Quiet Enlightenment

Part 1, Chapter 11 - Tempo

"Relax, this won't hurt. They don't bite. At least not anymore."

"Anymore?" Elias asked as he turned around to the girl walking beside him.

"Kidding. They still bite." Mia said as she did her best to look menacing.

"Well, that's to be expected. You are the princess of the family." he replied to humor her.

"Oh, stop it. I'm not a diva."

They turned the corner and passed by Charmaine's restaurant, just on the brink of opening. Charmaine paid off Kenton to stay out of the way as the place was being inspected top and bottom by the local health department. It's to be expected that he paid that forward and Olivia is also with him.

"Ooh, they have arcade machines?" Mia said as she looked in the window.

"Yep. I have the high score on the green one." Elias semi-smugly said.

"You suck."

"No, you suck."

"You suck even more."

"You both suck."

The semi-couple looked up to see William standing before them.

"Oh, hey, Will." Elias said, uncharacteristically happy to see the grouchy boy before him.

"Don't call me that. Address me as William. Or Mr. Spears. Or God. I don't care which."

"...God?" Mia said as she craned her head. Elias could only roll his eyes. William mumbled something and walked on by.

"...He just told us to 'truck off'? Is that slang for 'get out'?" Mia said as she scratched her head.

"I don't think that's what he said, Mia."

"What do you... oh..."

Mia's eyebrows came together in a point as she turned around and yelled "YOU THINK YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN SWEAR? YOU'RE AN ASSHOLE!"

"Humph. I told him, didn't I? Elias?"

Mia turned around to see Charmaine with a guy in an official-looking suit staring them down.

"Oh, hey, Ms. Hayes!"

"Young lady, I wasn't wanting to break out the swear jar until opening day!"

"Sorry, Ms. Hayes. She was provoked."

"Oh, it's okay, Elias."

The official walked over to Charmaine with a piece of paper.

"I hate to interrupt, but here's your results. Clean bill of health."

"Yes! Thank you so much!"

"My pleasure. Good luck, and I'm sure I'll be seeing you again!"

During this entire exchange, Elias and Mia continued to stand there and watch. As the official's car pulled off down Panther street, Charmaine turned back to the two.

"Elias, thank you so much for coming to test the arcade machines."

"Thank you for having me!"

"Oh, you're so polite! Good catch, Mia!"

"Thanks, Ms. Hayes." Mia said as she winked. Elias did a double take between the two of them.

"Come on, Elias." Mia said as she started to walk off. Elias nodded and took off behind her.

"Nice try using Ms. Hayes to get out of this." Mia said as she practically dragged him along.

"I wasn't..."