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S Gun

Spice God

Donation Cups and Bat Signals

I guarded the register, occasionally scanning receipts and handling payh to keep me occupied

Bob’s Diner was slow for a Saturday afternoon The lunch crowd had already passed through Uncle was in the back ht my eye with a handsome smile His blond locks were drawn back with the clip he stole fro two pencils to hold it in place like hair sticks Bits of my chameleon blond hair tickledI kept trying to sweep back the locks that were loose behind my ears, but if I leaned forward, they fell out

It was nearing the end of October, and I was happy it was almost over My hope for a quiet, ordinary school year had already vanished After the bomb threats on the school, a principal and vice-principal after ot nervous when things got quiet I wondered as lurking in the shadows, alaiting for the next surprise

I leaned against the counter,down the minutes until the end of my shift Most of the time, I stared at Luke so not be rude and stare at anyone else while I dazed out In his Bob’s Diner blue polo shirt, his long, lean arms flexed nicely as he carried a tray, or wrote out orders on a ticket The way he interacted with custohting up those dark eyes, and joke around with the patrons,me think many of them were repeat customers because of him

I’d already cleaned the counter, organized the receipts, refilled napkin dispensers and had even scrubbed down the soda fountain o home To my soon-to-be former home I’d promised my sister, Marie, I’d have the last of my stuff out today so I would finally not have to return for a while I already had all my clothes at Nathan’s house, but I wanted to do a sweep and check for anything I may have left behind

Moving out at sixteen is complicated In my case, it had to be done slowly, because we had people watching the house There were three of them at a time now on our street One was outside the diner, since Mr Hendricks had figured out some of us worked there

I idly traced the edges of the register, listing things in my head that I should look for in the house My birth certificate was so I hadn’t been able to find The boys didn’t ht be in my stepmother’s room I wanted to check the attic, too I wasn’t sure if I wanted to leave their photos taped to the wall inside the secret space they’d created forthe them, for now I could come back for them later

A figureouta smile

The girl’s eyes widened a little “Um,” she said

I shook? Did you call in an order?”

“No,” she said She was a pretty girl, with blue eyes and dyed blond hair, dark brows She held up a silver can with sequins glued on it “Are yourunning?”

I stared at her, waiting for her to explain, but she just looked atabout the restaurant, and my insides started to rattle When I knew the procedure, I was fine handling custo random like this made me want to tell people to ask for Luke “Huh?”

“For ho the sequins sparkle under the light “I didn’t know you worked here I didn’t see you on the list, butI didn’t want to ask about leaving this if you were running and didn't want to compete”

“Honize her, but she seee of a photograph

and so “I didn’t even know” I’d only experienced ho once atout the posters Wasn’t that in early October? Or, when the football teao

“It’s kind of a last-ot the principal to approve, but we had to convince hih irls running for queen get additional votes for every dollar they earn”

“Oh,” I said “Oh ” They weren’t even going to have a ho? Mr Hendricks was horrible I didn’t knohat to say, but tried to look sympathetic

“We usually do a charity event,” she said “But we had to change and do it for ourselves, since he’d said no and cancelled So up”

Mr Hendricks’s concern for the students was a surprise He cancelled an event because he was afraid of the bomb threats? Sounded et bo deal Did he cancel so he could keep themy suspicions aside for now “Well, did you want to leave your can, here?” I reached around the register, picking up the tip jar Luke had left and put it under the counter “I’ll let the others know”

She smiled pleasantly and handed over her can I placed it next to the register where my tip jar had been “Thanks,” she said “Maybe you’ll vote for me”

“Sure,” I said She said it like I should already know her name, but I didn’t Maybe she was in class with nized her I didn’t even kno to vote I could ask one of the boys; they’d know

“I’ll make sure to vote for your boyfriend,” she said She waved shortly and then thanked ain and walked away

I waved back, blinking and totally not registering what she had said BoyfriendSilas?

Silas was running for ho?

I waited until Luke was finished chatting with a custoed to catch his eye with a wave

He cath of hair fell against his face, covering his dark eyes, and he tucked it back behind his ear “Ready to go home?” he asked “Or did you want another tour of the freezer?”

The last time he showed me the freezer, he’d nearly kissed , but I shook off the thought and then pointed to the can “Two things, this girl walked in and left her ho donation can here I hope it’s okay”

“Ho out the photo “Who is this?”

“I don’t know She just came in and asked if she could leave it here I told her she could” I realized now I probably should have asked for per I didn’t want to tell her no Now that I thought about it, I wondered when she ht be back for it, or if I had to return it to her

“Oh,” he said He read the can “Jenny Don’t think I know her” He shook the can “Her can is e?”

I reached under the counter forand stuffed it into the girl’s can while I was talking “She said Silas is running for king”

“He is?” Luke asked His s iet a crown and then let you ride around in the back of a convertible? Isn’t there a parade or so?”

“Is he really running?”