A rare first draft look at an excerpt from my November work in progress. Spoiler alert - this may make you either want to get frozen yogurt or remember playing "what random food concoction can I mix from the fridge contents?" as a kid. :-)
As Jonah heads for the vanilla, Rayanne whispers to me. “Stay right here and don't move from behind the register. I'll bet you he tops that with gummy bears, Fruity Pebbles, sprinkles, and every sauce we have.”
“What?” I whisper back.
She grabs a wash rag and edges around me. “Stay.”
I do, and I watch Jonah top the smallest swirl of vanilla yogurt ever with mounds of gummy bears, meticulous scoops of Fruity Pebbles, and carefully distributed sprinkles. And chocolate sauce. And fudge sauce. And caramel and strawberry and whipped cream. I've never really watched what he was eating before, I've always just watched, well, him.
Jonah sets his monstrosity on the scale and looks at me. “Do you know the definition of perseverance, Miss Melas?"
“Hitch,” I say. “And that'll be $6.79.” He hands over the cash and I hand him a napkin. “Au revoir.”
“Until we meet again.” He smiles, then his face goes serious and he gives me a Terminator impression. “I'll be back.”
Rayanne keeps wiping her way through the tables all the way to the window. She looks outside while she wipes. “I was right, wasn't I?”
“Yes. How'd you know that?”
She grins at me. “You've really never noticed, have you?”
I think about the disgusting mess of gummy bears and Fruity Pebbles mixed with fudge and caramel I grimace. “Maybe it was better when I didn't notice. Does he always get that?”
“No, girl. Because he always gets whatever toppings are closest to you. Come here.”
I peek out the window. No one's on the street.
Rayanne grabs my hand and pulls me to the door.
“Rayanne, we're not supposed--”
“We'll just be a minute.” She drags me to the trash can a couple stores down. Jonah's mess of a concoction is on top. There's ants all over the can and inside are several other cups. Rayanne whistles. “That's like fifty bucks worth of yogurt. Just from this week.”
And as soon as I see it, I remember the very first time Jonah came to Fro-Yo with that other guy. That day, he didn't even buy a yogurt. Only his friend did. He doesn't even like the yogurt. The only reason he comes to Fro-Yo at all is because of me.
As Jonah heads for the vanilla, Rayanne whispers to me. “Stay right here and don't move from behind the register. I'll bet you he tops that with gummy bears, Fruity Pebbles, sprinkles, and every sauce we have.”
“What?” I whisper back.
She grabs a wash rag and edges around me. “Stay.”
I do, and I watch Jonah top the smallest swirl of vanilla yogurt ever with mounds of gummy bears, meticulous scoops of Fruity Pebbles, and carefully distributed sprinkles. And chocolate sauce. And fudge sauce. And caramel and strawberry and whipped cream. I've never really watched what he was eating before, I've always just watched, well, him.
Jonah sets his monstrosity on the scale and looks at me. “Do you know the definition of perseverance, Miss Melas?"
“Hitch,” I say. “And that'll be $6.79.” He hands over the cash and I hand him a napkin. “Au revoir.”
“Until we meet again.” He smiles, then his face goes serious and he gives me a Terminator impression. “I'll be back.”
Rayanne keeps wiping her way through the tables all the way to the window. She looks outside while she wipes. “I was right, wasn't I?”
“Yes. How'd you know that?”
She grins at me. “You've really never noticed, have you?”
I think about the disgusting mess of gummy bears and Fruity Pebbles mixed with fudge and caramel I grimace. “Maybe it was better when I didn't notice. Does he always get that?”
“No, girl. Because he always gets whatever toppings are closest to you. Come here.”
I peek out the window. No one's on the street.
Rayanne grabs my hand and pulls me to the door.
“Rayanne, we're not supposed--”
“We'll just be a minute.” She drags me to the trash can a couple stores down. Jonah's mess of a concoction is on top. There's ants all over the can and inside are several other cups. Rayanne whistles. “That's like fifty bucks worth of yogurt. Just from this week.”
And as soon as I see it, I remember the very first time Jonah came to Fro-Yo with that other guy. That day, he didn't even buy a yogurt. Only his friend did. He doesn't even like the yogurt. The only reason he comes to Fro-Yo at all is because of me.
Just in case you weren't already hungry. I personally like mine from Orange Leaf.
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