DYNAMITE ► DUSTIN HENDERSON [2]

ONE

"THERE'S NO WAY THE PEPPERMINT stick is better than USS Butterscotch!" Jasper exclaimed defiantly, a massive grin painted on her face. "I think your taste buds are severely messed up, Harrington."

Steve casted a wry glance at the redhead, smirking at her. "Jas, I literally work here. I think I'm the better judge of what flavors are superior," he declared, waving his scooper at her tauntingly.

The redhead was perched on the table in the back room of Scoops Ahoy, which also just so happened to be the location of Steve's new summer job. She was waiting for the Harrington teen's shift to end, enjoying a few scoops of USS Butterscotch as she did.

Robin, Steve's fellow co-worker, chuckled through the open window that peered into the front of the shop. "You have no room to talk, dingus. I haven't seen you eat ice cream at least once. Guess you're really committed to that hot summer bod you've got hiding behind that crop top."

"Hey! You know I gotta stay in shape," Steve responded defensively, his huge eyes gaping at the brunette. "Otherwise the ladies wouldn't find me attractive."

"Absolutely nothing about you is attractive while you're wearing those shorts, Steve." Jasper cleverly insulted the boy, earning an eager high five from Robin.

"Hey, you're just jealous of my badass uniform," Steve fired back unconvincingly, caving at the sound of his own feign confidence. "Eh, who am I kidding? I look like a ridiculous joke in this costume."

"Oh because that denim jacket of yours will immediately win over all the girls," Jasper retorted, raising an eyebrow.

"Hey, it actually did win me over a lot of girls. I didn't go out with any of them, but I could have!"

"It didn't win over my sister," Jasper stated smugly, laughing at the way Steve's ears morphed into a dark crimson color.

"Hey, would you stop that? I told you I'm over that dumb crush!"

Before Jasper could throw another sly remark at the boy, an obnoxious series of bell chimes followed by Robin's usual "Hey dingus!" left Steve leaping to his feet. Jasper followed the taller boy to the front counter, a broad smile dancing on her lips as she greeted Max, Lucas, Mike, and Will.

"Hey guys!" She waved energetically to all of them. "Are you guys seriously here for another movie?"

"They're reshowing The Breakfast Club," Max informed the redhead excitedly.

"Damn and you somehow got everyone to come see that?" Jasper gawked at the ginger. "I'm impressed! You even managed to detach Mike from El's lips for a while," Jasper teased, her blue eyes beaming at the annoyed Wheeler boy. "That's some serious talent."

"Can we just go now?" Mike grumbled, his impatient expression mirrored by the other two boys.

"Alright, fine, but remember, don't tell anyone about this. You got it, shitheads?" Steve griped to his unofficial children, shoving the back door open for them.

"Got it!" They all chimes in unison.

"Oh, guys! Are we still on for Day of the Dead tomorrow?" Jasper called as they began to disappear down the hall.