Ellie steps into the frozen aisle and is immediately hit with:
the bright, buzzing lights116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1exwNm7IL
the cold air blasting her face116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Z59TYM6Zp
the endless rows of waffles116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZkdsN8Y6U8
the prices116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Wc4dPSZyN
the brands116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡREPvNnIzr0
the choices116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5NGMkun5Z3
the people walking behind her116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoRy0vBiSc2
the fear she's standing weird116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwv31dqlY4z
the thought: "Do I look normal holding this basket?"
She picks up a box of waffles.
Puts it back.
Picks up another.
Puts it back.
Checks the price.
Winces.
Checks the cheaper one.
Winces harder because it looks... suspicious.
"Why are there twelve kinds of waffles. Who needs this many waffles."
A mom with a toddler walks by.
Ellie panics like she's been caught doing something illegal.
She ends up leaving the aisle with nothing.
She texts the group chat:116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZ9TQLbOJK
"Where am i"
***
Zadie is thriving in the cereal aisle.
She's talking to a kid in a dinosaur hoodie.
"Rawr means 'I love snacks' in dinosaur," she explains.
The kid roars back.
Zadie knocks over a display of granola bars.
She gasps dramatically.
"Who did this?"
She starts grabbing cereal boxes based solely on the mascots.
Her basket is now 80% sugar.
She texts the group chat:116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEsETkKqSc
"should we get popsicles"
Ana:116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD46dnqVIus
"no"
Zadie:116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMm570Uz1n
"too late"
***
Ana is in the produce section squeezing avocados like she's judging a competition.
She mutters under her breath.
"Why does no one know how to shop?"
She puts things back in the correct place.
She has exactly three items in her basket because she rejects everything that doesn't meet her standards.
***
Ruth is in her natural habitat in the bulk aisle.
She fills bags with perfect precision.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt62ABGjICl
She compares unit prices like she's solving a puzzle.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiR3NQ18DvA
She judges everyone else's carts silently.
She texts her husband, Daniel:116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo5OrDk791o
"Theyre already falling apart"
Daniel:116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡguwz9kLncr
"stay strong babe"
She nods like she's on a mission.
***
They regroup at the produce.
It's a disaster.
Zadie's cart is overflowing with nonsense.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUi0BDenk6k
Ana has three items.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6ullwNjUU
Ruth has a perfectly curated basket.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9rKu8o65vV
Ellie has... nothing.
Ana looks at Ellie gently.
"Where's the frozen stuff?"
Ellie shrinks a little.
"I... didn't like any of the vibes."
Zadie proudly holds up a cereal box with a cartoon tiger.
"Look at all the cereal I got!"
Ruth closes her eyes like she's praying for patience.
"Lord give me strength."
Ana gives Ellie a look — not judgment, just quiet understanding.
Ellie looks away.
***
The conveyor belt is a disaster.
Zadie's cereal mountain.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4vISKxd5wL
Ana's three perfect produce items.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9nKuG2lJiC
Ruth's bulk‑food precision bags.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtivkfD68sc
Ellie's... nothing.
Ellie stands between them, trying to look normal, trying to breathe normally, trying not to think about her bank account.
The cashier starts scanning.
Beep.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEVBOnKlDpy
Beep.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTUwwurEHE
Beep.
Each beep feels like a countdown.
Zadie is distracted, poking at the impulse‑buy candy.
"Oooh, mystery gummies."
Ana is reorganizing the groceries on the belt because the cashier "isn't doing it right."
Ruth is watching the total climb with the expression of a woman who has seen this exact disaster before.
Ellie swallows hard.
The total flashes on the screen.
It's too high.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdgxBUl9qcQ
Way too high.
The cashier looks up.
"Debit or credit?"
Ellie forces a smile.
"Debit."
She inserts her card.
The machine thinks.
And thinks.
And thinks.
Then:
DECLINED.
Ellie's stomach drops.
She tries again, pretending it was a fluke.
DECLINED.
Zadie doesn't notice.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPrngeoqZe
Ana notices everything.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAawn8sKlH
Ruth notices even more.
Ellie laughs — too high, too quick.
"Oh—haha, that's weird. I'll just... try again."
Ana steps closer, voice low.
"Ellie."
Ellie shakes her head fast.
"No, it's fine. It's fine. I've got it."
She doesn't.
Ruth gives her a look — not pity, not judgment, just that "we'll talk later" auntie stare.
Zadie finally turns around.
"Are we dying? What's happening?"
Ellie forces a smile so bright it's almost painful.
"Nothing! Everything's fine!"
Ana gently puts a hand on Ellie's wrist.
"Let me."
Ellie freezes.
"No—no, I can—"
"Ellie."
Just her name.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn83Pmq5hnc
Steady.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugdtQQoz9G
Kind.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFCEscuCpaG
Unshakeable.
Ellie's shoulders drop.
Ana pays.
Zadie shrugs like this is normal.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJGFOGazF8
Ruth sighs like she expected it.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLrQuXIGLoK
Ellie stares at the floor, cheeks burning.
"Thank you."
Ana doesn't make it a big deal.
"Let's go."
They gather the bags.
Ellie grabs the receipt like it's evidence of her failure.
***
They sit on the curb outside the grocery store, eating snacks straight from the bags.
Zadie is animatedly telling a story about the daycare kids, waving a juice box like she's conducting an orchestra.
"And then he bit me! With his teeth! Like a tiny, adorable vampire!"
Ana is reorganizing the grocery bags because "gravity is not your friend if you pack like this."
Ruth is telling a story about her husband, shaking her head with that fond exasperation she reserves only for him.
Ellie sits between them, legs stretched out, sun warm on her face.
For a moment, she's quiet — not spiraling, not shrinking, not worrying about the receipt or the money or the frozen aisle or anything else.
Just... here.
With them.
Zadie's laugh rings out.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK6uZkD7AV5
Ana nudges her shoulder gently.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTCxKn6klV
Ruth hands her a snack without asking if she wants one.
Ellie looks at all of them — really looks — and something soft settles in her chest.
"...I like this."
Ana glances over, catching the tone even if she doesn't hear the words.
She bumps Ellie's knee with her own.
"Good."
Zadie throws an arm around both of them.
"We should do this every week!"
"Absolutely not." Ana, Ruth, and Ellie speak in unison.
Ellie laughs — bright, unguarded, real.
The receipt is forgotten.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWA4vLb8JRi
The anxiety is quiet.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb1BpETMxU7
The moment is enough.
116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZbRK8OgQj
116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDSzRUgmKV
116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkl7nKscOO
and then Add to home screen.