Played For A Fool

Pretzel Pair

Cinder smiled mischievously as she looked at Scarlet.  She happened to be staring at the large delivery man who came with packages nearly every day. The delivery guy had to be at least 6'4", with striking green eyes and a mess of dark hair, and was undeniably handsome.

"Still got a little crush there, eh, Scarlet?" Cinder snickered as she elbowed her friend in the side. Cinder had noticed Scarlet's secret liking to this man a few days ago when Thorne had called her moon eyes, and Scarlet had punched him in the face.

Scarlet blushed and looked away with a scowl. "I do not have a crush, Cinder. I am not eight years old anymore."

Cinder laughed and patted Scarlet on the back. "I'm just teasing Scar. I do know, however, that you are quite fond of this delivery guy, and that the only way to get to know him is to go and talk to him." Cinder said as she shoved Scarlet off of her chair and towards the man, feeling more like Iko every second.

Stumbling forward, Scarlet stopped, turned, and stuck her tongue out at Cinder before strutting over to the man. Cinder was in awe of her courage as she watched her friend strike up a conversation with the man. It was odd, how easily Scarlet could take a dare, while Cinder couldn't talk to anyone, other than her friends.

Scarlet exchanged something with the man and then pranced back over to Cinder. Cinder's jaw dropped as Scarlet smirked and plopped into the seat next to her, and threw a pretzel in her mouth from the bag on the table. "And that's how you go and talk to them." Scarlet put her feet up on the desk as she munched on another pretzel. "What in the name of the stars is wrong with these pretzels?" Scarlet scrunched her face up in disgust.

"Oh, that must be Thorne's bag. He likes to suck all of the salt from them and stick them back in the bag." Cinder said flatly, while Scarlet gagged.

"You're joking, right?" Scarlet demanded in her french accent, as she looked back in the bag. Cinder shook her head and began laughing as Scarlet muttered something about killing Thorne.

"So how was Mr. Delivery Guy" Cinder inquired curiously. Scarlets scowl softened into something close to dream-like, while Cinder snorted.

"Oh shut up, you." Scarlet snarled, but then broke into a smile. "His name is Ze've Kesley, but he likes to go by Wolf. It's a funny nickname, probably from high school, but I like it." Scarlet's grin widened, but then dropped at the sound of approaching footsteps.

Thorne strolled over to them at just that moment, and Scarlet jump from her chair as though it were electrified. "What, in the name of every star above is wrong with you?" Scarlet yelled, her eyes ablaze with fury.

"Aces, I think you mean what is wrong with you." Thorne replied with a hurt look on his face.

"You are a complete imbecile!" Shrieked Scarlet. "Who sucks the salt off of a pretzel and then sticks it back in the bag?"

Comprehension dawned on Thorne's face as he erupted with laughter. "That's what has your panties in a wad, Scarlet? Aces, you looked as though I killed your grandmother!" Thorne wheezed with laughter and both Scarlet and Cinder smacked him. "Hey. Hey! Spades, stop that! I'm pretty sure everyone sucks the salt off of their pretzels. Who eats the whole thing? It's disgusting!"

Cinder looked at Thorne, bewildered. "Why do you buy pretzels if you only like the salt? Why not just buy plain salt?" Cinder asked.

Thorne turned and leaned his arm on Cinder's shoulder. "Poor naive Cinder. One cannot simply just eat plain salt. No, it must be diluted with the dullness of the pretzel."

Cinder shoved Thorne's arm from her and smacked Thorne again. "I would've thought you would be dull enough to do that by yourself." Cinder glared at Thorne while Scarlet laughed.