Ellie steps into the frozen aisle and is immediately hit with:
the bright, buzzing lights115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3AsDxUtNGV
the cold air blasting her face115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlfu33PEdvf
the endless rows of waffles115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JGxIg6uwB
the prices115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvOEvDGLUd
the brands115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZxQykBqFi
the choices115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTj2CKnVnm
the people walking behind her115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ648PQRdSMP
the fear she's standing weird115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡASUAEH7E5i
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:115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1A26eYFwN
"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:115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvwUKtdeqUT
"should we get popsicles"
Ana:115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pQUqZ171V
"no"
Zadie:115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmBYdoUOXe0
"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.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjbm3wjmRTK
She compares unit prices like she's solving a puzzle.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ35w8yAds1M
She judges everyone else's carts silently.
She texts her husband, Daniel:115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0W5JavFC6n
"Theyre already falling apart"
Daniel:115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrkICzar4M8
"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.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHZOkL3Ab7C
Ana has three items.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdYo7WdD8tc
Ruth has a perfectly curated basket.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1TJYWEewxX
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.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbI5cxFCwJX
Ana's three perfect produce items.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS5BEMeWs3C
Ruth's bulk‑food precision bags.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI651caI7T7
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.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHl5hJR4g3c
Beep.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhl55J1odxs
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.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAKqLyYqBB
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.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbEnq02Jgwn
Ana notices everything.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xafUF0OqE
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.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlv6TUH9IkK
Steady.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6ZytPg5ey
Kind.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuiWZX0SK9z
Unshakeable.
Ellie's shoulders drop.
Ana pays.
Zadie shrugs like this is normal.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡppmqb5yfRV
Ruth sighs like she expected it.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvUI5CYZEkj
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.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gDjRapUeh
Ana nudges her shoulder gently.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ58zfs7PViC
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.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGdkLFl6wQK
The anxiety is quiet.115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgPleJvQWi
The moment is enough.
115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw0UFqaC5yC
115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjzjkJPu4OR
115Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTM5JbHhHnv
and then Add to home screen.