The Mating Run by Leeka

Chapter 17

Changes
It is under the most peculiar circumstances that Ettie and I first come face to
It’s in my first week of working part-time at a convenience store. The night shift. is my preferred choice for work as it attracts a diverse range of customers, including an elderly man with a thirst for alcohol and teenagers seeking to purchase condoms. Most of the time, I don’t really care because my only focus is getting only focus is getting through my shift and finally getting some sleep.
The first day passes without any unusual occurrences, leading me to believe the week will end just as uneventfully. However, I am sorely mistaken.
On a Monday, there are five customers at the convenience store. Two of them. arrive together, inebriated and seeking snacks. There is an old lady in search of an umbrella. A man in his late fifties wants to purchase a cigarette. The fifth person is wearing a large hoodie and a face mask. Initially, I don’t pay much attention to them, but I recently notice they always purchase the same item.
A pill to help you sleep.
It seems contradictory to me that they would purchase a sleeping pill in the dead of night. If they had bought it in the afternoon, they could have enjoyed at peaceful night’s rest..
Nevertheless, being someone who simply sells things, I don’t feel compelled to question the reason for it. Small talk doesn’t interest me at the moment. My motto is clear: I have no intention of making friends; I am solely focused on earning enough money to pay the bills.
Each day, from Tuesday to Thursday, feels like a repetitive loop.
I have a steady stream of regular customers, each with unique and unpredictable requests. Right before closing the store, without fail, someone wearing a hoodie and mask knocks on the door and Inquires about sleeping pills.
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It is on a Friday when the seemingly endless loop finally ceases. Just as I have anticipated, customers steadily arrive throughout the night. The sound of the door opening with a ding catches my attention, and I turn to see if the person in the hoodie will buy the sleeping pill once more. Just as I am about to grab the pre-packed sleeping pill, I lift my head and notice the absence of anyone wearing a
hoodie or a mask.
However, my gaze is drawn to a breathtakingly beautiful girl, her face etched with a frown of irritation. Bags under her eyes reveal her exhaustion, while her entire aura emanates with anger. For some reason, even if it is the first time I see her face, there is a sense of familiarity that washes over me. I can’t take my eyes off her as she stops right in front of me and confidently places a paper bill on the
counter.
I don’t know why I don’t just give her the medicine.
I don’t know why I actually speak..
“What happened to your hoodie?”
She seems taken aback by my question, perhaps because it is unexpected for someone to approach her. I can tell she is going to ignore me by the way she casually shrugs. With an awkward nod, I reluctantly accept her money and pass her the sleeping pill. Right before I can hand her the change, she surprises me by finally opening her mouth.
“You’re in a talkative mood today, huh?”
Immediately, my cheeks turn red with embarrassment. “Sorry.”
“No worries, it’s all good.” She tells me, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as she chuckles. She really is pretty. “I just can’t handle this heat.”
“Hmm.”
And I think that will be the end of it, but I am wrong. She makes a point to ditch. her hoodie whenever she goes to the convenience store after that day. Instead, she enters the store wearing rumpled pajamas and a deep frown, urgently requesting a

O
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sleeping pill.
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It takes me about three weeks to build up the courage to ask her about it, after she has bought it.
“Are you having a hard time sleeping?”
Her snort of contempt is followed by sharp, cutting remarks, but they bounce off me without leaving a mark. “Tell me, smarty pants, what do you think?”
“I think maybe the sleeping pills you keep buying don’t actually work.” I tell her nonchalantly, shrugging as I slide the sleeping pill into a paper bag and hand her back her change. “Maybe you should try doing something else to help you sleep.”
“Got any suggestions?”
I tilt my head to the side, deep in thought.
“What do you think about going for a run?”
She gives me a bewildered look, as if I have lost my mind. She quickly sn atches the paper bag and heads towards the store’s exit. I shrug, turning my attention to the shelves, only to realize that the door hasn’t slammed shut, suggesting that she is still there. As confusion washes over me, I quickly glance behind me, only to find her gaze fixed upon me, mirroring my own befuddlement.
“My name’s Ettie.”
As she tells me, I can’t help but notice how her name rolls off the tongue, just as lovely as she is. It is undeniably unfair how some individuals are blessed with both physical attractiveness and names that exude charm.
“I’m not really into running, but if it gets the job done, then why not? When are we going to go for a jog?”
When I suggest going for a run, what I really mean is for her to do it alone. The girl introduces herself to me, but I remain completely oblivious to her identity. We barely know each other, and she, a customer, and me, a mere part-time worker at
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the convenience store.
Agreeing and going with her would be completely crazy.
But that’s what I do. Surprising myself, the words spill out of my mouth, and I tell her:
“I’m almost done with my shift. Nothing compares to a morning jog. If you wait for me, I’m down to run with you.”
“Cool.”
Ettie nods, her hand reaching out to grasp the doorknob. With her hand firmly on the handle and one foot already outside, I can’t resist speaking up once more. In an instant, she freezes, her gaze fixed ahead, deliberately avoiding any eye contact with me.
“You can call me Alina.”
“Alina.”
She softly whispers my name under her breath, as if trying to etch it into her
memory.
“Your name is really pretty.”
I know Ettie like I know myself.
We are inseparable, always doing everything together.
It might be strange how our paths cross, and even now, I still can’t fathom why she struggles with sleep. She claims that it’s solely her character, but deep down, I remain skeptical. It sounds bad, as friends have to trust each other, but sometimes I just sense that Ettie is keeping secrets from me.
Despite everything, when my eyes meet hers, and I witness the blood dripping
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from her mouth and hands, I’m filled with uncertainty about how well I truly know
her.
From my vantage point high up in the tree sanctuary, I watch with anticipation as Ettie and her group pass below. The moonlight filters through the leaves, creating eerie patterns of shadow on the forest floor. With every step they take, my heart pounds in my chest, creating a symphony of pulsating beats.
Ettie, my best friend, the person with whom I share countless secrets and laughter, walks with the group, her once familiar presence now distant and unfamiliar. Her silhouette is barely visible, camouflaged in the darkness, causing me to narrow my eyes in concentration. Every time she moves, a predatory grace accompanies her, creating a malevolent aura that sends shivers down my spine.
“on 2025
The forest used to be so peaceful, but now it’s like a maze of dangerous stuff. Ettie’s gaze,
mid of warmth and filled with an ominous intensity, uncovers a
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