Does she think it is stupid to wear them?
I nod as she giggles. “You are a nerd.”
She looks over the glasses options and grabs a circular shaped ones with silver rims “This one, try it.” I look down at the amount of snacks on my arms and she puts the glasses on me herself as I bask in her closeness and hold my breath since it might be horrible. I turn to the mirror and look at myself. I don’t currently have any bruises on my face which I'm grateful for.
I want Elsie to feel safe with me.
I can't let her see my scars and bruises or she will think I'm weak and not good enough to protect her.
“I like them, you look cool.” she puts her arm on my shoulder and my breath hitches as I smile. “Then those are my glasses from now on.”
She feels proud of herself as she reaches higher on her tiptoes and crosses her eyes, sticking out her tongue in the mirror and I can’t help but laugh. “What are you doing?” she ignores me as she keeps making silly faces, each one more ridiculous than the other.
She grabs me by my sweater and pulls me closer to the mirror surface as she squeezes both my cheeks and spreads them apart, my teeth show and there is a missing tooth in the back when one time my father punched me so hard he knocked it out.
I raise both my brows the highest I can get and she laughs and presses her left side of her face to my right one and I stare at our eyes.
“I like your eyes, they remind me of summer trees.”
My face flushes.
“I like yours too.” I whisper.
After losing our minds in front of the dirty mirror, we walk into another aisle as I grab a blanket. A hand slaps mine.
“Ouch, what was that for?!”
This is the least pain I have ever felt but it felt nice to say how I feel out loud.
“This blanket has cars on it.”
“So?”
She rolls her eyes as she searches the other ones and grabs a light blue one with stars on it as she puts back the cars one. “This one is better.”
She looks at me as if I would disagree and I really want to tell her how wrong she would be if she thinks I’m capable of refusing anything she suggests.
I shrug. “Sure.”
She walks over the front of the store, picking up a plastic basket and I rush to her crouching.
As I organize our things into the basket, making sure everything fits symmetrically. “Are you ready to go?” She doesn’t answer me for a while as I look back over my shoulder.
She’s holding a medium carbon bowl of instant noodles. “My parents never let me try this ever.” She moves the bowl from side to side in consideration and I stand up, walking over to her as I grab another one and put them both in the basket.
“Thank god your parents are not here now, you can try them as much as you like. I haven’t tried them either. So, let’s do it together.”
She grins and holds my hand as I adjust her hood over her head and mine. Grabbing the basket with one hand, keeping my free hand holding her as we walk back out of the backdoor.
“Why are we in the woods?”
Her fear is heard through her breathing as I squeeze her hand. Walking further between the trees, moonlight guiding us as owls hoot over us on the branches. Our legs snapping the leaves beneath us. I keep leading her till we find a perfect spot, away from any danger or prying eyes.
Letting go of her hand as she rubs her arm looking around confused. I put the basket down and look over the two small tree branches, taking out the blanket.
“You haven’t had your chance to camp with your parents.” I look up, planning out how I will make this work as I smile at her. “I want to change that.”
After some trials I managed to tie some branches, the leaves casting a shelter for us.
