Coney Island Queen

01 | mint chocolate chip

01: I KNOW MORE ABOUT FIVE MINUTES OF SUMMER THAN I WOULD PREFER

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"YOUR HIGHNESS, WHERE are you?"

"Right here, boss," I say, walking out of the employee bathroom. They customized the handicapped stall just for the Coney Island Ruler, and just about sixty seconds ago, I was in there fixing my makeup. Let me say, eyebrow game was not on point before I got in there.

"My Queen!" My boss exclaims jokingly, slinging his arm around my shoulder. "I have a trainee for you today, Gia. His name is Alec, and if I was twenty five years younger and batted for the other team, I totally would tap that."

I groan at my boss's crude joke and straighten my name tag. "Mr. Burns, please don't utter those words ever again. For the sake of my eardrums and those of the other human beings inhabiting this planet."

"He should be here in ten, so do whatever you teenage girls do when a hot boy walks by. You know, spew some verbal diarrhea, faint, and fangirl. It's the VFF, the girl code."

"And you would know that because?"

"You seem to forget that I am the father of two high school girls. Believe me, I know more about Five Minutes of Summer than I would prefer."

I snort and walk over to the counter where people come to order, giving it a quick wipe-down. "Five Seconds of Summer."

"Details, details." Mr. Burns jogs over to the drive through window, fitting a headset over his ears.

The doorbell lets out a metallic chime and my head snaps up. A guy about my age walks in, and looks straight at me. A smile stretches on to his face as he quickens his pace, pushing through the employee only door.

"You must be Giovanna," he greets, sticking his hand out. All I can think about is how his dirty blonde hair is messy but still absolutely adorable, and how his smile is wide and welcoming.

"Giovanna?"

"What?" I blink, and my eyes focus on his outstretched arm. I return his smile and pump his hand, then release it. "Yeah, I am. I go by Gia, though."

I hold up a finger and dash into the janitors closet and grab the new uniform that Burns had ordered in his size. "Go ahead and put this on." I hand him the clothes and jerk my head towards the bathroom.

He takes the clothes and gives me one last grin before rushing into the bathroom, letting the door shut behind him.

I let out a frustrated sigh and hop on to the counter. My foot starts to tap out a rhythm, and my fingers are itching for something to do. Crossing and uncrossing my legs, I fiddle with the blonde strands of my hair.

Being diagnosed with ADHD has always been hard, but once I started working here at Coney Island, it helped me relax a bit. The only other time I can control myself is when I'm on the high beam executing near perfect flips.

I perk up at the jingle of the door bell, sitting up straight. A young girl walks in, and skips up to the counter. She looks about eleven, and her strawberry blonde hair is pulled back into a French braid.

"Welcome to Coney Island, where Ice Cream is always the perfect vacation. I'm Gia, your Coney Island Queen." My mouth automatically recites the words that have been burned into my brain.

"Oh my God, you're the Coney Queen? How exciting!" The girl squeals, easing into a little jump.

I smile at the little bit of recognition, and nod my head. It took me six months to gain this title, and I'm proud of it.