Touch of Hellfire (Pocket's Version)

🎬28🎬

"Wow, busy today, has Luke been advertising?" Mom joked as we stepped into the diner.

"It's getting good reviews, I believe," I said. "Then we should be giving it bad ones, so we'll secure a table," Mom suggested. "That'd be wrong but sure," Rory pointed out.

Mom looked over at Luke talking to someone. "Oh, Luke!" she called in a southern accent. "We are just dying for refreshments!"

"Keep your pants on!" Luke called back. "It's like a switch," I commented. "Anyway, I found a CD under the front seat of the car," Rory told us. "Did you lose one?"

"Nope, Mom?" I smirked, knowing where Rory was heading. "Not that I'm aware of," Mom told her. "You didn't hide it?" Rory interrogated her.

"Why would I hide a CD?" Mom wondered. "Dunno, the Bay City Rollers?"

"No, it isn't," Mom denied Rory's claim. "How do you know?" it was my turn for the interrogation. "Because I know what's not hidden under that seat," Mom stated.

"Because you know Barry Manilow is under that seat!" Rory exclaimed. "Where is Barry Manilow?" Luke asked us as he came over. "Under Mom's seat," I laughed.

"Fine, I hid Barry Manilow," Mom pouted. "Aha! A confession!" I cheered. "He was a big thing when I was small, it's the live version where he does a medley on the jingles he wrote," Mom attempted to justify it. "Everyone is allowed a guilty pleasure," Rory said.

"Like Heather and Star Wars?" Mom looked at me. "I'm not ashamed of it, Star Wars is the best cinematic universe, not to mention Darth Vader is the best villain of all time," I told her. "You mean your secret husband?" Mom teased me. "Well, I am the evil twin, are you surprised?" I chuckled.

"What about Never Been Kissed?" Rory asked me.

"Cruel!" I grumbled. "See," Rory smiled. "I'm sorry, Bryan Adams who?" I fought back.

"Evil!" Rory stated. "Can we have two muffins please?"

Luke walked off. "Well, at least I'm not lame, dancing the Macarena for hours," Mom laughed at us. "We were mocking it," I corrected her. "You can't say anything, Mrs Manilow."

"Okay, war's over," Rory broke it up. "Let's all be friends again."

***

"The car's dead!" Mom groaned.

"Dead? Define dead?" I requested. "When I turn the key, it sounds like a broken chainsaw," Mom told me. "The battery's likely dead," I pointed out.

"Are you going to walk?" Rory asked Mom. "Uh, no, I'm in heels," Mom told her in a matter of fact tone. "So, change your shoes," Rory told her as she handed me my chemistry book. "I'd have to change my entire outfit!" Mom protested. "I'll call Michel."

"My bag is way too small!" Rory groaned, trying to close it. "Just leave a couple of books behind then," I suggested. "You don't need them all."

Rory widened her eyes at me. "I have my bus books."

"You only need one," I argued. "One's a biography and one's a novel and that is my lunch book," she told me. "Put one in my bag and remind me to smack you with it during English," I grumbled. "Thank you," she smiled at me.

"See you later, Mom," we called as we went out the door. "What do you think of the newbie?" I asked Rory.

"You mean Jess?"

"No, Luke Skywalker, yes, Jess!" I rolled my eyes. "I mean, he didn't make a good first impression on Mom, she and Luke argued because of it."

"He's cultured," Rory pointed out. "Knows his movies from what you told me but I barely know him."