Ellie steps into the frozen aisle and is immediately hit with:
the bright, buzzing lights117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6KioAPnfa1
the cold air blasting her face117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYfDWUy2sJ
the endless rows of waffles117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66wgSoBYAN
the prices117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOeGxuWpmr
the brands117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ39Ml9niOrB
the choices117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJid8zzuFaR
the people walking behind her117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0BVeg5ZCod
the fear she's standing weird117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMWSv1wtj4
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:117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WWLdrVbxG
"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:117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx3BKGLEMWC
"should we get popsicles"
Ana:117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Ce9A42zEm
"no"
Zadie:117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhcTzAcv49
"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.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQuBW3LHAT3
She compares unit prices like she's solving a puzzle.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBpmlWvMKBv
She judges everyone else's carts silently.
She texts her husband, Daniel:117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCTqJpitf5N
"Theyre already falling apart"
Daniel:117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUlXgNZnpTG
"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.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJJ7GU0e6G
Ana has three items.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7dxrkNSsy3
Ruth has a perfectly curated basket.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5uVRhc6cov
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.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRAj4LoT2t
Ana's three perfect produce items.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDYnIodiWU
Ruth's bulk‑food precision bags.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuRmFX90QkA
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.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLrdkmGK1zk
Beep.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ePoIFGKwW
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.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfZzta0CJa
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.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIShhnGRi2n
Ana notices everything.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KZv4FZZ2W
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.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQhUajZHJ3
Steady.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlu5RzW5GDc
Kind.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡszjDMi7trg
Unshakeable.
Ellie's shoulders drop.
Ana pays.
Zadie shrugs like this is normal.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8F4uODfWn9
Ruth sighs like she expected it.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡonFoPjkjJG
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.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyICigIImFd
Ana nudges her shoulder gently.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPGWZ6AfKN
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.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Ii4gT0QSE
The anxiety is quiet.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaimtPfbTzv
The moment is enough.
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Dz2ufvoxB
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVIBi73eg0A
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkPbhH8ymS
and then Add to home screen.