Taste of a Sweeter Life

[Abby Hurston]

It was just after the lunch rush. Clinking of glasses and silverware rang through the air, as they were being removed from the tables. As Abby and Serena made it down the narrow walk way to the far east corner table, what Abby liked to refer to as their booth, she could smell the fresh pot of coffee brewing.  She never actually liked the stuff, but the smell she found was very intoxicating. She didn't know if it was just that comfort, seeing as her dad would brew some every morning.  Or if the smell itself was simply that good.

Just as Abby dropped her bag onto the booth beside her, Teena, the waitress, came right up. It never seemed to take her long to make it throughout the diner. She was probably the quickest waitress Abby had ever seen, always ready for you long before you were ever ready for her. The best thing Abby liked about her, was her personality. It always made her giggle when she would give her father some quick wit back. He wasn't as fond of the sass, but never said anything about it. Abby assumed he didn't want to get outwitted by the short ball of energy, that or have his meal tampered with. "Good Afternoon Teena." Abby greeted with a smile. "You should know by now that I'm never ready for a good 15 minutes with a menu at least." 

Teena's eyebrow rose as she shook her head at Abby, placing two menus down at the table. "And you, child, should know the damn menu by now, to know what you want ahead of time." she retorted back. A large grin grew across her face, which only made Teena roll her eyes. "I'll give you two a moment. Teena stated and was gone just as quickly as she arrived. Abby watched as she danced around tables filling up the scattered remains of customers cups with the fresh pot of coffee. "I like her." Abby announced with a smile.

[Serena Robertson]

Serena followed Abby through the diner, a familiar path to their both. She sat down on the squishy seat, the one she swore had a hole in it wear she always sat. Serena couldn't even remember when they started coming here. The place always smelled the same, all the food always tasted the same. But it still tasted just as good as it always had. Serena loved this place, like most places in this town, it felt like a second home. She supposed all small towns were like that, she couldn't imagine having grown up in a bigger city, without familiar places and familiar faces.

Teena came by in a flash, almost as fast as they could sit down. Serena was never not impressed by that. The diner could be swamped and she would still manage to swoop by in a flash. Serena figured she liked them though, making an effort to give them a little extra attention. Serena giggled at Teena's quick remark. "She's right you know. I think the menu has pretty much been the same for as long as we've been alive." She smiled. Though she figured Abby actually did know everything on the menu by now, but it would break tradition if she didn't stare at the menu indecisively for at least 10 minutes. Serena already knew what she wanted. It was a pancake kind of day. Even if it was lunchtime, it was never a bad time to have pancakes.

"I think everyone likes her, even if they won't admit it." She was the best waitress in town, by far. She could memorize ever order in the diner without even writing it down, and she never got it wrong either. Of course if she did, she would probably blame it on the cook. "I'm in the mood for pancakes today. Pancakes and bacon." She slid her menu to the edge of the table without even looking at it. "So have you thought anymore about what you're going to do after high school?"

[Abby Hurston]

While grabbing one of the menu's that rested at the end of the table, she stuck her tongue out at her friend. Okay, maybe they were right, but what could she say. She was just a very indecisive person. There was nothing wrong with that. It just meant that she never wanted the norm, she didn't want to stay the same person. Abby liked growth. "You never know-- they may have added something," she attempted defend herself. As she scanned along the exact same menu, for about the billionth time in her lifetime, she contemplated about everything you possibly could have, except for what she actually wanted, of course.

"Mm, pancakes." Good choice, good choice, but Abby did already have waffles. Well, sort of. She didn't really get any bites in before she spazzed out and left. Well there you go! That explains why she was so hungry now. Letting out a burst of laughter she shook her head. "I didn't even have a bite of waffles!" she explained. Looking down at her tummy as it gurgled at her. No doubt, giving her heck for not filling it up. "I'm sorry," she apologized as she patted it once more. A smaller, softer gurgle came back as a reply. Looking back up at Serena, "I was so mad I just stormed out of there! My lord."

After school. Wasn't that the it question now. Everyone wondering about their future. This was after all the moment, where all of us kids grow up. We move away and become people. Most of whom she talked to about it, were pretty worked up about it. Abby didn't really understand why. What was so troublesome of finally getting the freedom we all seek. This was when being an individual really matter, when it was appreciated. Abby was ecstatic. "Well, I know my father wouldn't exactly approve. But for my first career, I would like to be a biologist. What about you?"

[Serena Robertson]

"The day they add sometime new might just be the day the world ends." Serena joked as she watched her friend continue to debate over the menu. "Maybeee you could get something you haven't had in a while?" She would have suggested to try something she hadn't tried before, but for how long they'd been coming here Serena was sure they had tried everything at least 50 times. Serena gasped a bit to hear Abbey hadn't actually eaten her waffles. It was really surprising because usually nothing could stop her. "That really must have been a bad argument if you abandon your waffles even." She shook her head sadly, what a waste of waffle. "I'm surprised you didn't take the waffles with you." She teased, smiling a bit in the hopes of lightening the situation.

"No offense but I don't think your father would approve of anything unless it involved you becoming a full time nun or something." He wouldn't be happy about anything Abby would actually want to do. "Biologist though, that's really cool." She thought about it for a moment. She could see Abby doing that, not only that but she would be most bubbly biologist there was. "I haven't really thought about it too much...my grandma wants me to stay here and run the shop, take over the family business..." She trailed off with a shrug, frowning slightly. "There's a lot more I would like to do but I couldn't stand to disappoint her." Serena tried to avoid thinking about all the other things she would like to do. She loved the shop and the business of course, but she also wished she could explore. There was nobody else to run the shop though. Nana wouldn't be able to do it by herself for much longer, not to mention once she passed.

"What about schools? Thinking of staying local or..." Serena figured Abby would want to go to college elsewhere. Somewhere no where near this tiny town. She really hoped she was wrong though and Abby wanted to stay close to home. She couldn't imagine her best friend going off to college in a different state while she was stuck here doing the same thing she had done her whole life. She felt her eyes tear up a bit at the thought.