Jerry thought his chalupa was tastier than usual today. They must have hired a new chef at Taco Bell recently. Jerry took a sip from his extra large Pepsi as an ice fragment somehow made it’s way through the straw into his throat.
The resultant coughing fit seemed like it would never end. His face was as red as a hot sauce packet. Losing the fight against the impending brain freeze from the cold soda and ice, a pulsing cramp formed in the back of his head that made him shudder. His eyes burned. He would have been self conscious about the tears forming from the brain freeze if his head didn’t hurt so much. He swallowed hard and lifted his aching head to gaze into Laura’s eyes.
Sweet, sweet Laura. The love of his life, the blossoming flower in this food court at the Midtown mall. A singular vision of beauty who reaffirmed to Jerry that there was a greater power at work in the universe. His love for her was so pure. So what if he was only seventeen? And she was only sixteen? He knew how the world worked, and he knew Laura like no one else ever could. She was and would always be his soul mate, and no one could ever take that away from them.
The headache finally subsided as he mustered the strength the wipe away the frosty tears from his eyes. He wanted to take the next step with Laura, and he wanted to look good when he popped the question. As his blurry vision cleared, he was finally able to really take in the lovely sight of Laura. He tried to catch her eye, as she gnawed on a french fry distractedly and twirled a golden curl of hair around her finger.
“Laura,” he sputtered. “I think it might be time we decided to go steady. Maybe I’m crazy, or maybe I’m just crazy about you, but…”
Brrrrreeeeeep! A cell phone rang somewhere. Laura hoisted her massive handbag onto the table, shoving aside her basket of fries as it spilled on the floor. She didn’t seem to care. The phone’s bleating continued as she fished around though the purse’s contents. After the fifth ring, she found the phone.
“Hello! Laura here.”
Jerry noticed she was still absently spinning a bit of hair around a finger on her non-phone hand.
“No, Ralph. I’m with Jerry now! I told you not to call me anymore.”
The freeze long gone, the watery eyes recovered and back to normal, Jerry felt invigorated by the words Laura was saying into the phone.
Laura listened to the phone in silence for a bit. The finger stopped twirling. The strand of hair fell wonderfully across her shoulders.
“Oh, Ralph! That is the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard!”
Laura flipped closed her cell phone and gave Jerry a brilliant smile.
“I have to go. Bye, Jerry.”
She kissed him on the cheek and left the mall.