Strawberry Lemonade

Chapter 2: Fresita

He doesn't see her for a while. It's not unusual, but it is sort of disheartening. The little box with the green hat glares at him from atop the jar of money.

Sho had laughed a little at that, but when Tank genuinely looked hurt, he quickly apologized.

"God, why are you so attached to that little twerp, anyway? You know how rude she is to me," Sho says, dramatically turning to him, and then putting on a falsetto--

"You know that if you use too much dye it, it hurts your hair! I also prefer you with green, pink is MY favorite color," He imitates, and grunts as Tank rolls his eyes and crosses his arms.

"She's a little girl, of course she'd get defensive about you being able to dye your hair her favorite color. Little kids are weird like that,"

Sho harrumphs, turning to his task, and grumbling about little kids being mean to him.

What a drama queen, he thinks to himself as he finishes counting the money, and sliding in a new toll for the next person.

Speaking of the devil, he looks up at the bell ringing to see a little girl in a large poofy dress struggling to open the door. Her long, beautiful hair is tightly braided into two braids against her skull, and she putters over to the counter, her big eyes bright and sunny.

"Tank!! How are you!?" Her heavy accent is sweet, and he leans against the counter, smiling bright at her.

"I'm great, Xochitl,"

She was short, looking up at him with large big eyes. When he gently puts the green hat on her head, she flutters, cooing at the little dangly bits by her ears, matching her intricate earrings that he guesses someone made for her. She almost screams at the little cat ears, and grins at him, showing her little tooth gap.

He grinned at her flushed face, catching up as she babbles about her school, her newest addition to her dead insect collection, and how her brother's band was starting to pick up.

"So, like, he said that he is having problems with the bassist, which, like, he's right he's mean--" She says, kicking her legs up and down on the chair, sipping loudly on her soda. The coconut flavored Italian soda is almost gone, but she drags a long sip from her straw, ignoring the looks from people at the slurping noise.

Tank laughs softly, and looks out the window.

Hm. Val had brought up the fact that he hadn't exactly been happy at not being able to practice his bass since he left high school. Scratching his jaw, he makes a decision to grab a sticky note and write a number, and the name "Valentine Washington" at the top of the pink paper.

"Here. Maybe your brother might be interested in my brother's playing. He's played for a while, and since you're my friend--"

She beams at him saying that,

"--you can trust me. I gotta go, munchkin, so i'll see you later, alright?"

Her head bounces and she pulls out her homework. Waving goodbye, he walks over to the door, opening it and grunting at the air that starts to nip at him.

It doesn't bother him that winter is starting to set it. He likes winter, but at times, he shakes with the fuzzy images of someone raising their hand at him, at a striking pain on his cheek.

He would never admit it, specifically not to Sho, but he knows what Xochitl is doing. He can tell that there is a hesitance to go home. The little girl is very secretive, and out of all people, he would know, so he doesn't force her to talk to him, or tell him anything she's uncomfortable with.