Free Spiraling by H. Karhoff Page A

neatly. Instead of his usual baggy jeans, he wore black slacks. The only thing he hadn’t changed was his boots.
    “I didn’t know you worked here,” I said.
    “Yep,” he replied.
    From the corner of my eye, I saw Mom watching us. I thought she would say something embarrassing about me talking to him, but it turned out she wasn’t pleased with the way he bagged her groceries. She started barking orders at him as if he were the biggest idiot she’d ever met. He smiled politely at her. Then he rearranged the bags until she was happy that everything was in its correct place.
    “Oh, my, gosh,” she said as he lifted the last sack into the cart. “Tori, I forgot to get cream.”
    “You can come back for it later,” I replied.
    “I won’t have time later and James used the last of it in his coffee this morning.”
    “All right, so get it now.”
    She looked from the cartload of groceries to the cashier to the supermarket aisles as if she were debating whether or not to go back. The customers in line behind us groaned, telling her to get out of the way. She’d already caused a back-up making Devon re-bag all the groceries.  Finally, she decided to send Devon and I out to the car while she went back through the store. After she paid the cashier, she gave me her keys and a quick lecture about making sure Devon didn’t squish the bread. I assured her that he wouldn’t, but like usual, she didn’t believe me and had to say it five times as we walked away.
    “I’m sorry,” I said once we were through the doors.
    “Don’t worry about it,” he replied. “She’s not the worst person I’ve dealt with.”
    “Really? I didn’t think anyone was ruder than my mom.”
    “She’s not that bad.”
    “You don’t live with her.”
    “Not sure I’d want to.” He chuckled.
    Walking up to the back of my mom’s car, I put the key in the trunk and opened it. “Do you want some help?”
    “No. I got it.” He shook his head and put the bags in the trunk. “Sorry, about blowing you off at school lately. I’ve had a lot of stuff going on.”
    “It’s okay,” I said, looking around the parking lot. I was nervous about talking to him. He’d been acting weird since we’d kissed. I’d pretty much convinced myself it was because he didn’t like me as more than a friend and didn’t want to hurt my feelings by telling me.
    “So, do you want to do something later on?” he asked.
    I turned to look at him. My heart leapt. I couldn’t believe he was actually asking me out. From the moment we’d met, I’d wanted this day to come. I’d practiced what I would say a million times in my head. Now that I had the chance, however, all I could say was, “Sure.”
    “Great.” He smiled. “I get off at five. I could pick you up about six, six-thirty.”
    “Ok.” I nodded.
    “All right. I have to get back to work, but I’ll see you then.”
    “See you then.”
    He closed the trunk and walked back toward the store. I watched him until he passed my mom. She looked at him. Then back at me. From her quizzical expression, I guessed she had another lecture brewing, so I hurried to the passenger door and unlocked it.
    “What took so long?” Mom asked.
    “He wanted to make sure he didn’t squish the bread,” I answered.
    She scowled at me. “Get in the car.”
    I opened the door and slid into the seat. Mom waited until I had buckled my seatbelt. Then she started the car and backed out of the stall.
    “Do you mind if I go out tonight?” I asked.
    “I thought you didn’t have any plans this weekend,” she said.
    “Devon just asked me out.”
    “Devon? The bagger?”
    “Uh-huh.” I nodded.
    “Well, he seems like a nice enough boy. I guess that would be okay.”
    As soon as we got home, I helped Mom put the groceries away before I went up to my room and raided my closet. By the time I was done, most of my clothes were in piles on the floor. I’d tried on everything I owned in an attempt to find the perfect