Late Night Snack

Night Time. The best and worst time to ever go to the corner store. Unfortunately for me, I walked way over here to buy a big bag of chips for my Mom. I knew I shouldn’t have eaten the whole pack of Doritos while she was sleeping.

   When I walk into the store, it was empty except for the cute cashier, reading a book at the counter. The walk to the aisle for Doritos is a hassle. The yellow wet floor sign is obviously a way of telling me to go back home, but I still decide to walk down the aisle with the best grace I have right now regret. I grab the bag of purple chips then walk to turn the corner to go to the cashier. However, I suddenly see my high school crush walking into the store. I mentally facepalm myself when I realize I have my “ too lazy to look anything but pretty today” clothes on. I hide next to the aisle with the delicate items beside me.

 “Hey, Jason. Here again for some drinks,” the cashier says to Jason, who is wearing his usual joggers and a white t-shirt.

    “Yeah. Family stuff is coming up. So I just decided to buy some sodas late at night. Since I had nothing better to do at home but watch cartoons with my younger sister.”

    What is wrong with me? Just buy the chips and go home. Why are you hiding? I think to myself. Is he not going to buy the sodas or not?

   “Mary, what are you doing?”

I turn around and see Jason behind me, looking surprised. I’m pretty sure a few years started to shed off me at this moment.

     “Hey, Jason. Y-you're right in front of me. I-I mean hey Jason,” I say stuttering. Why am I so awkward? 

     “I haven’t seen you in class for a while. Have you been okay.”

“Uh, hmm. I just came to get something for my Mom.”

     He looks at the bag of chips I’m holding pressed against my chest.

     “This late. Isn’t it dangerous to be out this late,” Jason says, sounding concerned.

     “I know. I didn’t want to risk her yelling at me again, costing me my allowance,” I say, “besides the store is only a few blocks away from my house.”

     He starts to laugh, showing his cute dimples. “That’s all for your Mom, huh,” he asks me. 

     “Yep, it was a lame gift from her best friend from college.” I finally finished walking to the cashier. I notice the guy looking at Jason with a thumbs up.

     “Naw, brother. She’s not,” Jason says to the cashier.

     I take my money out my purse to pay, but Jason puts his hand on mine. Is he thinking about paying for it? I think to myself. Less I have to spend this month.

     “I apologize. It’s a habit.”

Well, that’s ironic. I think to myself.

 I take my three dollars out to pay. When walking out, I pass by this woman who seems to look like a model walking into the corner store.

     “Jason, did you forget to call me,” I hear a feminine voice. I turn around and see the same woman hugging Jason.

     Of course. That’s what he meant by habit. Too good to be true. This must be a sign to never go to the store this late again.

     I look at the bag of chips and notice writing written on it. “We’ll be back. Don’t worry.” Abruptly, an unfamiliar ringtone alarms me. “Where is that coming from? My phone died a while ago.” I realize it was coming from inside the bag of chips. I consciously rip the bag open. “Sorry, Mom.”

 I pause for a few seconds because I can’t believe a phone was able to get in there. I answer, and a deep voice starts to talk. “If you don’t want this phone to explode in the next 5 minutes, find the key that unlocks all things.” What?! What does that even mean? I start to panic as I run back into the corner store.

     “The phone is going to explode in about 5 minutes. I swear, I found it in the chip back. Please don’t call the police on me.”

     “What did you do,” the woman who was hugging Jason says as she’s backing behind him, looking defenseless.

     “Was there a clue or something in the bag,” the cashier says. He begins to walk toward me, sweat forming on his face.

     “Yeah, there is,” I say, scared, “something about finding a key that unlocks a lot of stuff.”

    “Well, that’s not much help,” Jason says irritably. For some reason, he seems less handsome than he did when I last saw him.

     “Yeah. Not much help. Just like the person next to you,” I mumble to myself.

      “Key...key… unlocking a lot,” the cashier paces back and forth while being in deep thought.

     “A few weeks ago, this woman walked in with a whole box of those same chips. She was suspicious so..”

    “Why are we wasting time let's look for the key,” the woman next to Jason says. Finally, saying something, I agree.

     “Follow me,” the cashier says as we walk behind him,”one of these should be the key.”

     “Let’s get opening.”

   Time passes by as we look for the key. A minute left when I find an envelope in one of the bags.

     “I think I found it,” I say. I open the envelope and see a letter inside. “Princess, I know how I missed your last birthday. So this time I’ll be the first to say Happy birthday.”

     “What does it say,” Jason asks as he moves closer to see the letter.

     “Hey, princess,” a voice so familiar starts echoing in my head. I turn around and see my father, who just came back from the military.

      “Dad,” I yell as I run to hug him.

     “And you said you hated mystery.”

     “I stand corrected,” I respond to him.

     I look back and see everyone looking at us, speechless.

   “So this was all planned,” the cashier says, walking behind the counter. “Are you planning on buying another pack of chips, Miss.”