The Scarlet Stinger (LRDA Book 1)

Chapter 11

They sat at a table in the frozen yogurt shop. This time, no one harassed Talia about Juniper. It ended up costing much more than the twenty dollars and Nicolai insisted on paying for the extra yogurt and toppings they both had.

"36g of carbs in that cup," Nicolai said.

"I'm impressed," Talia said.

"I looked it up. It's a good thing they weigh the cups. That makes it easier to calculate."

"It does." She laughed and pointed at his glasses. "They're frosted," she said.

He wiped them on his sweater. "The downside of wearing glasses."

"What about contacts?"

"I tried them before but I just couldn't get used to touching my eye." He put them back on.

"You look better with the glasses anyway," Talia said. She chewed on a piece of strawberry. "I didn't know you liked the museum."

Nicolai nodded and tasted his frozen yogurt. "My parents used to take me to museums all the time, not just this one. Have you ever been to the Louvre?"

Talia shook her head. "My dad wanted to take me over the summer but something came up." Diabetes really had a way of ruining fun.

"If you ever get the chance you should go there, and to the one in Italy."

"You make it sound like everything's better in Italy," Talia said.

"Name one thing that isn't," Nicolai said.

Talia thought about it. "Variety. We have more variety here in the US."

He shrugged. "Variety is good but I still prefer Italy."

"Then why are you here?" she asked.

"My parents thought an American education would be more marketable if I decide to work somewhere outside of Italy and I am an American citizen so they thought I should take advantage of that."

Talia nodded. That made sense. Her phone rang. It was her mother. She wanted to know where she was since it was after five and Mrs Wilson said she wasn't home yet. She told her and since it was close, her mother said she would come to the shop and they would go home together.

"Have you bought a new camera yet?" Talia asked.

He shook his head. "Haven't gotten a chance to look around."

"Isn't a camera just a camera? Order it online. They give you the list of specifications in the description."

Nicolai looked horrified. "What do you mean a camera is just a camera? The screen, the lens, how well it takes photos in low light, how it feels in the hand, all of that if very important. I can't just buy any camera. It has to be perfect."

"But you should at least have an idea of what you're looking for."

"I do but it's a little hard to find, even online. I might end up going with a cheaper point and shoot for now and get the one I want later."

Talia nodded. The bells on the door jingled and Elaine walked in. She sat next to Talia at the table and took her frozen yogurt.

"Mom," Talia said. She tried to reach for it but her mother was faster, and taller, and held it out of her reach while she took a big mouthful. She grabbed the container. "Get your own."

Her mother only laughed. "And who is this?" she asked.

"Couldn't you have asked that before you took my yogurt?" Talia said. "What if he was an important person?"