Jealousy, Jealousy (Part 1)

18 - Lauren

I was walking with Sasha and Amelia to the cafeteria when Noah came up to us. He looked right at Amelia.

"Please. I need to talk to you," he said.

Amelia ignored him and kept walking. Noah sighed and turned to us.

"I just want to know if she's okay."

Sasha shrugged. "She's fine."

After school, Noah and I walked together to Shakelicious, where we worked.

"So how are things?" he asked me.

"Fine. I think Esme hates me though," I laughed slightly.

Noah shook his head. "I'm sure she doesn't hate you. Amelia is definitely avoiding me, though."

"Give it some time. She'll come around," I consoled. "But you asked if Amelia was okay earlier. I didn't want to tell you this in front of Sasha, but she's been missing things from her locker. I don't know if she just misplaced it or someone's been going through her stuff. Either way, it's kind of weird."

"No, Amelia rarely loses things. What has she been missing?" Noah answered.

"Um... her earphones, her gym pants, which is so weird, and some of her jewelry."

"Huh. That's strange," Noah said. Yeah, it really was.

An hour later, a customer with 5 kids came in.

"Welcome to Shakelicious, Westchester's greatest milkshake shop!" exclaimed Noah. That was the phrase we had to say every time there was a new customer.

"Hi, can I have 1 chocolate milkshake, 2 vanillas, and 2 strawberries?" the lady requested.

"For sure. Coming right up," Noah nodded at me and I began to make the shakes. Somehow I thought she had asked for 2 chocolates and 1 strawberry. When I passed the shakes to her, she looked at me in disgust.

"No, no, no. I asked for 1 chocolate, not 2. And I need another strawberry!"

"I am so, so sorry. I'll get it for you, right away," I mumbled, flustered.

"Can't you get your orders right?" she demanded. My eyes started tearing up and I think Noah noticed.

"Ma'am, everyone makes mistakes. We'll get the proper ones ready for you now," he said.

"Humph. Well, hurry up!" she yelled.

"Noah, can you help me get a cup and a straw? I'll make the strawberry," I asked.

"Yeah, for sure!"

We made sure the shakes were correct this time and handed them to the customer. We also let her have the extra chocolate milkshake. When she left, I let out a sigh of relief.

"Guess you don't work well under pressure, huh?" Noah chuckled.

I turned to him and rolled my eyes. "Nope. But, I really am sorry I messed up her order."

"No, no. It's okay. I just wish we kept that extra chocolate, then we could've had it for ourselves."

"I'll go get more cups from the back. Be right back," I said.

I went to get the cups and when I came back out, there were two customers in the store, ordering. I gasped when I saw Esme with another girl.

"Hey..."

"Oh, hi Lauren," the other girl waved at me. "Didn't know you worked here, too."

Esme nudged her. "Isabel!" They clearly knew I worked here.

"We'll take 1 mint chocolate and 1 blueberry," Esme ordered.

"Coming right up!" Noah smiled at them.

"I got it," I said, starting to make the shakes.

"Hey, Lauren. How's Amelia?" the girl named Isabel asked me.

Noah sighed. "This is a business. Not a place for you to ask questions about someone."

"Noah! We're your customers," Esme retorted.

I turned around to face them. "Amelia's fine. If you really want to know, ask her yourself."

Isabel looked up and down at me, then turned to Esme. "Hey, I heard some guy went through her locker!" How did Isabel know?

Esme froze. "What... what are you talking about?"

"Lisa told me."

Noah grabbed the shakes I had made and handed them to the girls. "Thank you for coming, Have a sweet day."

I could see worry in Esme's eyes before she left, snickering. Was she anxious about someone looking through Amelia's locker? Or maybe she knew who was doing it?