SUPERMARKET - SATURDAY NIGHT
The soft hum of the store's overhead lights created a dull ambiance as Saturday night settled over the city. The aisles were quiet, only a few late-night shoppers browsing in hushed silence. The fluorescent lights flickered faintly, casting a sterile glow over the colorful shelves of paint supplies, canvas rolls, and brushes.
Savannah strolled slowly down the aisle, her fingers gliding over the rows of acrylic tubes. The colors felt like a comforting memory—Vermilion Red, Indigo Blue, Burnt Umber. But her thoughts were elsewhere.
She had finished work earlier than expected—an unexpected gift that granted her a few precious hours to herself. Instead of taking it easy, she had jumped into a taxi and headed straight to the mansion, her mind buzzing with thoughts she couldn't quiet. A whirlwind of memories—Theo's laughter, Blaze's icy gaze, and Elijah's voice—swirled chaotically in her head.
Once home, she had transformed. She tossed her coat aside, swept her hair into a loose bun, and reached for her paints.
But as soon as she opened her box, she realized she was nearly out of everything.
And that's how she found herself here—Savannah and Elijah, in a small corner store just a twenty-minute walk from the estate. She hadn't shared much with him, just that she needed a few supplies. He didn't pry, simply followed her lead.
They navigated the aisles in silence. Savannah filled the cart with her must-haves—paint, charcoal, a couple of extra sketch pads. Elijah had wandered off to another aisle, on a mission to find brushes for her.
Now, he was back.
"Here you go." Elijah said sliding two packs of brushes into the cart.
Savannah turned her head and glanced down, her brow arching slightly. "You think I'll run out soon?"
"You go through them like they're just firewood." Elijah replies with a hint of smile in his eyes.
She gave a faint smirk but still reached into the cart, pulling out one of the packs and handing it back to him. "I won't need them for long."
Elijah's fingers brushed against hers as he took the pack back. That brief touch sent a ripple of something deeper between him.
He paused, really taking her in. Her eyes seemed heavier tonight, and her posture was a bit more closed off, as if she was carrying a weight that no one else could see.
"..I'm sorry. For what happened earlier." Elijah spoke his voice gentle.
Savannah was already on the move again, the cart wheels softly turning as she walked ahead. "For what?"
Elijah followed behind, "At the party. I took it out on you." He said. "I didn't realize.Didn't know you were in danger." He added further, this time his voice carried a little sadness.
He grabbed a jar of gesso from the shelf and handed it to her. She accepted it without looking up.
"I'm actually glad you did." Savannah said, "Because now I can think clearly, what I was too afraid to face—You helped me confront it." She further said, Savannah was really thankful to him, he had helped her unknowingly, that had made her make a clear view of everything right now.
And then, she suddenly stopped.
Abruptly.
Elijah, just a step behind her, had to come to a quick halt, his foot dragging slightly as he nearly bumped into her back.
She turned slowly to him.
They were so close. Way too close.
Savannah's face was just a breath away from his chest. Her scent—warm, amber, and subtle—filled the small space between them, making Elijah's heart quicken.
He gazed down at her, taking in her delicate features framed by a tangle of messy hair. Her lips were slightly parted, as if she had more to say but couldn't find the words. And those eyes—deep, earnest, and quietly defiant.
It took every ounce of willpower not to reach out to her.
Not to pull her close and promise that she wouldn't have to face this alone.
"Thank you, Eli." Suddenly Savannah said.
Her voice was soft, yet it carried a weight, as if each word was laden with significance.
Elijah blinked, momentarily puzzled. "For what?"
"For giving me clarity." She said. "I finally know where I'm headed. And I hope I can live well... No matter what happens."
"With or without Theo." Her words made something inside him sink.
He understood what she meant, and he knew how much it cost her to say it.
Hope had turned into a risky thing in their world, and Savannah had stopped holding onto it.
Not because she didn't love her son, but because survival came first.
Elijah's voice dropped, heavy with concern.
"What's your plan?"
Savannah glanced down at the cart, her fingers lightly tracing the edge. Then she lifted her head, her gaze fixed ahead, as if she were visualizing everything.
"The study room. Blaze's private space. That's where the truth lies." Savannah says, her voice carried the seriousness that she was deliberate to take this step.
"Are you sure?" Elijah questions her.
Savannah could be seen in a thought for a while and then "There's a secret door inside.
Theo went through it at that time."
Savannah took a moment before speaking more "I saw him do it in the video." Savannah's memory took her back to the day when she had finally seen her son, alive.
Elijah nodded slowly. "So, we need to get in. Without Blaze knowing."
Savannah let out a sharp breath, the weight of the situation crashing down on her again. Her grip on the cart handle tightened just a bit.
"That's the tricky part." She said, "Arthur's gaze is always fixed on that room."
"We need to get him out. Both of them." Elijah adds.
"Long enough for us to sneak in and grab what you need." He further says, making a thought to himself.
Savannah's eyes drifted to a row of palette knives, her focus fading. "We need a strategy. A reason to lure Blaze away from the mansion."
Savannah further adds, "And a distraction strong enough to pull Arthur away too.
She turned back to Elijah.
He stood tall above her, arms crossed loosely, his eyes filled with concern and admiration.
"Are you really sure about this?" He again asks for her reassurance, because he knew it was way too risky. And he cared about her.
She offered a small smile. It was bittersweet but determined. "More than sure."
A moment of silence stretched between them.
And for just a heartbeat, despite the plan, the looming danger, and the grief that clung to her like a shadow—they stood there in aisle eleven, too close for comfort, the air thick with unspoken words.
Elijah clenched his jaw and took a step back—not because he wanted to, but because he had to.
He couldn't let himself get any closer.
Not when she was teetering on the brink of chaos.
"Ana."
The voice cut through the moment like a knife. Calm. Deep. Icy.
Savannah froze.
Elijah's body tensed immediately, every instinct kicking in. He turned slowly, and saw the most unexpected man stood there.
Blaze Baldwin.
Author's Note :
Thankyou for reading<3
Have a good day/night<3<3