AN: Some of you said the last chapter was too short... so I'm hoping this one is better in that respect. Leave reviews! Thanks.

P.S. is it bad that I've seen Super 8 three times now? hahaha

CHAPTER THREE

The first thing I noticed when we walked into the ice cream shop was Heartbreak Hotel by Elvis playing from what looked like a new radio sitting by a window on the opposite wall. Inside, the shop was similar to how it had been before, just a few modest wooden tables with chairs and white tile flooring. We walked over to the glass case that held the different types of ice cream.

"So what would you boys like?" Mr. Reynolds stepped behind the counter and wiped his hands on a towel.

Cary pulled a twizzler out from his backpack and began chewing it as he looked through the glass. "Woah, you only have three flavors now."

Mr. Reynolds nodded. "Yes, I decided to just keep it simple this time. Though I can assure you the taste is just as good as before.

"Cool beans." Cary always ordered his ice cream first. I think out of all of us, he's the most in love with the ice cream Mr. Reynolds serves. "Can I have some chocolate?" Mr. Reynolds took a cone and scooped some chocolate ice cream into it. I was next and asked for vanilla. As the others ordered their ice cream, Cary and I started pushing two tables together and gathering enough chairs for the five of us. I realized this would be the perfect opportunity to set my plan into motion.

"Hey Cary," I said to him as I held my ice cream in my left hand and dragged a chair with my right.

He took a lick of his ice cream and then looked over at me, "Yeah?"

"Do you wanna stay at my place tonight?" Cary hadn't stayed at my house for a couple of weeks now. His house had been destroyed by the Air Force's bombs and his parents had been living in a cheap hotel room just outside of town ever since. Cary had been taking turns staying at our houses the past three weeks because the hotel room with his parents got cramped easily.

"Oh." He nodded. "Sure."

"Yeah I didn't know if you were already planning on staying somewhere else but you haven't been over in a while so I thought I might as well ask." I felt like I needed to explain because he still looked a little hesitant.

"Is your mom still mad about last time?" He licked his ice cream again.

I thought for a second, "Nah, she's totally over it." That was partially true, anyway. Last time Cary had spent the night at my house he accidentally set our living room on fire. "Just leave your lighters at the hotel."

"Preston, I can't do that!" He whined. "They keep me safe."

I sighed. "Alright, but just don't light anything on fire this time."

"I didn't mean to! I was just messing with my lighter and then I tripped."

"Just be extra careful. Don't use any fire in the house."

"Fine," he agreed. Martin, Charles, and Joe each took a seat at the table Cary and I had set up.

Charles lay his camera down. "Guys, I don't think we're taking advantage of our wrecked town enough. It's a mint! I need to film more around here."

Joe bit his ice cream, "I think you've been filming plenty."

"You can't just film scenery. You need to write a new script." Martin said.

"No kidding, Smartin." Charles turned towards him. "The problem is that I don't have any good ideas right now."

"I'm sure Alice wouldn't mind helping again if you need a girl for the movie." Joe offered.

Charles paused, "Don't get me wrong, Alice is a great actress, but I can't use the same girl for all of my films." Cary stared at the two of them. I'm sure the Girls Free Day bell was going off in his mind.

"You never had a problem with casting Martin in all of your movies." I pointed out.

"Yeah, but..." he tried to think of an excuse, "girls are different."

Joe shrugged, "Whatever."

"I want Kendra to be in my next film." We must have all given him an odd look because then he got defensive, "So what? She's my girlfriend for God's sake."

"How do you know she's not cheating on you?" Martin asked Charles.

I cut in, "She is pretty far."

"Of course she's not cheating on me! She calls me all the time." Charles was starting to get upset.

"But how do you know? Does she ever say she's not cheating on you?" I'd been wondering if she was cheating on him because she was actually really pretty. As annoying as Charles could get sometimes, I didn't want him to get hurt over a girl.

I guess Charles took my questions the wrong way because he stuck his middle finger into his chocolate ice cream and then reached over to spread it down my nose.

"Dude!" I stuck two fingers in my own ice cream and flung it at the striped shirt he was wearing. (It was his favorite shirt.)

Cary gasped, "Don't waste that heavenly food!" He grabbed my ice cream from me and took a bite.

"Cary!" I made a face. I hated when he ate my food, which seemed to happen pretty often.

He handed it back to me. "Sorry man, I'll use any excuse to eat more ice cream."

"Chompers likes to eat people's food." Martin explained, as if I didn't already know.

Cary kicked him under the table. "Don't call me that."

"Then stop calling me Smartin!" Martin argued.

"Forget it. Chompers is fine, Smartin." Cary licked his own ice cream cone again, giving up.

I stared at my ice cream cone. I really didn't want to eat it after Cary had put his mouth all over it, but Mr. Reynolds had been so nice about giving it to me for free and I didn't want to be rude. I crinkled up my nose. "Cary why'd you have to bite my ice cream?" He ignored my question.

Joe spoke up, "Anyway Charles, if you want to get Kendra to be your next film you need to make a script first so just work on that for now until you see her again."

"She might come with her aunt next week." Charles gave him a big smile. I wasn't used to seeing him this emotional over a girl.

"Really? That's awesome." Joe congraulated him.

Cary let out an over-exaggerated sigh. "Can't you let me enjoy my ice cream without hearing about Charles lip smacking with some girl?"

"I didn't say anything about that." Charles replied.

"It was gonna get to that point sooner or later." Cary said to himself. "Well, my ice cream's gone. Who's ready to go?" We knew better than to let Cary get too bored. With him, it was like always having a little kid around. And it was worse when he was hyped up on sugar. We Will Rock You by Queen came on the radio, replacing the Elvis song.

"I love this song!" I grinned and began hitting the beat with my knuckles on the table. Cary joined me.

Just then, a group of three teenage girls came in the shop. Their eyes quickly flickered over to our table, at first because of the noise Cary and I were making, but then because they realized who my friends were. One of the girls whispered to one of the other girls and the third girl waved excitedly to us. The two of us stopped knocking on the table and Martin shifted his gaze to see what we were looking at. He smiled and waved back at the girl. Cary rolled his eyes as the girl said "Oh my gosh!" to her friends. Great. More Martin groupies.