Thanks to the people who reviewed; it makes me want to keep writing! Sorry it took so long; lots of stuff going on in my little section of the world. Also, just to warn you, this chappie is going to be longer than the last two; it's mostly dialogue. So, without further ado…
"Lizzie, we've got a bunch of people at table three demanding that you get your butt over there right now," Clarisse yelled from the kitchen's doors.
"Alright, alright!" she answered, desperately trying to hold on to a box of frozen hamburger patties. It was her friends, no doubt, letting her know in a not-so-subtle way that it was time to take a break. "I got a present for you, Jack," she said to the resident cook.
"Aww, you shouldn't have!" he replied with a grin. He took the heavy box out of her arms, hefting it on one shoulder like it was full of air instead of fifteen or twenty pounds of meat.
"Showoff," Lizzie grumbled good-naturedly.
"What was that, Lizzie?" Jack said, raising an eyebrow.
"Nothing!" she sing-songed, untying her starched white apron and pushing open the kitchen's swinging doors. She stopped for a minute, looking around the crowded restaurant until she spotted her friends in one of the booths, and then headed over in that direction. Jen was the first to look up from her menu, offering her a smile; the rest of the group was otherwise preoccupied. Claire and Robbie were involved in yet another sickening display of public affection, Mina was hunched over a sketchbook, Kat and Mollie were engrossed in a fashion magazine, and Maria was nowhere to be found. Lizzie slid onto the booth's bright red vinyl seats.
"Umm, waitress? I do believe I ordered cheese fries," said Kat, earning a light shove from Lizzie.
"Sorry, you'll have to get it yourself; I'm on my break!" she declared. "Where's Maria?"
"She said that a 'noisy restaurant isn't conducive to proper learning'," answered Mollie with a roll of her eyes. "So basically she's locked up in her room studying."
"That's nothing new," said Claire, although it was slightly muffled by the fact that she was trying to kiss Robbie and speak at the same time.
"Do you guys think that you could stop licking the back of each other's throats for a while? MY break is over in about ten minutes and I'd like to talk to you guys without the free peepshow," drawled Lizzie. The two actually had the decency to look a little ashamed.
"I'm gonna have to agree with Lizzie," Mollie said, flipping her magazine shut.
"Don't even! Like I didn't have to watch you and Derek Hanover suck face all the time a couple of weeks ago!" Claire shot back indignantly. Mollie sighed and turned to Jen.
"Why couldn't you be my sister?' she pouted.
"Here we go again," cried Robbie, using his menu as a shield when Mollie moved to hit him. "What is it with you Daniels women and causing me bodily harm?"
"It's so fun!" giggled Claire. Robbie sighed, smiling.
"Moving on…" began Kat, clearing her throat. "I've got some news!"
"Oooh, that the soccer boys are coming to town?" said Mollie eagerly.
"I was supposed to tell them! You're always stealing my thunder!" whined Kat, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Soccer guys? What soccer guys?" asked Lizzie. Mina finally looked up from whatever she was drawing, closing the worn book softly.
"This year the State Soccer Championships are going to be held at our school. Since they're coming from all over the state and the competition is supposed to be about a week long, they're probably going to be here for about two weeks," she answered, shifting in her seat a little when she noticed that everyone was staring at her. "What? What did I say?"
"How'd you know all of that?" asked Jen, eyebrows raised.
"Ms. Galapino gave us this big spiel about it in math this morning," Mina replied, shrugging.
"Who cares where she heard it from? Think about it! Tons of possibly hot guys in town for two weeks!" Mollie squealed.
"Most likely practicing with their shirts off…" added Kat. Both girls sighed contentedly as their minds conjured up images of toned bodies glistening in the autumn sun.
"Is that all you guys ever think about?" asked Robbie.
"Yep!" they both answered, popping the 'p'. Lizzie and Jen sighed.
"SO, moving on again…" started Mina, leafing through her sketchbook.
"Oh, did you hear about the school dance they're going to have in October? Sounds like mucho fun…" Jen said eagerly.
"You wouldn't just be saying that because you're going to get a chance to dance with Charlie, would you?" asked Lizzie, trying to phrase the question as innocently as possible and failing miserably.
"Of course not!" Jen replied, blushing furiously. "It's a masquerade! I probably won't even know which one he is!"
"Somehow I think that he'll let you know," Claire said, giggling. Jen sighed.
"Oh for Pete's sake! I've only known the guy for three days and you guys are already acting like we're going out or something." Lizzie gave her a pat on the back, saying, "That's just because we know that you guys will be going out soon. It's a well-known fact." Jen groaned and buried her face in her hands.
"Is it really that obvious?"
"Yep," Mollie answered, snapping her gum. "Well, I gotta go. Jonathan Krisko is taking me out tonight and I have to go get ready."
"Weren't you going out with Chris Patel tonight?" asked Robbie, arching a dark eyebrow.
"Nooooo," she said, rolling her eyes. "He's taking me out tomorrow. Get with it, Masovich!" She flounced out, Kat trailing behind her and whining.
"Why doesn't anyone ever ask me out?"
After her break had ended and everyone left, Lizzie made her way back to the kitchens. She waved to Jack as she passed the stoves, trying to locate her backpack among the mess in the kitchen. Maybe I can actually get some homework done, she thought. That illusion was quickly shattered, however, when Carissa burst through the kitchen doors.
"Can you bring a vanilla milkshake to table seven?" she asked. "I brought the guy a chocolate one by mistake and he practically took my head off!"
"Alright, I'll cover for you. Do you want to spit in his shake?" asked Lizzie, eyes twinkling.
"Nah, he's not worthy of my phlegm," Carissa joked, picking up a tray of french fries and breezing back out into the main room. Lizzie chuckled, and then went to fetch vanilla ice cream from the freezer.
