Chapter
7
“So,
where do you guys want to go?” Brian asked, once they had left the studio.
“How
about Chinese?” Elyssa suggested.
“Sure,
I love Chinese,” Howie replied.
“Yeah,
Chinese is good,” Jenna agreed.
“Chinese
makes me sick,” Serena said, making a face.
“Yeah,”
Ashalyn agreed. “I’m not big on
Chinese.”
“Me
neither,” Brian replied.
“How
about McDonald’s?” AJ asked, grinning.
“That’s
fine too,” Elyssa said, laughing. “Can’t
go wrong with good ole Mickey D’s.”
“Yeah,”
Ashalyn said, smiling.
“Fine
with me,” Serena said.
“Ew,
do you know how much fat is in McDonalds’ food?” Jenna asked disdainfully.
Elyssa
just rolled her eyes and turned to AJ.
“Well, Aje, I’ll go with you,” she said.
“Me
too,” Brian and Ashalyn replied in unison, then turned and grinned at each
other.
“Jinx,”
Ashalyn said jokingly, and Brian just chuckled.
“I’ll
go too,” Howie said.
“Yeah,
me too,” Serena agreed. Everyone turned
to look at Nick and Jenna.
“Hey,
Jen, I’ll go get Chinese with you, if you want,” Nick offered. Ashalyn noticed the hopeful look in his
eyes.
Jenna
glanced at him, as if considering his offer.
Then her gaze turned to where AJ was standing. “Oh, that’s ok, Nick,” she said finally. “McDonald’s is fine. I can get a salad or something.”
“Ok,”
Nick replied, but Ashalyn could see the look of hurt that flashed through his
blue eyes. She didn’t know if anyone
else was noticing all of it, but what was happening between them was something
like the beginnings of a love triangle.
Nick clearly liked Jenna, but Ashalyn knew Jenna was practically
obsessed with AJ. Ashalyn wasn’t sure,
but she sensed that AJ liked Elyssa. And
Elyssa seemed completely oblivious to the whole situation.
God, I feel like I’m caught in one of those teenybopper fanfics, Ashalyn thought
ruefully, laughing to herself.
“Ok,
so Mickey D’s it is?” Brian asked, bring Ashalyn out of her thoughts.
“Yup,”
she said, smiling. The others nodded.
“Great,”
Brian said. “There’s one right down the
street. We don’t even need to drive
there.”
So,
they walked about two blocks down the street until they came to the
McDonald’s. Once inside, they all
headed up to the counter to order.
Ashalyn was at the front of the line, and she ordered her usual, a six
piece chicken nugget meal with a Sprite.
Serena, Howie, and Brian ordered next and stood by Ashalyn to wait for
their food. Elyssa stepped up to the
counter next and gave her order, a Quarter Pounder with Cheese meal. She started to pull her wallet out of her
purse, but AJ stopped her.
“Hey,
let me pay for that,” he said, handing the lady at the counter a ten dollar
bill. “Add another Number 3 onto that
too,” he said to the lady. She nodded
and punched it into the cash register, handing him back his change.
Elyssa
looked surprised. “You didn’t have to do
that,” she said.
“No,
I didn’t have to, but I was just being a gentleman,” AJ said, grinning
charmingly down at her.
She
grinned back. “Well, thanks,” she said
sincerely.
“You’re
welcome,” AJ replied.
Jenna
stepped up to order. “I’ll have a Salad
McShaker and a water, please,” she told the lady.
“And
I’ll have a large Big Mac Meal with a Coke.
Those two are together,” Nick added.
Jenna
turned to him. “You didn’t have to do
that, just cause AJ did,” she said.
Nick
smiled. “Sure I did. I’m a gentleman too, ya know.” He shot a look at Howie and Brian, who looked
at each other sheepishly and then at Ashalyn and Serena.
Jenna
just rolled her eyes, but smiled.
Ashalyn knew she was probably feeling a little dejected because AJ had
only paid for Elyssa’s food, but she was obviously happy that Nick had noticed
her. Ashalyn wasn’t sure if Jenna could
tell how much Nick liked her, but she thought that Jenna and Nick should hook
up, since AJ obviously liked Elyssa more than Jenna.
“Is
that all you’re eating?” Nick asked Jenna once they had sat down with their
food.
“Yeah,”
Jenna replied. “I’m not all that hungry.”
“Well,
I’m starving,” Elyssa said, taking a large bite out of her burger.
“So
am I,” Ashalyn agreed, dipping one of her nuggets into her Sweet ‘n Sour sauce
and taking a big bite.
They
all polished off their food quickly, except Jenna, who just picked at her salad.
“The
lettuce isn’t very fresh,” she complained.
Ashalyn,
Serena, and Elyssa just ignored her.
Jenna was way too critical about food and calories. They just wanted to enjoy their meals with
the guys who were making their dreams come true.
***
