I got off at the stop near the Fritshes supermarket. After a short walk and crossing the massive parking lot, I stood in front of the large building—the only place in the area where you could do your grocery shopping. Even though it was the only place remotely close, it really was more like a small shopping centre. The name of the supermarket chain was written in huge block letters above the entrance, brimming in green and white neon-light. As I stepped up, the sliding doors opened automatically. A warm breeze blew in my face. Stupid air conditioning.

Inside, I was greeted by a long row of counters and smaller shops, which stretched off to the left. There was a bakery, a butcher, a magazine and newspaper kiosk, a shoemaker, a locksmith, and a hairdresser—all lined up in a neat row, continuing all the way to the far end of the market. To the right, tucked in a corner, was a rubbish recycling area. The rest of the building was taken up by the main supermarket.

I weaved through aisles of produce, snacks, and candy, searching for Cassy. The store was busy. So many people bustled through the aisles with full carts, getting their groceries done after a day full of work. But I was only interested in finding my friend, who I hoped could help me.

A few minutes—and a few departments—later, I spotted her. I recognized her from a distance. Her long red hair was tied back in a braid, and of course, she was wearing the sky-blue uniform that marked her as an employee. She was stocking a shelf of canned goods. I approached her slowly.

"Hey, Cassy," I said cautiously, tapping her shoulder. I didn’t want to startle her. She flinched slightly before turning around—and then lit up with joy. She immediately dropped what she was doing and greeted me with a hug.

"I'm so glad you came today!" she said brightly, barely giving me time to respond before chatting away. I returned her enthusiasm with a genuine smile.

"Yeah, like I said, I got out of school early today," I explained again. It was mid afternoon, so I had plenty of time to myself.

"I'm really glad. To be honest, I have to confess something—" her voice dropped slightly, and her mouth curled into a shy smile, "I don’t really have many friends, besides some of my co-workers and they’re really just more like… well, colleagues. So, no one ever comes to visit me or anything like that."

My cheeks flushed a soft pink. I was flattered that she already considered me a friend, feeling a little sad at the same time. How could a wonderful person like herself not have friends? Glancing down at my shoes, I gave her an apologetic look.

"I'm really flattered. But sadly I can’t stay too long either— gotta do homework and all, you know?"

She shook her head with an amused smile and waved a hand in front of her face, like she was shooing away invisible flies.

"Of course, I get it. It wasn’t that long ago where I had to go through daily school life as well. I feel you." she said cheerfully, winking at me. "Besides, I can’t leave my work lying around for too long. Wouldn’t look good if someone saw me slacking."

I hadn’t even thought of that! I hoped she wouldn’t get into trouble if the boss caught us chatting.

"You’re right. Then we better get to the point," I said, slightly embarrassed. She looked at me curiously.

"About the job I mentioned this morning. Is there any chance you guys need a helping hand here? I mean, I really need a part-time job. Just a few hours a week, tops."

Somehow, I felt awkward springing it on her like that. Her thoughtful expression didn’t look too promising. She paused—just a second too long for my liking.

"Hmm, I don’t think they need anyone in the supermarket right now." She must have noticed my disappointment, because she quickly added, "But I’m sure the newsstand still needs a few shift workers. The old man is currently almost by himself, with his wife helping out from time to time. That might be the perfect fit for you. Usually just two or three hours a shift, and maybe every other day at most."

I let out a relieved sigh. It wouldn’t be working with Cassy, but at least it was something. And the magazine shop was also inside the same building, so we wouldn’t be totally separated.

"Cool. So how do I go about it?" I asked. I had no clue what the process was, seeing this would be my first job ever. I'd need her help. It was a little embarrassing—but I was sure Cassy would understand.

"Oh, easy! Do you have a mobile phone?" she asked, looking at me expectantly.

No... not anymore. Rest in peace Pixel… I shook my head.

"Oh..." she said, touching her cheek in thought. "Well, no problem. Come with me!"

What was she up to now? I followed silently as she darted through aisles like she owned the place. She practically flew between shelves—I wondered how much she worked in order to make it look like this was her second home.

We stopped in front of a door marked with Staff Only.

What were we doing here? I looked at her in confusion.
"Wait here," she instructed me, raising an index finger. I shrugged casually and did as she said. Then she disappeared behind the door, leaving me standing there. A few moments later, she reappeared, holding something silver in her hand.

"For you," she said firmly, extending her open palm. Resting in it was a slim mobile phone—an older model, nothing fancy, but definitely good enough to handle the basics. And that was all I needed. Still, I couldn’t quite believe she actually meant to give it to me, so I stared at her, confused.

"Go on, take it!" she said, reaching for my hand and gently placing the phone in it. I was still too stunned to say anything.

"It’s yours. I was going to get rid of that old thing anyway. Now it can finally serve a better purpose," she said, smiling warmly.

“Are you sure? What about you?”
“Absolutely! I couldn’t imagine anyone better to take care of my old friend. And I was about to get a newer model anyways. Might as well do it today.”
My heart just melted. With a quick step I crossed the distance between us and hugged her tightly. I couldn’t help it. She really was my knight in shining armour! I was prepared to work for weeks before I had the chance to actually get a new phone for myself, but thanks to Cassy, I could now save that little extra money—that I eventually made—for something else.

