Chapter 52: Change
After my shower, I went straight to the kitchen. It was still early, but my stomach was starting to rumble, and my routine was my routine. I opened the pantry, my hand reaching for the familiar stack of instant noodle packages. Same brand, same flavor. It was easy, and it was food.
I pulled a package out and was about to rip it open when I just... stopped.
I looked down at the colorful plastic wrapper. I ate this yesterday. And the day before that. And probably for lunch and dinner last weekend.
’Man, this is kind of sad,’ I thought.
The haircut, talking to Nina, even just the decision to not be a complete loner anymore... it felt like I was trying to change things. But here I was, about to slurp down the same sad, salty soup I’d been eating for years. It was loner food.
I put the noodle package back on the shelf.
’Time for a change, I guess.’
I walked over to the fridge and opened it, hoping to find some inspiration. The bright light came on, illuminating the entire contents of my refrigerator: a half-empty bottle of water, a jar of pickles that was probably older than my last real conversation, and some questionable mustard. That was it.
I sighed and shut the door. Okay, so if I wanted to eat something else, I was going to have to actually buy it. And then cook it.