Faking it.

CHAPTER 22

We step into Maggs with our McDonald's bags in our hands and rush to the break room, to finish eating it there before anyone can see us. Once we sit down, Susan walks in, her mouth hanging open.

"You went to McD's and didn't bring me anything?" She asks in a fake sad tone and walks over to us, snatching away Joey's fries.

"Hey! I wanted to eat those!" He exclaims and Susan shrugs. I hear him mutter, "At least you're pretty."

Cringe.

I see a blush forming on Susan's cheeks as she turs around to walk out with Joey's fries.

Double cringe.

I dig into my burger and then Milli and Simon walk in, trying to get my food. Can't I just eat in peace for once?

I slap their hands away and swallow. "No. Go get yourself a croissant or something, I'll pay for it, but don't touch my food."

They grunt but then walk out again.

A few minutes later, Joey and I are finished and go to the front of the Café. I push Joey towards the booth where Simon and Milli are sitting in and pin my name tag to my shirt. It's pouring rain outside now and I doubt that there are going to be any more customers coming in today.

Gigi- an older lady that comes every day for her latte macchiato and muffin, strolls through the door with her bright purple umbrella and I smile at her. She points to a table for two in the back and I nod, starting to prepare her usual order.

When I get to her and set the latte macchiato and muffin down on the table, she is holding a newspaper in front of her and gives me a short thanks before going back to reading.

I look around and see that Susan is already sitting next to Joey and the others, so I make my way over, squeezing in between Milli and Simon.

"Joey I really need to tell you how amazing your sister is. I mean- come on. You are so easy to talk to and always say the right thing to me. I sometimes wonder if you're actually the older college student and I'm still in high school." Susan says once I sit down with them.

"Some people beg to differ." I mutter and all of them shoot me a look.

I throw my hands up in defence. "Okay. Okay. I'll remember to just say thank you when someone gives me a compliment instead of trying to argue about it next time."

Milli laughs next to me. "I know you won't."

"True." Simon and I say at the same time, which makes us laugh too. Then the whole table starts chuckling.

"Remember that one time where I was sad about Chase and you guys made me dance in front of the whole Café?" Susan says and Joey looks offended.

"How come no one told me about that- You know what? Nevermind. We are doing that right now." He says and stands up, pulling Susan with him.

Milli, Simon and I look at each other and shrug, standing up. I connect myself to the speakers again and we start dancing to throwback songs.

At some point Simon changed the songs to the remix of our own choreography. We've been training it for months now and it's absolutely perfect.

Joey and Susan watch us as we dance, occasionally whistling. Okay that was only Joey.

When we finish Joey and Susan are clapping and shouting overdramatically. I look over to Gigi- who is the only other customer apart from ourselves- she is giving us a smile before she starts walking towards us.

"Okay kids. That was great. But let me show you how we danced when I was a young and reckless teen." She says and I hand her my phone.

Gigi isn't that even old, maybe in her mid-forties. But whoa- she sure as hell can dance.

She teaches us the regular dirty dancing steps which aren't that hard once you get the hang.

We plop down into our seats again when Gigi calls it quits and leaves the Café.

"I swear I want to be as fit as she is when I'm fifty." Milli says.

"Agreed." We say at the same time and laugh.

"Sometimes I wish I was a teen in the 80s or 90s." Susan says and I give her a questioning look.

"Don't get me wrong. I loved growing up in the 2000s but just experiencing another decade- especially where dirty dancing was trendy- is-.." She doesn't finish her, though sighs.

"But if you were a teen in the 90s you would've never met me. And that would be a real tragedy." I say and she laughs.

"True dat. True dat."

"I-G-G-Y." Joey says out of nowhere and then shouts when no one continues, "Come on guys! Everyone knows that song!"

"Yeah but I think it was enough singing for today." Simon answers and Joey groans. "Party Pooper."

We laugh at his childish behaviour.

***

Soon it's already 6 o'clock and we get ready to leave.

"Visit again soon." I tell Joey after I gave him a hug. "You too. I didn't give you that spare key for no reason." He answers and I chuckle.

When Joey comes to hug Susan he tells her to make sure I don't go all depressed and zombie-mode while he's gone. I rolled my eyes at that one.