Song of Pain (BOOK THREE)

Chapter 15: Rosemarie's Sister

The fluorescent lights of the ICA supermarket hummed softly as the group wandered down the aisles, chatting idly. Eric trailed behind, eyeing the shelves of snacks and debating whether to grab a bag of chips. He was lost in thought when a familiar voice called out.

"Hey, I remember you!"

Eric turned around to see a girl with long, dark hair and a warm smile. It took him a moment, but recognition sparked. "Hey! Mary Grace, right?"

Her smile widened. "Yeah! You look like..." She hesitated, her gaze flicking to his jet-black hair and heavy eyeliner.

"Emo," Eric finished for her, smirking. "I know. Everyone says it."

Mary Grace laughed, shaking her head. "Yeah. My sister says emo is satanic."

Eric rolled his eyes, the smirk growing into a grin. "Every Christian says that. But you're not Christian, are you?"

She shook her head firmly. "Nope, I'm not."

"Finally," Eric muttered under his breath, chuckling.

At that moment, Aaron appeared around the corner, holding a carton of milk and a pack of gum. He glanced between the two and raised an eyebrow. "Hi?"

Mary Grace looked at Eric expectantly.

Eric gestured casually. "Oh, this is Aaron. Pretty much my friend."

Aaron gave her a polite nod. "Pretty much?" he echoed, smirking.

Before Mary Grace could respond, Sophie came bounding down the aisle with a basket full of groceries. Her eyes lit up when she spotted Mary Grace. "Mary Grace! Oh my gosh, hi!"

Mary Grace's face lit up even more. "Sophie! I miss you!"

The two hugged, the warmth of their reunion momentarily softening the chaotic energy of the supermarket.

Aaron leaned closer to Eric, muttering under his breath. "Who's she?"

"Rosemarie's sister," Eric whispered back.

Aaron nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. "Huh. Didn't know Rosie had siblings. Seems nice enough."

"Way nicer than Rosemarie," Eric quipped, earning a quiet laugh from Aaron.

The group lingered for a moment longer, catching up in the middle of the aisle. Despite the complicated history between them and Rosemarie, Mary Grace's easygoing demeanor brought a sense of calm to their interaction.

As they said their goodbyes and continued shopping, Eric couldn't help but feel a little lighter. It wasn't every day you ran into someone who wasn't quick to judge or make assumptions—especially someone related to Rosemarie. Maybe, just maybe, things were starting to look up.

The cool afternoon breeze carried the faint smell of exhaust and freshly baked bread from the ICA grocery store down the street. Aaron, Sophie, and Mary Grace leaned against the brick wall outside the store, sharing a cigarette. Their laughter rose above the hum of passing cars as they took turns passing the roll around.

Aaron leaned back, exhaling a slow stream of smoke. "You know," he began, "for a Christian, Rosemarie sure made a big deal about being better than us, huh?"

Sophie snickered. "She's probably at home with Ken, praying to Jehovah for a new personality."

Mary Grace laughed, tucking a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. "Or she's trying to justify her new relationship in the Bible. Good luck with that."