Ellie steps into the frozen aisle and is immediately hit with:
the bright, buzzing lights122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhCA5Yhf76m
the cold air blasting her face122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVovph8ipff
the endless rows of waffles122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEe1nxW5G4h
the prices122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNTZYUGaCUJ
the brands122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmrNURWYOy
the choices122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuD5tGOBK5M
the people walking behind her122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2btnsdNTK
the fear she's standing weird122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmNTSP7awo
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:122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQTLgj7UxL0
"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:122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuhRFdCZgW
"should we get popsicles"
Ana:122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxhXzh7IMB
"no"
Zadie:122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXbRPJIvse
"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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnegtQ9JiXN
She compares unit prices like she's solving a puzzle.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMocHc6HlF
She judges everyone else's carts silently.
She texts her husband, Daniel:122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRgazEKpRp
"Theyre already falling apart"
Daniel:122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPLhUbiH4b
"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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWPxhWPtEB
Ana has three items.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqui78lb0v
Ruth has a perfectly curated basket.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3HBHdYTxRN
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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlbvM44vVQX
Ana's three perfect produce items.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡok4jk7mbuR
Ruth's bulk‑food precision bags.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTvuPMR5GD
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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9PIWlUUUIF
Beep.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqiXq5B7qyL
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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvG8P1FLHH
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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv7wIIJNzrj
Ana notices everything.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9A2x0D3k7H
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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJf4ZMmsz1
Steady.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ44D9byDLT
Kind.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLmL22ruUxx
Unshakeable.
Ellie's shoulders drop.
Ana pays.
Zadie shrugs like this is normal.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡucfB59VExr
Ruth sighs like she expected it.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhH78xJ2REm
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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmgJzcBRljD
Ana nudges her shoulder gently.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW0cLK3RZTC
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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyxYIm1vJ41
The anxiety is quiet.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWLEV64AwN9
The moment is enough.
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57CS1vF8oX
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZD3TFoc67y
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpTRz2enkh
and then Add to home screen.