The Foxfire Chronicles- Comrades and Classmates

Chapter 9 - Slurps and Burps

        "It's technically a pharmacy," Dex told Sophie as the two walked along the sidewalk. "But there is a small pranks section, so it does really well around April Fools." 

         Dex was taking Sophie to the local pharmacist shop that his dad Kesler owned. It wasn't too far away from where Dex lived, and Dex had a room above the store that they could hang out in. Another sweet thing about Saturdays; you actually had free time.

      Sophie didn't really hang out with friends that much where she used to live, so it was kind of weird for her to just be relaxing with friends. It was really easy to have fun with Dex though, and they had decided to spend some time at the Diznee family store.

      When Sophie and Dex finally reached the store, Sophie saw a sign above the doorway that read in wacky fonts and colors, "Slurps and Burps."

        When the two friends opened the door, a bell rung, and a voice called out. "Welcome to Slurps and Bur- Oh hi Dex!" A man with wavy strawberry blonde hair and a bright smile greeted the two. The man, who Sophie assumed was Kesler, turned to face her. "And you must be Sophie!" he exclaimed. "I've heard so much about you." Both Sophie and Dex blushed.

      "Hi Dad." Dex smiled, embarrassed. "We're going to head upstairs."

         Kesler smiled. "Sounds good. You guys want something to eat?"  

         Sophie half expected a really weird  concoction, or a  potion, but Kesler just tossed them each a bag of chips. 

       "Thanks!" Sophie and Dex chorused back, heading upstairs. Sophie followed Dex's lead, really having no idea where she was going. Dex opened a door to a large room. Sophie was surprised to see lots of computers, although most of them were completely taken apart. Sophie also saw an old couch, a ping pong table, and a TV.

     "This place is awesome Dex!" Sophie exclaimed, sinking onto one of the couches. "How did you get all this stuff?"

     Dex grinned. "I'm pretty good at fixing things up, so when there's something I could use in my rec room, I just fix it and bring it up here." he told her fiddling with the wires on one of the computers. "When I'm not at soccer practice, I usually hang out up here. It's actually a pretty nice place to do homework."

 Sophie grinned and said in response, "It's awesome."

Dex blushed and then paused before asking, "So. . .Wanna play me in ping-pong?" he asked grinning.

    Sophie blanched. Her playing a game that required lots and lots of coordination? She was going to fail completely, but she did want to spend time with Dex, so. . . "Sure." she replied. "But I'm absolutely no good."

   Dex smiled and said, "Neither am I."

  Sophie and Dex battled each other, hitting the ping-pong ball back and forth. Most of her shots ricocheted wildly, so she was shocked to see that she was actually winning! Sophie scored another point; and won!
     "Yes!" Sophie cried. "I won!"

      Dex laughed and gave her a fist bump . "Good game." he said winking.

     "Good game." Sophie said, and then checked her watch. "I have about thirty minutes before I have to go." She said to Dex.

    "Do you want to check out the store downstairs?" Dex asked.

     "Sure." Sophie said, and the two thumped down the stairs, sounding like a herd of wild elephants. 

    Dex led Sophie over to a small corner in the large store, that had lots of candy and prank supplies. Sophie walked over to a little bin with a question mark on it. 

  "What's this?" Sophie asked Dex, trying to lift the lid.

   "That's the mystery box." Dex told her, eyeing it suspiciously. "You put the dollar in this slot and push this button and then you get a dessert of some kind. Sometimes they are delicious, but sometimes they make you want to barf. It's like a really weird vending machine. Wanna get one? I have two dollars right here."

    Sophie smiled nervously, surveying the "mystery" box. "Let's do it." she finally decided, as Dex inserted the money. Sophie heard a clanking sound, and then two wrapped packages tumbled out of a shoot beneath the box.

   "I call this one!" Dex called, quickly snatching the elegantly wrapped blue package. Sophie, being slow, was left with the sketchy looking cardboard box. Dex tore open his package to reveal a pastry that looked both delicate, and delicious. 

     Sophie picked up the questionable package sulkily and had to get someone at the register to open it with a pair of scissors. After all of the anticipation of waiting, she lifted up a container to see that her mystery dessert was. . . gross, slimy-looking and green. 

   Dex looked like he was stifling laughter. He sounded like it too as he spoke, "Sorry Sophie." he said, not looking sorry at all. "I guess you just don't have much in the luck department."

    Sophie raised an eyebrow at him, resisting the urge to stick her tongue out at him like a little kid. "I think it was called you cheated, not bad luck."

   Dex laughed. "Whatever you call it, lets eat our desserts on the count of three."

    "Easy for you to say." Sophie mumbled, opening the lid of her dessert's container.

     "One." he said. "Two." Sophie brought the container to her lips. "Three." Sophie expected to gag and recoil, but as soon as the blubbery substance touched her lips, she tasted an explosion of vanilla, lavender, cinnamon and a dozen other flavors she couldn't name. It was delicious.

    Dex however, spat his bite into the nearest garbage can, making very loud gagging sounds. "Your's was good!?" he asked incredulously. "Mine tasted like throw-up and garbage had a salty baby."

    Sophie couldn't help it. She burst out laughing, and soon Dex joined in. When she had collected herself, before saying goodbye and leaving, she said to Dex grinning, 

     "Who has the bad luck now?"

Just a fun Sophie/Dex friend outing break ;) As always, I'll post A.S.A.P. Do you guys like it so far??? Any feedback??? You're the best my amazing readers, 

-keefegilberty