You and Bae walked through the aisles of the local grocery store, the chaos of the place almost matching the energy between the two of you. The cereal section was always a battlefield, and today was no different. You held up a box of plain granola, practical and sensible, but Bae was grinning, proudly waving a box of sugary marshmallow cereal in your face.

“Come on, it’s way better than that boring thing you’re holding,” she teased, shaking the box at you. “This is fun cereal, not old people cereal.”

You rolled your eyes, but couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up. “I’m not even that old, you brat. And besides, you have the worst taste in cereal.”

She stuck her tongue out at you. “You’re just jealous that I have a better one.”

You pushed the cart down the aisle, half-heartedly protesting, but it didn’t matter. Without missing a beat, Bae dropped the box into the cart with a flourish. “I win!” she said smugly.

As the two of you continued shopping, it became a pattern—Bae slipping random, unnecessary items into the cart: a giant stuffed bear, two cans of pineapple, and some random snacks she had to try. She was a whirlwind of energy, and you could never resist joining in.

At checkout, the cashier raised an eyebrow at the oversized stuffed animal and the pile of snacks, but Bae was quick to claim her victory.

“You’re basically my personal shopping cart now,” she said, nudging you with an elbow. “My very expensive one.”

You couldn’t help but laugh as you paid for everything, the absurdity of the moment making you feel lighter than usual. Bae was chaotic, but she was your chaos, and it always felt good.

The ride home was quieter than usual. You kept your eyes on the road, and Bae was staring out the window, her fingers absentmindedly playing with the sleeve of her hoodie. There was a subtle shift in the air, a quiet tension between you two that hadn’t been there before.