. She was greeted by an overwhelming selection of rice types. Despite the array of options, she chose the familiar white rice, ignoring the brown rice with a shudder. "I don't need brown rice," she thought, recalling her aversion to it.
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After grabbing eggs and bread, Annie felt herself growing accustomed to the store's vast expanse. The tranquility of the supermarket was oddly comforting, though she missed the lively negotiations she was accustomed to.
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Annie's shopping trip, which usually took less than an hour, had stretched into two.
Milk:
1 gallon of Horizon Organic Whole Milk - $5
Chips:
1 bag of Lay's Classic Potato Chips (Family Size) - $4
Jam:
1 jar of Smucker's Strawberry Jam - $4
Bread:
2 loaves of Nature's Own Whole Wheat Bread - $6
Eggs:
2 dozen Grade A Large Eggs - $6
Cheese:
1 block of Tillamook Sharp Cheddar Cheese (8 oz) - $5
Vegetables:
1 pack of Organic Baby Spinach (5 oz) - $4
1 bag of baby carrots (2 lbs) - $3
1 head of broccoli - $2
1 pack of bell peppers (assorted colors, 3-pack) - $5
Fruits:
1 bag of Gala Apples (3 lbs) - $5
1 bunch of bananas (around 6 bananas) - $2
1 pack of strawberries (1 lb) - $4
1 pack of blueberries (1 pint) - $4
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Pasta:
2 boxes of Barilla Spaghetti (16 oz each) - $4
Pasta Sauce:
1 jar of Rao's Marinara Sauce (24 oz) - $8
Frozen Pizza:
1 DiGiorno Four Cheese Frozen Pizza - $6
Cereal:
1 box of Honey Nut Cheerios (family size) - $5
Snacks:
1 box of Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars (12 ct) - $5
Bottled Water:
1 case of Poland Spring Bottled Water (24 bottles) - $6
Coffee/Tea:
1 pack of Starbucks Pike Place Roast Ground Coffee (12 oz) - $8
Condiments:
1 bottle of Heinz Ketchup (32 oz) - $4
Peanut Butter:
1 jar of Skippy Creamy Peanut Butter (40 oz) - $6
Rice:
1 bag of Jasmine Rice (5 lbs) - $10
Meat:
1 pack of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (3 lbs) - $12
1 pack of ground beef (80% lean, 2 lbs) - $10
1 pack of bacon (16 oz) - $6
1 pack of sausages (e.g., Italian sausages, 1.5 lbs) - $8
Cooking Oil:
1 bottle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (32 oz) - $10
She was nearly finished when she realized she had forgotten the mochi Lunny had recommended.
In a rush, Annie dashed back to the freezer section, her eyes scanning frantically for the elusive treat. She finally spotted a box of ube mochi—12 pieces for $10. Eagerly, she grabbed it, imagining the sweet, creamy texture as she held the box.
Bell's voice cut through her thoughts: "Gurl, get your act together and pay for the damn food!"
Rushing to the checkout, Annie encountered the self-checkout machines. She had seen these in movies but had never used one before. The concept was entirely foreign to her. Determined to figure it out, she approached one of the machines with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation.
She tentatively pressed a button, then another, but nothing seemed to happen. Her brow furrowed as she squinted at the screen, struggling to decipher the instructions.
"Why is this thing so confusing?" she muttered under her breath, pressing buttons at random. Her frustration mounted as the machine beeped and displayed an error message. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she accidentally summoned a help menu in a language she couldn't understand.
Bell, observing from a distance, couldn't help but laugh softly. "You look like you're fighting with the machine. Just ask for help!"
Annie sighed deeply, her frustration palpable. She scanned the area for assistance and spotted a store associate observing her from a distance. Summoning her courage, she waved the associate over, her face a mix of relief and embarrassment.
The associate approached with a sympathetic smile, quickly demonstrating how to scan items and place them in the bagging area. Annie watched intently, feeling a wave of gratitude as the associate guided her through the process.
"Thank you so much," Annie said, her voice filled with appreciation as she completed the transaction and packed her groceries.
With her bags of groceries in hand, Annie left the store, her spirits lifted despite the earlier frustration. As she exited, the enticing aroma of barbecue wafted through the air, capturing her attention. Following the savory scent, she found a local food stand run by an elderly woman. The stand offered both barbecue and champorado, a Filipino dish she had heard of but never tried.Her eyes landed on a familiar face seated at a table—Glenn, her classmate. Glenn looked visibly annoyed as she stared at her phone, her expression one of frustration.
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Bell's voice piped up once more: "Talk to her..." Bell encouraged, nudging Annie to approach her classmate.
Gathering her courage, Annie approached Glenn, taking a seat beside her.
Annie: "Hey, what's up?" she said, trying to sound casual as she settled down.
Glenn looked up from her phone, her expression a mix of irritation and resignation.
Glenn: "Hey... I'm having a pretty bad day. Also, you're Annie, right?" she said, her tone tinged with annoyance.
Annie: "I got over it, but whoever did it is an asshole," Annie replied sympathetically, ordering some barbecue and champorado from the vendor.
Glenn: "I know, right? Freakin' bitches..." Glenn muttered, clearly frustrated. "They're just so... annoying."
Bell and Annie exchanged surprised glances. Was Glenn referring to the troublemakers?
Bell: "Ask her!" Bell urged, eager to uncover more about the situation.
Annie took a bite of the champorado, savoring its rich, chocolatey sweetness as she turned to Glenn with a serious expression.
Annie: "Umm, hey Glenn... Do you know who did it? You seem like you might."
Glenn smirked, her gaze drifting upwards before meeting Annie's eyes with a knowing look.
Glenn: "Yeah... It was Lev and Sophie. Those two have been rivals since third grade. They hate each other so much that they wanted the other in trouble. So, they dragged you into their stupid feud." Glenn's voice was laced with frustration. "I tried to stop them, but they wouldn't listen to someone they think is less smart than them."
Bell and Annie were taken aback by this revelation. The absurdity of the situation dawned on them, highlighting just how petty and childish the whole conflict was. The realization made Annie and Bell reflect on the lengths people would go to in order to settle personal scores, and the ridiculousness of dragging others into their disputes.