"Thank you, Cassy. That really means a lot to me," I said, half-sobbing into her ear. When we pulled apart, she just shook her head with mock exasperation, her braid swaying behind her. I slipped the phone into my pocket, still not quite believing it was mine.

"You’re welcome. Now," she said, grabbing my arm, "you should get going. I need to get back to work anyway. I’ll talk to the newsstand owner later. My old SIM card is still in the phone, so you can use that. It’s prepaid and should still have some funds. I’ve got that number, so will call you later tonight, okay?"

"Sounds better than okay! Pretty damn good even," I replied, still astonished about how lucky I was to have met Cassy. As we strolled through the shelves, she suddenly stopped and looked at me seriously.

"But you have to promise me one thing—Let’s hang out sometime. Deal? See you later, Miri." With a wink, she turned back to the shelves and resumed stocking cans.

"That’s the least I could do! It’s a deal, promise! See you soon," I called to her back, then headed toward the exit.

I didn’t leave the supermarket without grabbing a little treat. I always had a few coins on me—not much, but enough. I picked up a small bag of gummy bears, paid, and made my way to the sliding doors. I deliberately chose one of the checkouts at the far end so I’d walk past all the other little stores. Just wanted to take a quick glimpse at the shop I might’ve been working in soon.

The newsstand was small, with four shelves full of magazines, and the counter was cluttered with all sorts of odds and ends. The man behind it—probably the owner—looked a bit older. He wore round, rimless glasses, had stubbles, and looked slightly grumpy. Well, maybe he is nicer than he seems, I reassured myself.

Feeling a little dazed by how well the day had gone, I headed for the exit. The doors slid open automatically, almost like magic.

Suddenly, someone coming from the opposite direction bumped into me roughly, catching me hard on the shoulder. He muttered something that sounded vaguely like "sorry" and kept walking, head down.

I stared after him, a little perplexed. Something about him seemed familiar, even though I could only make out his back. He wore a hooded sweatshirt with the hood up, a dark leather jacket, and skinny black jeans.

I turned away, puzzled, trying to remember where I’d seen him before. But after a while, I gave up and let the mystery slip from my mind, focusing instead on more pleasant thoughts, such as my totally free ‘new’ phone and the lovely Cassy. It made me grin from one ear to the other, like a dog with two tails.

I entered our apartment beaming. Little Kimi wasn’t asleep yet, so she came running toward me from the kitchen, giggling. She didn’t ask what had kept me out yesterday—she just gave me a sweet smile.

“Miri’s in a good mood,” she said, still giggling. I couldn’t help but laugh. We walked into the kitchen together.

My mom was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee. We joined her, and I grinned at her without even trying to hide it. She returned my smile with a gentle one of her own.

“Kim’s right. What happened that put you in such a good mood?” she asked, lifting her cup.

I reached into my pocket, pulled out my phone, and placed it on the table with great ceremony.

“It happened. Pixel two point zero.” I announced proudly.

My mom blinked in disbelief, just like I had when I’d first received it. She stared at the phone as if it was a mirage and could disappear any second.

“You got a new phone already? Where did you get that from?” she asked in surprise.

“My new friend from the supermarket gave it to me. She didn’t need it anymore. And the best part is—she’s trying to get me a job! Isn’t that great? That way, I can help support you a little.”

Sadness, pity, and concern flickered across my mom’s tired face.

“Isn’t that a bit much? With school and everything?” she asked gently. Of course she was worried—always putting her children before herself. That’s just the kind of kind-hearted person she was.

I shook my head firmly.

“Oh, Cassy said it would only be a few hours every couple of days. I can totally manage that. Look,” I picked up the phone again, “now I can call you if I’m out late. Or you can call me. I’ll find the number later and save it on the house phone.”

I grinned at her like a Cheshire cat. She seemed convinced. “I’m so proud of you sweetheart.” Her eyes sparkled, and she took a long, contented sip of coffee. It made my heart flutter with happiness.

I got up and left her to enjoy her coffee in peace. Then I went to my room and got started on my homework. As usual, I finished it quickly, so I decided to spend some time with Kim. She beamed when I came in, and we played with her dolls together. I didn’t mind—and I didn’t feel silly either. Spending time with my sister always calmed me. It helped get that complete stalker-idiot Raven out of my head—he’d started creeping back into my thoughts again, for some unexplained reason.

It was weird. Even though I still had little to no trust in the male species—thanks to my father—I kept thinking about one of them pretty often lately. It was driving me nuts.

Later, we ate dinner together, and I put Kim to bed for a change. Cassy didn’t call that night—but I was sure she’d let me know the next day. After all, she had a really long shift and was most likely as tired as I was. I went to get ready for bed myself. I wanted to turn in a bit earlier tonight. Thoughts about last night’s nightmare creeped in and just then I realised how exhausted I was.

I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. Then I changed into my pyjamas and dared a glance in the mirror. My dark brown hair reached softly past my shoulders, and my turquoise eyes stared back at me, dull with fatigue. I was seriously tired.

And then I remembered.

The guy from earlier—at Fritshes.

My eyes widened, and my reflection stared back at me in the same shocked expression. Just then I realised where I’d seen the guy who bumped into me earlier. He was the same dude I’d seen on the bus the day before. The same creepy appearance I’d spotted behind me in the mirror.

I slipped under my covers slowly, my thoughts spinning. Was I just losing it? Imagining things? Or... was there actually something real going on?