Ellie steps into the frozen aisle and is immediately hit with:
the bright, buzzing lights120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtzgDqWrUUe
the cold air blasting her face120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQRyuaLlAY
the endless rows of waffles120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSXmPxjcdD0
the prices120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbOIUEntG3
the brands120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3WAvGGz5dx
the choices120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtrGdXHx69d
the people walking behind her120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZZSYfHLCB
the fear she's standing weird120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBqAtqYNPW
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:120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5YDGNEYSrg
"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:120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPR7jMO0x5L
"should we get popsicles"
Ana:120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNITl0rCI7
"no"
Zadie:120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIY29Y9gzfy
"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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM28YTDfcfm
She compares unit prices like she's solving a puzzle.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhNZiklNzY
She judges everyone else's carts silently.
She texts her husband, Daniel:120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkBHAhEAsCG
"Theyre already falling apart"
Daniel:120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELIa7i5JgO
"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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCFyGPMJXq
Ana has three items.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEuXbEBlTAi
Ruth has a perfectly curated basket.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHxXoHurgzN
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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvK01aTZhr
Ana's three perfect produce items.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMReJ1H9nHj
Ruth's bulk‑food precision bags.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgESbMwuXih
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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYkolKPsMJJ
Beep.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOOa3YvW217
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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoShMsAEbF0
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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Ys5n39Rje
Ana notices everything.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ212c4mZLI2
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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvBWaHNPqDq
Steady.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡadXYoW5vqA
Kind.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgYIPreXebS
Unshakeable.
Ellie's shoulders drop.
Ana pays.
Zadie shrugs like this is normal.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBAutfQOW3f
Ruth sighs like she expected it.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡop8Y4VzHh3
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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILCxeoukmu
Ana nudges her shoulder gently.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVWlverASbo
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.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fO8JP4d2p
The anxiety is quiet.120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHGs6wWOQJc
The moment is enough.
120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjBDBI02s13
120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxCLP1ooCMJ
120Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVk0pwai9DZ
and then Add to home screen.