Landon sat down, scowling when a loud peal of laughter sounded from the booth behind him. "Remind me why we're here again?"
"Because I'm hungry, and this was the closest restaurant to school," replied Charlie, smiling brightly at him and picking up his menu.
"It's too loud in here," Landon groused. He leafed through his own menu, raising an eyebrow as he read through the selections. Charlie sighed.
"Why do you always have to be so negative? I'd say that you were pissed because we moved, but you've always been that way," he asked.
"Why do you have to be so damn cheerful?" Landon shot back. A small cough came from the front of the table, and the waitress that had uttered it looked extremely uncomfortable.
"Can I get you guys anything?" she asked. As Charlie placed his order, Landon took a look around the restaurant. There were a couple families and adults eating, but for the most part the place was overfilled with teenagers; laughing, eating, talking hormone bombs were stuffed into every other table and booth. He couldn't help but curl his lip in disgust, for this was exactly the type of place that he usually avoided like the plague. Too loud and crowded, he mentally groused as a particularly loud group came in and seated themselves at the counter. I'd kill to be back home right now.
"And for you, sir?" the waitress asked, a bit too perkily for his taste.
"A vanilla milkshake," he mumbled, closing the menu and practically shoving it at her.
"Alright then, I'll be right back with your orders," she said before briskly walking back to the kitchen.
"So where are your sisters?" Landon asked.
"Cheer tryouts. Don't change the subject; we were talking about why you're so pissed off," countered Charlie. He didn't look the least bit contrite when Landon glared at him. "What? I think that as your best friend I have a right to know."
"Who said that I'm pissed off about anything? I just don't particularly like being moved to the other side of the country at the drop of a dime, that's all. Especially to this one-Starbucks town," he said, continuing to glare at Charlie.
"Meryton isn't that bad," Charlie replied with a roll of his eyes. "Sure, it's not like New York was but there's still tons of stuff here that's just as interesting!"
"Name one," challenged Landon, a smirk settled firmly on his lips. Charlie opened his mouth to say something, but was conveniently interrupted by the return of their waitress.
"Here you go," she said, placing a paper basket full of fries and a cup of soda in front of Charlie. "And here's your shake," she said, handing Landon his glass. He took one look at it and put it back on her tray.
"I said vanilla, not chocolate," he said in an icy tone. "Can I get the right one this time?" The waitress looked taken aback, and Landon almost regretted snapping at her. Almost.
"Sure…I'll go get it," she replied, once again heading for the kitchens.
"Jesus Landon, you didn't have to yell at her!" Charlie said through a mouthful of fries.
"I didn't yell at her, and if there's one thing that I absolutely detest it's stupidity. You were telling me about some of the 'interesting' things in Meryton? One of them wouldn't be a certain redhead, would it?" he countered, his smirk returning in full force when Charlie blushed a deep crimson.
"That's not the entire reason, but she sure does help. Jen's an angel, Landon! An absolute angel!" he exclaimed.
"Alright alright, don't go waxing poetic on me. You just met her a couple of days ago, Charlie."
"But I feel like I've known her my entire life," he said with a sigh. Landon shook his head sadly.
"You've got it bad, man," he said.
"What about you?" said Charlie, snapping out of his Jen-induced daze. "Haven't you found a girl yet? There are quite a few uncommonly pretty girls in this town, and I'm sure that you could find one that you like."
Landon snorted. "There's no one here that catches my eye. The only pretty girls I know of are your sisters, and Jen of course."
"Are you blind?! There are lots of great girls here! What about Jen's friend, the one you sit next to in creative writing?" asked Charlie.
"Elizabeth Bennet? She's…okay, I guess. She won't be winning any beauty pageants, though."
"Landon!" Charlie sputtered, appalled.
"What? She seemed like a cold fish to me anyway. Who would waste their time on a girl like that?" Landon continued, snatching a fry from Charlie's basket.
Lizzie froze, vanilla milkshake balanced on her serving tray. When she'd first headed over here she had heard the angry voices and decided to stand by the booth behind table seven until the customers calmed down. Then she had heard them start talking about Jen, and Lizzie finally recognized one of the voices as Charlie Bennings, the kid that she was teasing Jen about not even an hour before. He was talking to Landon Danson, the broody kid that she sat next to in creative writing. There was something off about him, and she hadn't quite figured it out yet. Of course, it was kind of hard to figure out when the guy never talked to anyone beside Charlie.
Just wait until Jen hears all of this! She thought. She was a little wary of Charlie's intentions at first, not exactly sure whether or not he was actually serious about liking Jen. But after hearing him refer to her as an 'angel', he got the Lizzie Stamp of Approval.
As her sore arm reminded her of why she was there in the first place, she heard her name being mentioned. Hmmm, what's this all about? She inched a little closer.
"She won't be winning any beauty pageants, though."
Lizzie almost cried out angrily, and then remembered that Landon didn't know that she was there. What nerve! She wasn't exactly the most beautiful girl in school, but she liked to think that she was somewhat good-looking.
"She seemed like a cold fish anyway. Who would waste their time on a girl like that?"
Oh. My. God. She was furious. A cold fish? A girl like that? What the hell was that supposed to mean?! She got up from her seat in the empty booth, her free hand clenched into a tight fist and her face hot with fury. She stalked in front of the boys' booth, teeth grinding.
"Here's your drink," she said, and then promptly tipped the tray's contents onto Landon's head. She then turned on one heel and stalked off, leaving Landon sputtering and wiping vanilla milkshake out of his eyes.
"I think she heard you," said Charlie, trying hard not to laugh at his friend's predicament and failing miserably. Landon sent him a glare, and then let loose a stream of curses when the cold shake dripped into his shirt collar.