Finntaine

Going out with Finn (continued)

Hungry Jacks is quiet in its small secluded spot at the back of the parking lot behind the shops.

 Why on earth does Finn have to be in his room, and stay in it at 5:30? Obviously, this 'guardian' isn't Hammerhead, because even though Finn has betrayed him on multiple occasions, he'd never set such a strange bedtime, confining Finn to his room. 

We walk in, the oily scent that hangs in the air is similar to rotting seaweed, with the subtle sickly sweet tone I assume to come from the milkshakes and ice cream. The floor doesn't look like it has had a good mop in a while. 

Why is fast food so well-liked? This place is gross. 

"What do you want?" He asks, looking up at the menu. 

I feel a bit too preoccupied to be eating. "Maybe I'll just get a... milkshake, I think, I don't know if I really want to eat anything after all'. 

"Hmm well, I'm feeling very hungry. I'm getting a burger... maybe one of those... value meals".

I go up to the counter and ask the employee there for a milkshake. It's so strange, I swear all the workers here are my age, some even younger. 

Finn puts his bag down at one of the tables, searching in it for I presume his money. 

"Yeah 2 dollars for the milkshake thanks'. 

"Thank you", I say handing over my ten-dollar note. I get my change back and I go sit down where Finn put his bag. 

Finn goes up to take his order, the seats are gross, and right under my shoes, there's a black swab of gum that has become one with the floor. 

From the corner of my eye, I see Finn pass the girl at the counter a piece of paper. He stands there looking really shifty before she comes back, handing him his order number. He walks towards me. 
I swear, I barely ever understand what he's doing, what the hell is he up to? First I hear about his shifty guardians, and then he goes about handing people mischievous bits of paper. 

"What was that?" I ask, he shrugs his hands into his pockets. 

"It was my resume, I'm looking for a job". 

"HAHA, that's all it was, okay". 

"Do you have even a smidge bit of faith in me, because I really reckon you don't...?" 

I'm still giggling, why am I such a snoop? "You're losing faith that I'm losing faith in you, well you have good reason to be". 

'Wow, why's that?"

"Because you're always really suspicious". 

"93!" Someone yells out the number on my receipt. I go up to the counter and collect my milkshake. Finns number '94' is called out too. 

We sit down, it's so gross the amount of food he has got. A big burger, bacon, chicken, barbecue sauce mayo, and other stuff all oozing out of the sesame seeded bun. Along with large fries and a large coffee frappe. 

"Yum", he sighs and licks his lips. He digs in. 

I slowly sip my chocolate milkshake, well even though I'm being quite scathing towards everything in here, the milkshake is very nice. 

"So, how are you going to work here, until whatever time your shift ends, and still get home before 5:30?" I ask. 

He's attacking his burger as he replies, mouth full of food. He's such a pirate, "I'm thinking of getting a ladder so I can go in and out of my room when I like, it's on the second story. 

What the hell. 

He looks up at me, sighs, puts down his burger, takes a sip from his frappe, and then wipes his hands. "Listen I'm a smart person Fontaine. I understand, that if I'm going through a rough time I should talk about it. Seeing as your questioning me so much, this is what's happening. 

My dad heard from some other pirates that you were coming to shore for a bit to 'go to school'. He'd also been hearing that your family had been getting really close to finding some treasure and my dad thought you may have something to do with it. 

Well, also I've never been to school either and, you know I'm hoping to maybe not continue with the pirate business when I'm older. So... I basically persuaded him to let me go to your school and follow you around a bit,  I'd become friends with you, get you to tell me all your secrets yadadada you know how it is. 

Well, my dad of course said yes because I'm a very charming and persuasive person, you would know" He winks and sniggers, "However, we are a little low on money at the moment and so my dad sent me to live with some of his older pirate friends. They were decent enough when I first arrived, however, with the money my father paid them, they've been spending it on some bad stuff and they have tempers and can get grumpy at me. So it's better usually if I just stay in my room and they'll forget I'm there. 

I am working on getting a ladder or something that I can climb on to get to my window, instead of walking through the house". 

Wow. 

"I could honestly never imagine having to deal with that". Imagine if my aunt was a drunk. My parents would never let me stay with her in the first place. "Can you ask your father if you can stay somewhere else?"

He's finished his burger and is moving on to the chips. "Well...", he licks his fingers. "I suppose I could, but we really are very tight on money and you know, I haven't given him any information about what your family is up to. So he'd probably just take me back. He wouldn't be able to afford a hotel or rent or anything".