Chapter 11 - Sweet, Salty, Snarky, Smackdown.

Author's notes: I own nothing, save for the storyline, the mistakes, Dahlia and Amanda. As someone (my lady greygirl!) requested, there is HOT NERD in this chapter! ;) And, I extend thanks and a shoutout AlessandraBlue, because she gave me an idea for the next chapter...which is why this chapter went where it went! =)

"Mm..." I moaned happily, after spooning a bit of soup into my mouth, hearing Dahlia snort from across the table at my reaction.

"Told you it was good." She said to me, a note of smugness in her voice, just seconds before she bit into her burger, sighing happily.

"I'm not the only one appreciative of the food, it seems." Hey, if she could tease me about it, then I could tease her right back. Though, I ad to admit, we were both more than halfway through our meals, and we were both acting like we were still starved.

"Bitch, please. I've been eating this stuff for a year, no thanks to my ex, who decided it'd be fun to fuck a guy while she was supposed to be with me." Dahlia shot back, making me wince.

"Well then, the skank didn't deserve someone as epic as you." And it was true. Dahlia was one of the coolest people I'd met, next to Simon of course, and the fact that someone would do something so downright despicable to her was just mind-boggling.

"Aww, you think I'm epic." Dahlia said, so much sweetness in her tone that I immediately felt my arteries harden...and I think someone on the street went into diabetic shock.

I just rolled my eyes at her tone. "I think I'm going to have to drink one of those soy sauce jars to counteract the sugary sweetness your tone just infected me with, you twit." She snorted loudly, making me grin around a bite of my Italiano grilled cheese.

"Well, what can I say? I'm overly sweet..." Dahlia replied, not even fazed by anything I just said, batting her eyelashes at me cutely as she took a sip of her soda.

"Overly sour, if you ask me."

And just like that, Dahlia's sweet smile fell off her face in an instant, as she turned around to face the owner of the snarky voice: Amanda Swan. "And, just what the hell are you doing here?"

The strawberry blonde shurgged in reply. "Last I checked, it was a free country. I'm allowed to be here if I'd like. And contrary to what you think Dahlia, you're not the only one here who likes Hello Bistro's food."

"I never said I was, you fucking pipsqueak." My eyes went wide at that, because Dahlia had a mouth on her, there was no question of that...but we were in a public restaurant, after all.

Amanda was apparently thinking the same thing, because she was smirking a bit. "Language, dear girl. I don't think Hello Bistro would appreciate such langaue here."

"I am NOT your 'dear girl' you theiving skank." My roommate hissed right back at her, not going to be outdone by any means.

"And how am I a theiving skank?" Amanda's voice was just as low, her eyes wide as she stared Dahlia right back down. "After all, you're out with a friend, showing them the sights. So am I."

"Doesn't seem much like a friendly outing." Dahlia snarked, giving her a scathing once-over.

Now that I was actually paying attention to what she was wearing, my roommate was right. Amanda's attire was really anything but casual, in a lavender spaghetti tanktop, dark...dark pants, and a pair of high heeled sandals. Her hair was lightly curled, and I could smell Carried Away perfume from Bath and Body Works on her, as well. Iwatched as she shrugged dismissively, looking straight at me this time.

"He'll get over his little crush and come to me. I'll just have to be patient." And, as if it was on cue, the door opened and...Simon walked in.

It was like the while world just dropped away. I wasn't aware of Dahlia, Amanda, or even where I was. I was seeing him for the first time in a week. And I wasn't sure how to feel about that, since the last time we saw each other, I hurt him horribly...by being an idiot, as per usual. And, as much as I didn't want to admit it, Dahlia was right. Given Amanda's attire...and the way she looked right at me when she said Simon would 'get over his little crush', it was clear it wasn't a friendly outing on her part. But, Simon...he didn't just shut off his emotions at a moment's notice. As much as he was hurting, he wouldn't just jump to Amanda to get over me.

...would he?

"Simon!" Amanda's voice brought me out of my own thinking...and essentially throwing ice water all over me finally seeing my best friend. "Glad you finally made it!"

He chuckled a bit, as she giggled a bit too loud. "Yeah...sorry. Got held up at The Exchange longer than I thought I would. I had to rush over."

Dahlia nodded in understanding. "Games, music, and movies, which is a heaven for nerds like you guys. Perfectly understandable." I didn't miss how she included me in that sentence.

"What'd you find?" I asked him curiously.

He shrugged in response. "A few things. Horror movies, mostly."

"Are you gonna have to fix your ceiling if I see any of 'em?" I asked him weakly, laughing a bit.

"Actually, they're ones I recommended for him." Amanda spoke up, smiling at me as if I were a bug on the bottom of her shoe. "So, I don't know. You might not get to see them at all."

"And I don't think she was talking to you, you vemonous bitchtwat." Dahlia bit in, her tone as bitter now as it was sweet when she was talking to me earlier.

One thing that was the same, Simon and I were both staring at the two of them with wide eyes. Mianly because it was clear that the two of them knew each other somehow, and the relationship was temptestous at the very best.

"Well, we're all here and able to speak to each other, aren't we, carpet muncher?" Okay, that was it.

"Hey!" Judging by the surprised looks everyone was giving me, I said that a little too loud. But, at that point, I didn't care. "First off, Dahlia's right. I was talking to Simon, not you. He can speak for himself, so, please, do us...and him...a favor and let him do that. Second, I don't care who the hell Dahlia is to you, or what she did to you, or vice versa, leave her sexual oritentation out of this. All that's doing is making you out to be more immature than you already are, since you're doing this in the middle of a public restaruant."

"Doing what?" The strawberry blonde asked us innocently.

"Coming up and rudely interrupting us having dinner, for one thing." Dahlia pointed out frankly. "Goading us into arguing with you and calling you names...though it doesn't take much for me to do that with you." She smiled fakely.

"As I said before, attacking Dahlia's orientation, which is just a low and immature thing to do." I added on.

"Which she didn't do anything to deserve." Simon joined in, and I smiled at him gratefully...which he returned.

Outnumbered and beat, Amanda just gaped at us, before Dahlia smoothly got up from her chair, drink in hand. "And since you're being such an immature little shit...I don't think I have to feel too bad about doing this..." She squeezed her cup enough to that the lid popped off, just before sending the ice and soda straight at the strawberry blonde. Off of Amanda's shriek, she just shrugged. "Oops."

Dismissing her entirely, Dahlia went to refill her drink, as Simon went to grab her some napkins, leaving me and a dripping wet Amanda standing there. I might not take the initiative like Dahlia did, but I could deliver a deadly blow with words. And that's exactly what I intended to do. "A word of advice...dear girl...stop trying to be Simon's shortstack. He only has room for one in his life...and you don't come close."

Though, I have to admit, I wasn't prepared for her screech...or the stinging slap she slid across my face.