27

I wasn't expecting much out of my trip to the grocery store. It was just one of those lazy afternoons where you go out to run errands, more out of necessity than motivation. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead as I wandered through the aisles, my cart slowly filling up with the essentials—well, essentials according to me. Almond milk, kale, frozen meals for the nights I didn't feel like cooking, and a box of chocolate chip cookies that I told myself I deserved.

As I stood in front of the eggs, debating whether to go for the organic option or the cheaper one, I heard a voice behind me that I instantly recognized.

"Making any life-altering decisions over there?"

I didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. Only one person could make a grocery store sound like a battlefield.

"Levi," I sighed, already rolling my eyes before facing him. "You do realize some of us take grocery shopping seriously, right?"

He was standing a few feet away, leaning casually against his cart with that trademark smirk of his. His dark hair looked like it had been styled with just enough effort to seem effortless, and of course, he was wearing one of those perfectly fitted jackets that made him look like he was always prepared for a photoshoot.

"Well, you look deep in thought," he teased, nodding toward the eggs I was still holding in my hand. "What's it going to be? Organic or... whatever that other option is?"

I glanced at the carton, then back at him. "Some of us like to weigh our options before committing."

"Right, because eggs are a huge commitment," he said, sarcasm dripping from his words as he stepped closer, pushing his cart toward mine.

I placed the eggs into my cart, deliberately ignoring his smirk. "What are you even doing here?"

"Same as you, I'd imagine," he said, holding up his own basket. "Food shopping. Turns out, I like to eat too."

I eyed the contents of his basket. Pasta, a jar of marinara sauce, and... was that cereal? "Let me guess—this is dinner?" I asked, nodding toward his sparse selection.

He shrugged, completely unbothered. "Pasta is a classic. And cereal makes a great dessert."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Right. A true culinary artist."

Levi's smirk widened, clearly enjoying himself. "You know, Cora, you don't give me enough credit. I can handle myself in a kitchen."

"Somehow, I doubt that," I said, pushing my cart down the aisle with him following beside me.

It was strange, this whole interaction. Usually, our conversations were filled with sharp jabs and competitive undertones, but today... today it felt different. Lighter. Almost normal, if I didn't think too hard about it. For once, it was like we were just two people casually shopping, not rivals constantly trying to outdo each other.

"So," Levi continued, glancing into my cart. "Kale and cookies, huh? That's an interesting combination."

I shrugged, feeling slightly self-conscious about my choices under his scrutiny. "Balance. You know, something healthy, something indulgent."

He chuckled softly, his gaze lingering on me longer than I expected. "You're an enigma, Cora. A kale-eating, cookie-loving enigma."

I rolled my eyes, trying to shake off the warmth his words stirred in me. "Glad to know I keep you guessing."

We moved through the store together, our conversation drifting from random grocery items to small talk about work, upcoming plans, and even a mutual disdain for overly complicated self-checkout machines. It was weirdly... comfortable. It didn't feel like we were sparring or dancing around the tension that always seemed to be between us. It felt, for once, like we were just talking.

But of course, this wouldn't last.

As we rounded the corner toward the checkout, I saw her. Mia.

She spotted Levi almost immediately, her eyes lighting up as she walked over with that confident stride I could never pull off. Before I could even react, she had wrapped her arms around him in a warm, all-too-familiar hug.

"Levi! It's been so long!" she said, her voice bright and cheerful as she pulled back to look at him. Her hand lingered on his arm, and I suddenly felt like I was intruding on something private.

Levi smiled, though it wasn't the same easy grin he'd had with me just moments before. It felt more reserved, more guarded. "Mia," he said, his tone polite but distant. "Didn't expect to see you here."

"I was just grabbing a few things," Mia said, glancing briefly at me before her eyes returned to Levi. "You know, stocking up."

I stood there, feeling oddly frozen, watching the easy way Mia interacted with him. She didn't seem to notice me beyond that initial glance, too focused on Levi. And Levi—well, he was his usual cool, collected self, but there was something in his posture that felt... off.

After a few more minutes of small talk between them, Mia finally acknowledged me with a friendly, though somewhat dismissive, smile. "Hey, Cora," she said, her tone light. "Didn't realize you and Levi were grocery shopping together."

"We're not," I said quickly, probably a little too quickly. "Just ran into each other."

Levi nodded, echoing my words. "Yeah, just a coincidence."

Mia smiled, completely unaware of the awkward tension that had settled over me. "Well, I've got to finish up, but it was great seeing you, Levi," she said, giving his arm a gentle squeeze before turning to leave. "And nice to see you too, Cora."

With that, she was gone, her brunette ponytail swaying as she disappeared down the aisle. I stood there, my grip tightening on the handle of my cart, feeling something uncomfortable twist in my chest.

"You okay?" Levi asked after a moment, his voice softer now, like he'd picked up on the shift in my mood.

I forced a smile, trying to push down the weird knot of emotions that had settled in my stomach. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... thinking. About eggs."

He studied me for a moment, like he wanted to say something more, but instead he just nodded. "Alright."

We finished up our grocery shopping after that, the lightness of our earlier conversation gone, replaced by an awkwardness I couldn't quite shake. As I loaded my bags into my car and drove away, I couldn't stop thinking about the way Mia had hugged Levi, how close they had seemed. How natural it had looked.

It shouldn't have bothered me. It really shouldn't have. But as I pulled into my driveway and unloaded my groceries, I realized that it did.

I wasn't sure what I felt for Levi. But seeing Mia so close to him made one thing clear—I wasn't as indifferent as I thought.