After school, Elias followed Lila to the small convenience store near their usual route home.

  It was a familiar place—bright fluorescent lights, neatly stocked shelves, the faint hum of the refrigerators lining the back wall. Elias had been here many times before, but Lila always seemed to find a reason to drag him along whenever she needed something.

  He never minded.

  As they stepped inside, Lila sighed dramatically, stretching her arms. “Alright! Time for the most important decision of my life.”

  Elias blinked. “You are buying snacks.”

  “Exactly,” she said solemnly. “A decision that could make or break my evening.”

  Elias watched as she marched toward the snack aisle with intense determination. She paced back and forth in front of the shelves, tapping her chin as she scanned the options like a warrior strategizing before battle.

  “…Lila.”

  “Shh. I need to concentrate.”

  Elias remained silent.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  A full minute passed.

  Then two.

  Finally, Lila groaned, dramatically collapsing against the shelf. “Ugh. This is impossible.”

  “You always buy the same thing,” Elias pointed out.

  “That’s not the point!” she whined. “What if today’s the day I decide to be adventurous? What if I discover a new favorite snack?”

  “You will still buy the same one.”

  Lila gasped. “Elias. Have some faith in me.”

  He simply stared at her.

  Lila huffed, turning back to the shelf. “…Okay, maybe I’ll still get the same one,” she mumbled. “But I could change my mind.”

  “Statistically unlikely.”

  “Shut up.”

  Despite her words, Elias could see her lips twitching like she was trying not to smile.

  Eventually, after another few moments of deep contemplation, Lila grabbed her usual bag of chips and held it up in victory. “Alright! Decision made. Let’s go before I start doubting myself again.”

  Elias followed her to the register, watching as she paid for her snack. She handed over her money, received her change, and happily tore open the bag the second they stepped outside.

  “You didn’t buy anything?” she asked, munching on a chip.

  “I did not need anything.”

  Lila hummed. Then, without hesitation, she held the bag out toward him. “Wanna try?”

  Elias stared at the offering.

  Sharing food. A simple gesture, but one he had observed before. It was something close friends did. A small sign of trust.

  Slowly, he reached into the bag, took a chip, and placed it in his mouth.

  Salty. Crunchy. The taste of artificial cheese lingered on his tongue.

  Lila watched him expectantly. “Well?”

  “It tastes like a chip,” he said.

  Lila groaned. “Come on, at least pretend to have an opinion!”

  Elias considered for a moment. “…It is acceptable.”

  She rolled her eyes but grinned nonetheless. “I guess that’s the highest praise I’m getting from you.”

  He nodded.

  Lila laughed, shaking her head as they continued their walk home.

  It was such a small, insignificant moment.

  But for some reason, Elias committed it to memory.