Clockwork [final]

Fourteen

Fifteen minutes later, Adette and Derek were standing side by side and debating their order. Neither of them had realized how hungry they stood there, looking at the seemingly endless number of options with growling stomachs.

Adette really had no idea what was good on the menu and what wasn’t and neither did Derek, so they both decided to go with the safest option; a regular cheeseburger, chocolate shake and fries.

They placed their order with one of the employees, a middle-aged man that looked like he could easily be a serial killer. As usual, Adette was the one doing the talking while Derek stood close behind her with his hands in his pockets.

Their order was served and they took the tray, scouring the room for an adequately clean table. It turned to be more of a mission than either of them would expect. They eventually managed to find a table that at least didn’t have a tray on it and sat.

“Well, this isn’t so bad,” Adette said past a mouthful of french fries, “But it certainly can’t be healthy.”

Derek shrugged, taking a large bite out of his burger. “Who cares? Also, you shouldn’t talk with your mouth full.”

“You can talk! You just did yourself!” Adette scoffed, but she was giggling.

“Seriously though, look how much grease there is in these things,” she remarked, squeezing a French fry and showing him her greasy, dripping fingers. “People eat this regularly?”

“Yes,” he replied disinterestedly, “It’s called modern society. No one really cares about health so long as it tastes good and makes them look cool.”

“How does being morbidly obese with a cocktail of heart conditions make you look cool, exactly?”

“Man, I could search to the ends of the Earth and I’d never find a girl like you, Adette,” Derek laughed.

She peered at him over her glasses, one eyebrow raised. “I’m guessing that’s a good thing?”

“Of course it is,” he said, noticing the mischievous twinkle in her eye.

“Well, I doubt I could find a guy like you, either,” Adette told him matter-of-factly, pushing her glasses up her nose.

Derek blushed, then randomly took the lid off his shake, dipped in a couple of french fries and ate them.

Adette stared at him with a disturbed expression. She didn’t seem to know whether to look amused or disgusted. “What on Earth are you doing?” she demanded.

“Just try it,” he smirked.

“No, that’s disgusting,” she bluntly objected.

“Seriously, just try it.” His eyes had the challenging flash of a warrior before battle.

She gave him a mistrustful look, but tentatively took off the lid and dipped a french fry. “If this is a prank I’ll kill you,” she warned. Slowly, she lifted it to her mouth and took a hesitant bite. Her eyes widened.

“Holy cow, that’s actually pretty good.”

“See? What did I tell you,” he grinned.

“Guess I should trust you more,” she smirked, dipping more french fries.

“Guess you should,” he agreed.

Adette’s eyes wandered a few tables away where a small family were sitting. There was a rather tired but happy woman, a smiling man and a toddler. The man was winding up a toy and sending it whizzing across the table. Even though it was too simple to amuse most, the toddler was in fits of giggles and trying to grab hold of the toy with its pudgy little hands. Every time it failed it just laughed harder.