"Would you like a receipt?" the cashier said to me with her eyes staring straight at me blankly. "No, thank you. Have a good day!" I shouted as I grabbed my bag and ran for the exit. I walked as fast as I could to my car without looking like a complete idiot. I pressed the unlock button my key and opened the door and climbed into my newly painted black SUV. I quickly cranked the car and turned the heat on full blast. This winter had been rather mild but today the temperature had peaked at a measly 22 degrees. I searched through my plastic bag throwing out the shampoo and hair dye I had originally gone to the store for and finally found what was perhaps the best impulse buy I'd ever invested in. The package my hand had been scouring the bag for was found. I pulled the small purple item out of the bag. My eyes gleamed at its' beauty. "At last!" I muttered. I quickly ripped open the package allowing the tiny purple and white striped egg to fall into my hand. I had been searching for this particular flavor of Chapstick for months. I twisted open the lid unveiling a beautiful, unscathed mound of SPF 10 lip balm. As I slowly touched the cool egg to my lips I felt sweet relief. I lathered on layer and layer and placed the lid back where it once was. I sat back feeling as if my life had been completed. My nose tingled to the smell of blackberries and some unidentifiable meadow flower.

PART II

Days had pasted since I had found the true love of my life: Blackberry Bliss Lip Balm. We had already made so many wonderful memories in the few short days we had known each other. The two of us had shared numerous great times already like the countless car ride karaoke sessions and an unusually hilarious trip to Yogurt Mountain. We also shared some not-so-happy-times like when I ran over a squirrel who's time on this earth was cut way to short of my own actions. However tragedy had struck the day I forgot to check the weather. I walked outside prepared for the day ahead it was a chilly morning. I got into my car and saw my new friend as we greeted each other with a small kiss. I drove to campus and went to class as usual. Class drug by and all that could get me through the day was knowing I would soon be reunited with Blackberry Bliss. As soon as class was over I ran straight for the bus that would take me to my designated parking zone. As I hopped onto the bus I noticed I had a line of beaded sweat on my forehead. I could feel that my body temperature had risen or had it? I whipped out my phone and checked my weather app. I was shocked to see that the temperature had reached a high of 70 degrees. I ripped my jacket off as the sweat began rapidly building on my face and neck.

The bus finally reached my stop and I quickly stepped off the bus and headed towards my car. The sun beamed down onto the black sea of pavement, with every step the heat rising. I managed to crawl into my car fearing I was about to have a heat stroke and blasted the AC. My car must have been triple the outside temperature. "I knew painting this black was a bad idea." I muttered to myself. I had not realized the sun attacked black cars this much. As I reached into my cup holder I grabbed my newly found friend and twisted open his cap. "Oh. My. God." I stifled out one word at a time as my hands dropped. The next few moments felt like a life time. The gentle egg-shaped friend I had just been given the privilege of calling my friend fell to the floorboard. The sweet blackberry flavored balm covered the floor in liquid form. I closed my eyes refusing to believe what had happened. I sat there for a moment and mourned the short lived life of my friend Blackberry Bliss. I then turned to my glove compartment and pulled out a few napkins from my stockpile of various fast food labeled napkins. I began wiping up my friend up confusing tears for melted chapstick. I composed myself and headed for Target.

PART III

"Would you like a receipt?" the cashier said to me. I managed to whimper out "No, thank you. Have a nice day." I exited the store and headed towards my car. I quickly got in and busted open my new friend. I slowly looked down at my floorboard looking at the remains of Blackberry Bliss and mourned his life one more time. Then I realized I had a new friend. As the pink and white egg rolled into my palms and I stared at it and it staring back at me. I realized I had learned the do's and don'ts of lip balm storage and I said to my new friend with confidence and hopeful admiration "Hello there Strawberry Sorbet, we're going to be best friends forever!"

The End