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Grade
9

Corner Store Girl

Class has ended and as usual my younger brother and I have left for home. My brother was a pure hearted dreamer, the fact that life dulls has never hit him. My parents were the same, the vibrant colors shone off of them by just simply smiling. "Juno! Today in class we learned about how large space is, one day I am going to build a rocketship and go off to the beyond. Pinky promise to bring you back some stardust too!" I smile and nod my head not trying to bring down my little brother. Halfway through our walk home I see a faint glowing in the distance, I squint my eyes trying to see it closer. The light was coming from inside the old run down corner store, my little brother stops to see what I am looking at.

"What's there?" I look at my brother swiftly then turn back to find the light gone. "I don't know what I'm looking at Gee... do you see anything?" He answers back in a whisper "Nothing." We continue the walk home silently trying to decipher what was there or what wasn't there. Once near the house my brother runs up the stairs searching for his Mystery journal where he puts all his findings, no one should have let him watch gravity falls.  

I walked up the stairs and into my room grabbing my laptop and then I open it. Once I go on chrome (because safari sucks) I search up the name of that corner store, Big Liz was apparently opened in the year 1924 and was made a popular chain all over the Bronx serving fresh and healthy food at an affordable cost until the incident. I scroll down the page trying to find what this incident was but I found nothing. I close my laptop and sigh hoping there would be more adventure to this but it seems there wasn’t.

 

It was the next day and my last class also, twirling my pen and nodding at whatever my math teacher said seemed to be what everyone else was doing, all with bright new ideas in each of our heads. The bell rings and I hurry out of school, my brother has his kung-fu classes today which means I don’t have to care for him today. I walk out of school in a very bubbly way just for one thing and soon enough I make it there.

I stare at the corner store and grab two things out of my bag, a flashlight and my tee-ball bat. I walk in the store where it is pitch black, I turn on my flashlight and swing it around trying to find anything that might interest me, I hear a soft purring sound and stumble back. “I’ve got a bat! Don’t mess with this 3 gold medal pitcher.” which of course was a lie, I’ve only got one gold medal.  

I feel something soft rub my leg and I look down to find a small calico cat. I smile and pet the cat’s head and laugh, it must of been this sweetie who made me jump. As soon as I think of that the front door swings open and I gasp.

 

“Who in the hell is here?” A girl screams as she turns on the light to the whole place. The lights flicker but then soon enough turn on bright enough for me to see her. I stay quiet hoping she hasn’t seen me yet and that I could make my escape. She looks down and drops her book bag “What are you doing in my place?”  I fiddle my fingers “well um… I saw a glowing light here yesterday and I wanted to check it out so  here I am… hehe”

“Well this is my hidden place so now you have been sworn to secrecy to not tell anyone. What are you doing petting my Margo?”

 

By that I guess the cat’s name is  Margo, I drop my bat and light and stand up. “I promise to keep this fortress a secret.  My name is Juno Reid, age 14, currently attending Lewadin High. You?”  I extend my hand out.

“Adeline Vance from the Vance family, age 12, currently attending Lewadin Middle.” She takes my hand and shakes it. I look at her and smile. “Nice place you got here, live here or just club space?” I state looking around to see all the fairy lights, blankets, and glitter everywhere.

 

“Been living here for 2 months now, this is my safe haven. Margo and I are a tag team, you can join if you want. It’s kind of lonely here.” I smile and nod accepting her offer, I crouch down and grab a box of cookies from my bag and pass it to her. She smiles and hugs me “thanks! I’m starving.” she states.

 

I watch as she was placing things down and see how homie this place is. “Why do you live here?” she smiles and laughs “well you know, when your parent hardly recognize that you are there. Move out and only visit on sundays from 11am-4pm.” I look at here it somewhat makes sense but no one says that. I sit down on one of her floor pillows and smile, this small area feels like the inside of a castle. Her personality is left everywhere not letting and wall bare.

 

“So Juno, do you like high school? It seems tough and kinda scary.” She hears a beep and squeals running over to get her tea and she pours it into 2 very delicate tea-cups and smiles “One for me and one for you!”

 

Once she hands me the tea I take a sip and smile “Rose tea, good choice! High school is  okay I guess,I  just don’t have many friends. I have like 1 or 2.” She nods and pours some milk into her tea and smiles “How odd you seem to be a very friendly creature but of course who am I to judge” She sips her tea in a very regal way to match the voice she just did. I laugh and continue it “the ladies and lords at the school are just horrendous! If only it was like when I was in the country home with mummy and daddy” She spits out a little of her tea and snorts, I end up giggling and we both can’t finish our tea from laughter.

 

“This is the nicest day I’ve had in awhile” Ady states and I nod in agreeance  then grab my phone and see what time is it. “Oh my god I have to go! I’m so sorry, I’ll be back tomorrow!” I rush out and run the rest of the way home since it is getting dark out. I rush into my house trying not to be found out by my parents.

 

The next day goes the same yet we have chariot race instead, day after day Ady and I spend our days being in space or anywhere at all. I felt joy I haven’t felt in a while, I felt like a kid again, like an adventurer, like myself. Days passed and it was the best, anticipating to run to the corner store and hang out with her. Soon enough my brother joined and it was the best I have ever felt. With freinds and family I felt complete with them all.

 

Until she was gone, I checked the corner store and her school. All I could find was Margo who was lost also. She was not around or even visible. Her parents came looking for her, they couldn’t find her. We had a search party for Adeline Vance, the corner store girl who was never found.

 

Days and months have passed in such a slow pace it felt like a year until I got the call. It was sunday October 15 and it’s been a whole 2 months since Adeline the corner store girl has gone missing. No one knew about her hideout except for my brother and I. I got a call from an unknown number but I answer it out of curiosity.

“Hello?”

“Oh my! Juno is that you?”

I take a second and then remember that voice.

“Adeline” I state “Is that you?”

I hear her take a breath “Yeah it’s me, was gone for a while wasn’t I?”

“Yeah for a long time really, where are you?”

“At Big Liz come over and bring some food!”

I Accept her offer and hang up  grabbing my bag and my tee ball bat once again just incase.

 

I ride my bike there with bat in hand just incase I need to fight anyone. I park my bike and walk into the store just as if it were my first day here “Ady…. You in here?”  I feel Margo rub against my leg and I smile, I turn the lights on and find Ady has put up new lights and everything.

 

Welcome back corner store girl.