My New Eyes Can See Through Clothes

The fluorescent lights of the grocery store buzzed softly overhead as Jack steered the cart through the aisles, picking up vegetables, fruits, and a variety of kitchen essentials. He scanned the shelves with a practiced eye, his mind already mapping out meals he could prepare for the week. Lena and Samantha trailed behind him, chatting lightly but keeping an eye on what Jack was picking out.

Jack reached for a bundle of spinach, inspecting it briefly before tossing it into the cart. "Fresh greens. Can't go wrong with those."

Lena peeked over his shoulder. "I haven't had a salad in ages. This is nice."

Samantha smirked. "Salad? That's your big wish? I'm more interested in what real meals Jack can make. Salad sounds... weak."

Jack chuckled. "Don't worry, we're not stopping at salad. I can whip up plenty of other stuff too."

They moved on to the fruits section, where Jack grabbed a variety of apples, bananas, and oranges, checking the quality of each one. He held up a bright red apple, turning to Samantha. "You eat fruit, right? Or do you stick strictly to office snacks?"

Samantha raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Excuse me, I have an excellent diet, thank you very much. But yeah, grab the apples. I'll take some to work."

As they moved down the aisles, Jack added tomatoes, carrots, bell peppers, and onions to the cart, all while Lena was nudging him and asking what he planned to cook with them.

"Well," Jack began, "I could make some pasta with a good tomato-based sauce, maybe a veggie stir-fry... or even stuffed peppers if I feel fancy."

Lena's eyes widened. "You really know how to cook all that?"

Jack shrugged modestly. "I had to learn. Couldn't afford to eat out all the time, so I picked up some skills over the years."

That comment seemed to catch Samantha's attention, and as Jack picked up a bag of rice, she turned to him with a curious look. "Speaking of... life and experiences... Jack, have you ever had any experience with women? Like, relationships or dating?"

Jack paused for a second, then shook his head with a small smile. "Nah, not really. I was always busy with studies, and honestly, I was too poor to even think about dating back then. I couldn't afford to go out with friends for coffee or anything, let alone take someone out on a date."

Lena frowned slightly, but it was Samantha who spoke first. "No way. Not even once?"

"Nope." Jack grabbed a pack of lentils and added it to the cart. "I was pretty much a loner. I spent most of my time studying or working odd jobs to pay for school. So, yeah, you two are kind of my first real friends."

Samantha grinned mischievously. "First friends, huh? Well, obviously, that makes me the first friend, then."

Lena blinked in surprise, looking between them. "Wait, how come you're the first?"

Samantha smirked, a playful glint in her eye. "Because I met him first. You came later."

Lena opened her mouth as if to protest, then closed it, realizing Samantha had a point. She frowned but didn't deny it. "Okay, technically, you met him first, but that doesn't make you better."

Jack chuckled, shaking his head at their banter. "Don't worry, Lena, you're still pretty high on the list."

Lena smiled at that, clearly pleased with the reassurance, and they moved on to the next section of the store.

As they walked through the aisles, Jack picked out more essentials for the kitchen: bags of rice, whole wheat pasta, a variety of spices like cumin, paprika, and black pepper. He even grabbed a jar of olive oil and some canned tomatoes. They found a section with fresh herbs, and Jack tossed in a few bunches of cilantro, parsley, and basil.

"Herbs are key," Jack explained as he threw them into the cart. "They make everything taste better."

Samantha, leaning casually against the cart, tilted her head. "You're like a walking cooking show, Jack. Are you sure you didn't train as a chef in secret?"

Jack laughed. "Nope, just years of being broke and hungry."

Lena giggled. "Well, it's working for us."

They passed the grain section, and Jack grabbed bags of quinoa, lentils, and some chickpeas. He also picked up a few boxes of oats and a large bag of flour, along with a few cartons of eggs and some milk. It seemed like they were filling up the cart fast, but Jack knew that if they planned well, it would last them a week—maybe more.

"Anything else you guys want?" Jack asked as they approached the dairy section. He reached out for a block of cheese, glancing at Samantha and Lena.

"I'm good," Lena said, brushing her blonde hair out of her face. "But I'm excited to see what you'll make."

"Same," Samantha added. "I'm looking forward to some actual home-cooked meals."

Jack smiled. "No pressure, then."

After collecting a few more essentials—bread, yogurt, and some frozen veggies—they finally reached the checkout counter. The cashier scanned each item, and soon they had their groceries packed into bags, ready to take home.

"So, let's see what we've got," Jack said, glancing through the list as they loaded the bags into the cart.

The final grocery haul:

Rice

Lentils

Chickpeas

Quinoa

Whole wheat pasta

Flour

Oats

Eggs

Milk

Cheese

Olive oil

Canned tomatoes

Fresh spinach

Tomatoes, carrots, bell peppers, onions

Bananas, apples, oranges

Cilantro, parsley, basil

Paprika, cumin, black pepper

Frozen veggies

Bread

Yogurt

Cooking Utensils

Samantha looked at the bags with a raised eyebrow. "This is a lot of stuff. Are we opening a restaurant or something?"

Jack grinned. "It's all about preparation. We're set for the week, maybe even more."

Lena laughed, pushing a bag back into place in the cart. "I haven't seen this much food in our apartment ever. We usually just have instant noodles."

"Well, that's about to change," Jack said with a smile. "We're cooking from now on."

Samantha's playful smirk returned. "Alright, Chef Jack. Let's see what you've got."

With the groceries packed and ready to go. Then Lena remember she came here to buy something for herself as well. She went back and bought what she wanted and then the three of them started their walk back home, bags in hand, and stomachs already grumbling at the thought of the meals to come.