3// ~Encounter~

Walking down the sidewalk I can't help but hum a little tune in my head. I wonder if there are people out there who aren't constantly playing some kind of music in their head. That would be crazy. What else would they do? They would be so sad all the time.... I think.

The store is only a 10 minute walk from the house so super quick, and it's a pretty straight path so I can't get lost that easily!

I make it to the store, and took my list of out my skirt pocket. I know, it has pockets, that's why I just had to get it, I mean plus it was super duper cute!

So, we just need some more flour, sugar, cinnamon, and eggs. Super easy and quick. That means I can get home sooner, and eat the cookies sooner, hehehe.

I walk through the grocery store with my head up looking for the baking aisle, until.... yes, I found it!

I pick up my pace slightly, and look around trying to keep my eye for flour or sugar. I don't think the eggs or cinnamon would be down the same aisle, it would be convenient if they were but that would be silly.

Finally locating the flour, a giggle I can't help but release comes out of my mouth and I reach my hand up stretching on my tippy toes trying as hard as I can to grab it off the shelf, but alas, I can not.

I lower my hand and huff slightly, stomping my foot on the ground with a pout. Why do they have to put it so gosh dang high??!! Do they think giants shop here or something, hmm.

One more time, I'll try one more time, maybe if I jump a tiny bit. I try again but, I don't think it's working out that well.

Suddenly, while I'm still reaching up, a shadow covers me and a strong arm appears, grabbing the flour easily off the shelf, right over my head.

The shadow disappear and I spin around super fast, wondering who it was.

I see a tall woman with beautiful red hair, and what looks like grey eyes. Woah! I have never seen that before!

"Oh my goodness, I love your hair! It's so pretty! Is that real?" I tilt my head, confusion appearing on my face.

"Thank you sweetie, and yes it is indeed real," she laughs. It sounds deep from her throat but still feminine, I like it. "So, you were trying to get some flour huh?"

"Oh ya, me and my granny are going to make snickerdoodle cookies together, that way we can watch a movie and eat cookies at the same time! We didn't have all the ingredients though so I came here all by myself to get the things we need. Oh wait, maybe I should not have said I came by myself, that's not safe, but anyways ya so I needed some flour cause we were alllll out of it but then I get here and when I finally find it, it's all the way on the top, and I can't even reach it, I don't know why they would do that. I mean it's okay, I'm sure they just didn't think that when they put it there, and they were just trying there best." I look back at her and see she had a small smirk on her face, looking down at me. Oops, I think I talked a little too much. "Um, sorry, I didn't mean to talk so much, I do that by accident sometimes." I look down and play with my fingers.

"It's alright honey, I quite enjoyed the story. I hope you and your Grammy have a good time with your movie night."

"Thank you!" I squeal. "I'm not sure what we are ganna watch yet though, do you have any recommendations?," I pause and look at her, before realizing she's still holding onto the back of flour. "Oh sorry, I can take that so you don't have to hold it."

I reach out as she places it in my hands and I put it into the basket I had previously placed on the ground next to my feet.

"Mmmhhh that's a good question, you know I can't quite think of any good new ones but you can't go wrong with a good comedy one"

"That's a good idea, thanks! I'm sure Grammy will like that idea too," I smile up at her and rock back and forth from my tip toes to the heel of my foot. Did I mention this girl is tall because she is, I mean my neck is starting to hurt just having to keep looking up! She should be a model. Maybe I should carry around a step stool with me everywhere I go that way when I come across someone tall I can just use that and then I don't need to hurt my neck.

I like apple juice, maybe I should get some. I don't like orange juice, but I do like oranges! Wait maybe I shouldn't think that, it could hurt the orange juices feelings! Awwww sorry orange juice.

"You alright there honey," she snaps me out of my thoughts. Oops I tend to get lost in my thoughts.

"Sorry, sometimes I do that. Grammy says it's cause I have something called ADHD and sometimes it makes it hard to focus." I look down at my feet, feeling sad cause she probably thought I was ignoring her and not paying attention.

"That's okay sweetheart, I just wanted to make sure that you were okay." She reaches out and puts her finger under my chin, lifting my head once she realizes I'm not gonna do it myself. "That must be really hard to deal with, feels a little hectic in your brain sometimes huh?

"Ya but that's okay! I can deal with it good and I take some medicine and it helps me stay focused too! Grammy makes sure I take it every single day." I tell her, giggling a little bit at the end.

"That's good! Alright I have to go honey but it was really nice meeting you. Have a good movie night alright?"

"I will, thank you," I almost let her walk away until I realize I didn't even know her name, and how would I ever talk to her again! "Wait um... d- do you maybe wanna be my friend? It's totally okay if you don't I just thought maybe cause I-I would like that, if you want." I say, playing with my fingers and stumbling over my words a bit.

Fiddle sticks, now shes not ganna want to be my friend cause i don't speak right, and I probably made her feel uncomfortable with all my talking. Bummer.

"Oh, of course honey, I would love to be your friend. Do you want my number so we can talk whenever you would like?

"Yes! I mean um ya sure that'd be cool. Here I have a phone and you can type it into there!" I pull my phone out of my pocket and hand it over to her after opening it up to the contacts app. Oh, maybe I shouldn't have done that. I only have Grammy in there and now she will think I have no friends. I mean...I don't, but I don't want her to know that! She's cool and really pretty. "What's your name." I ask her and she typed in her information.

"Daniella," she replies in a smooth sounding voice, very feminine, not as high pitched as mine. "And what's yours sweet girl?"

"Arabella. Arabella Lacie Carter." I tell her.

"That's a lovely name." She bends down a bit and lowers her voice, "but I think maybe next time you shouldn't give out your full name to strangers you just met sweetheart." She stands back up to her full height and I look up at her, biting on my bottom lip.

I made her mad. It was a mistake. I didn't mean to. I'm sorry.

My eyes start to well up, but I hold back the tears as well as I can, and look down, hoping she can't see how pathetic I am.

"Hey, hey, hey, ssshhhh. You're alright sweetheart, no one's mad at you okay."" She reaches her hand up and wipes away the few tears that I accidentally let escape onto my freckle covered cheeks."

"Sorry ma'am." I sniffle and look up at her, but when I do, she has a soft smile on her face. Not what I was expecting. I don't know why she's not mad at me when I did a wrong thing. I should be punished.

"No harm done, and by the way it's okay that I know alright, you can trust me. I just don't want you to be giving out that information to the wrong person okay honey, does that make sense."

"Ya I understand. I won't do it anymore." I smile gently at her, hoping she's proud of me for getting it.

"Alight, good girl." Why did that make me feel funny, I liked it. "Now I gotta get going but you have my number so you text me any time you want or need to alright?"

"Yep, got it!" I give her a thumbs up, as she walks away to go check out, and I continue my shopping.

After I finish grabbing the rest of the ingredients, I go and check out.

Carrying the bags of food home I can't help but think of Daniella. She was super duper nice! Plus, she was so pretty, I can't believe she wanted to be my friend too!

Maybe tonight after me and Grammy bake the cookies and watch a movie, pranks comedy cause that's what Daniella suggested, I could text her and say hi!

Eeeehhh, I can't wait!

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Hey!!

Sorry I didn't update for a while. I mostly just write when I feel in the mood too or I get inspiration so sometimes it might be a long time or a short time it really just depends. Thank you all for reading this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it and I hope you like Daniella!! How do you guys feel about her and the book so far?

- lauren 💕