Cheeseburgers & Sweet Tea

O N E

O N E

He's so in love
With the burning idea
Of being
In

Love.

-el <3

................................................................

                 
"I can't decide what's sweeter." He drawls, eyes twinkling and one side of his mouth slightly hitched up. "You or this sweet tea." He leans over the counter and takes another lengthy swig from the tall glass, ice cubes clinking in the process.

I sigh and snatch the sweating glass from his lips. "If you want it, you have to pay. You know the drill."

He just laughs and digs a crumpled five out his pocket. I reach out to grab it, but he surprises me and tucks it in the back pocket of my jeans.

I narrow my eyes and make a move to jump over the counter and kick him where the sun don't shine, but he slides out of my proximity before my two feet can even touch the linoleum floor.

"Keep the change, Jenson!" He yells over his shoulders, getting lost in the bustling lunch crowd and the scent of frying burgers.

I roll my eyes and throw up the not-so-kind finger.

"I can't believe after all you've put that boy through, he's still got the hots for you!" Lucy winks and rounds the corner, her long rust colored low ponytail swishing behind her.

She places baskets of steaming hot cheeseburgers and fries on a tray before shoving it into my arms.

"If you're not going to give Jackson a chance, the least you can do is get back to work." She tucks an unruly curl behind my ear and quickly hugs me like only a best friend can achieve, before she moves to take another order.

....

I sigh in relief as the last customer receives his burger and leaves. I plop down on the barstool, completely drained beyond belief.

"Man, I don't know how much more my feet can take." Lucy groans and kicks off her sneakers. "I mean the pay is good, but my feet are goners." She moans. "And not to mention school starting back up in a couple of weeks. How in the world am I going to study and work during senior year?!" She lies her cheek on the cold countertop trying to calm down.

I silently nod in agreement before ripping open a sugar packet and spilling it on my tongue. Lucy wrinkles her nose in distaste.

"I'll never understand why you do that." She points at the pink packet of Sweet N' Low in accusation. "You'd think being around sweet tea everyday would make you tired of sugar, but no. Jenson is never tired of sugar." Her playful eyes brighten and become mischievous as they glance at the door. "Especially some Jackson Sugar!" She makes kissy noise before disappearing into the back kitchen.

I look at the door to see Jackson standing in the parking-lot with a chocolate milkshake from my favorite ice-cream parlor in his hand.

"You're back." I state dryly, twirling my car keys around my pinky finger.

I walk over to him and grab the Styrofoam cup before pushing past him. "You are no longer welcome anywhere near me after that stunt you pulled earlier. You Go. Milkshake stays."

He looks confused as I climb into my car.

"Does touching my butt ring a bell?" I said dryly. Humor arose in his eyes and a smirk plays at his lips as the door shuts in his face. "That's what I thought."

Jackson jogs around to the passenger side and pops his head in the window. "Wait, I have a funny story." He chuckles and then scratches the back of his neck. "Actually it's not that funny really now that I'm thinking about it. I got my car taken up." He mumbles the last part.

I'm eager to get home and wash out the stale smell of burgers and fries that will forever cling to my curls as long as I work at Sweet Burger.

"Jackson," I sigh impatiently. "I'm not sure what you're getting at, but if you're done talking I'd like to go home."

I'm about to pull out of the parking lot until he utters the most shocking words in the history of shocking words.

For Jackson at least.

"You're grounded?!" I sputter for the third time in between long hysterical fits of laughter. "You mean to tell that The Jackson McCall is grounded?? Did daddy finally cut you off?"

Jackson isn't pleased with my words at all and it's the first time I've seen anything less than a cheeky smile grace his face. This makes the situation all the funnier.

"Are you done, Jenson? Because I really need a ride." His words are clipped and annoyed and very un-jackson-like.

My laughter comes to an abrupt halt when I realize what he's asking me.

"I'm not giving you a ride." I say this as if it's the most logical thing.

"Fine." Jackson shrugs not budging an inch away from my truck.

"Fine." I narrow my eyes, ready to run him over if need be.

Lucy comes to rescue in all her red-haired glory. "Hey, Jackson!" she greets and throws a quick wink and a wiggle of her eyebrows to me.

He turns around a waves to her. "What's up Luce?"

"Only Lucy's best friends call her Luce." I hiss and grip the steering wheel, slightly irritated that he barged in on my work and now my friends.

Jackson throws a lazy arm over Lucy's shoulders. "We're friends, right?"

She rolls her eyes. "Sure thing, Jackson McCall. Besties even." Her voice drips with sugary sweet southern hospitality and sarcasm.

"Great!" He claps his hands. "Because I need a ride home." He looks at her hopefully.

She motions towards her bright yellow Volkswagen Beetle and gratitude swims in his eyes as he tries to comfortably fit his tall frame in the small car.

Lucy leans her head in my car and whispers, "You're going to have to give him a chance one of these days."

I give Lucy a grin and whisper back. "The chances of that happening is like it raining in July here in Texas: none."

She shakes her head and motions for me to call her later before driving away with Jackson, windows down and an old classic country song spilling out into the late summer air.

I tap my A&M Reveille bobble head that sits proudly on the dashboard of my pickup. I put my car in drive and speed home, hungry for anything but a cheeseburger and eager for a hot shower that has my name printed all over it.

The chocolate milkshake stays untouched.