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chapter eighteen: carnival fun.
"I mean it, Ash. Don't try to fuck with him. He's cool." Melanie groaned, Ash kept teasing his sister about Elliot ever since he found out that Elliot was taking her on a date tonight. "I'm not, chill." He laughed. As she placed the ketchup and mustard down on the counter, the girl furrowed her eyebrows. "Who the fuck eats ketchup and mustard with their pretzels?" She asked. "Some weirdo." Ash shrugged as he mixed the melted hot cheese. The girl only chuckled as she noticed Ash wearing the 'pretzel mania' hat. "I thought you said you weren't wearing that hat ever again." Melanie spoke. "I have to." He shrugged. "Its better than a hair net." He added. "But less sanitary." She said. "Shut up, every one of those motherfuckers who make chilli ain't wearing a hair net." He stated and she nodded. "True. That's a fair point-also, I'm surprised that Cal isn't up here making that nasty ass chilli." Melanie stated, the siblings laughed together.
"I mean, at least the others are open." Ash tried to make it seem "better" but they both knew he was being sarcastic. "Yeah, and those taste more like shit." Melanie shrugged.
"Are you guys shit-talking people with out me?" Melanie smiled as she noticed Elliot standing in front of the booth, now looking up at the both of them. "We were shit-talking people while waiting for you. Wanna join?" Melanie joked. "I don't know enough people yet, maybe next year?" Elliot said and Melanie rolled her eyes playfully. "Fine, next year it is." She said, Ash looked in between the two. "Can y'all leave before I have to third wheel?" Ash asked and Melanie pushed her brother's head. "Fuck you." He laughed as he pushed her back.
Melanie walked to the back, opening the trucks door and exiting as she made her way to the front by Elliot. "Where's Fez? I don't want him thinking I'm taking you from your little booth." Elliot teased. "Shut up-he's somewhere with Lexi. Besides, this is Ash's job since he offered to do it." Melanie explained, it was true. He wanted to sell pretzels and molly in order to 'get more money' in the words of Ash. Melanie and Fez didn't mind, they wanted the boy to live his life, but it seemed like all he wanted to do was work.
Before you knew it, Faye came back with more cheese, and the older teens were off.
"Alright, see you around, Ash." Elliot spoke. "See you." Ash spoke, it took both Melanie and Elliot by surprise, usually Ash would ignore him and not respond at all, but he actually did this time. Melanie grabbed Elliot's hand as they walked away and smiled widely. "He's warming up to you. I think he likes you, but doesn't want to admit it." She explained. "Oh, really?" Elliot raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, now lets go wait in this long ass line for the ferris wheel." She dragged him along.
For the first hour being there, Elliot let Melanie lead the way, she spoke about certain people who walked past her, told him about how last year went down. Elliot was just happy to listen to her talk. "So she pushed the whole bucket of chilli down?" Elliot laughed. "Yeah, I think that was the only thing that made me happy that night. The Jacobs family chilli is so overrated it bothers me. And to see everyone's reaction to Maddy wasting it was so fucking funny. I wish you were there." Melanie said. "I wish was too." Elliot agreed. "I feel like things would've been ten times better with you there." Melanie admitted as she drank her soda. "I feel like I would've been in a better place last year if I had you in my life." Elliot admitted and Melanie smiled softly. "Really?" She questioned. And he nodded.
