A Necessary Struggle: Fall Semester

Part 50

Lela flipped through the crumpled dollar bills counting aloud, "2...3...4." She pushed the bills into the cash drawer then dropped the nickels into each compartment counting them two at a time. "10...20...30...40...50." She slammed the drawer shut with a swing of her hip pulling the Jolt cup off the column of paper cups. She suppressed a yawn as she pumped two squirts of Jolt's secret pumpkin spice syrup into the cup. She poured in the hot brew letting the steam waft over her face.

"You said cashew milk, right?" Lela asked over her shoulder.

"Yeah." The girl with the fishtail braid quickly answered.

Lela stirred in the nut milk then drew the Jolt's signature lightning bolt on the surface of the latte then snapped the lid over it. "A maple sugar cookie would go great with that." She told handing the girl the drink.

The girl bit her lip eyeing the tray of brown glazed cookies, "I don't know. I'm on a diet."

Lela scanned the girl's lank frame knowing she wouldn't tip the scale one bit. "Don't you want the ultimate Fall Festival experience?" The girl timidly nodded. "Well, nothing is better paired with a pumpkin spice latte than a maple sugar cookie." Lela gestured to the cookies.

"I eat dozens of these every year and look at me!" Alyssa pulled back her leather jacket showing off her thin frame tucked under the grey shirt.

The girl stopped biting her lip, "Okay! What the hell...give me three." She dug in her wallet.

"That'll be $3.50." Lela waited for the girl as she fished for another quarter in the depths of her purse.

Lela slipped three cookies in a paper bag then watched the girl inhale a cookie as she walked off.

"Dozens, huh!" Lela bumped Alyssa's shoulder

Alyssa smiled, "I close the deal for all the calorie counting, skinny bitches." She took a sip of her latte. "Isn't that why you brought me?"

"Two cinnamon rolls." The baseball cap-wearing boy asked as he slapped a ten-dollar bill on the table.

Lela dropped two of the massive, sticky Danishes into the paper bag. "Enjoy!" She smiled at the boy handing him the bag. Her smile dropped as she turned to Alyssa. "I'm glad you came."

Lela's words floated in the wind like the tan leaves sweeping across the pathway. The giggles of people coming back from the hayride mingled with the cheers of those at the Great Pumpkin obstacle. It all reminded her of last year when she signed them up for face painting, Harmony made them loose in the flag football tournament, Alyssa sang too loud at the Karaoke booth, laughing at Trevor trip an entire row during square dancing, and then going home to talk all about it while devouring Safiya's soup of the day.

Alyssa watched the flag football game on the large TV docked on the pole across the way, "Where else would I be?"

Hiding in Quinn's shoebox of an apartment, Lela pushed away that statement and pulled out something less inflammatory. "Not here."

Alyssa stopped tapping the lid of her cup but not looking away from the screen. "I'm...trying." She breathed out with heavy eyes. "Look at him." She pointed to the TV. "His life is still the same. His name saves him from everything." She dropped her arm and her eyes. "Quinn got the community service. Safiya's article didn't dim his shine." Alyssa took a labored breath. "You know why I stopped going to class?"

Lela shook her head but said no after realizing Alyssa wasn't looking at her.

"His cousin is in my Anatomy class...he called me a lying slut that got what she deserved."

"Lyssa!" Lela pulled her friend's arm beckoning her attention. Alyssa's tear stained eyes broke Lela's heart. "Why didn't you tell us? Me?"

Alyssa wiped the falling tear from her pink cheek, "The same reason you didn't tell us you take Paxil. You didn't tell me...of all people."

Lela's hand slipped from Alyssa's arm. Her Timberland's scrapped across the concrete as she backed up, "What..." The muscles of her chest became vice grips around her ribs. She swallowed hard searching for the right thing to say to get Alyssa off the subject. Her mouth opened but her brain drew a blank.

Alyssa focused her eyes on Lela, "What do you have?"

"That is none of your business!" Lela's outburst stopped the steps of an approaching customer. "You don't want to talk about your problems...don't pry into mine."

"Lee! It's not like that."

"Then what is it like...'cause it seems like you're spying on me." She closed her eyes covering her face trying to control her frantic breaths.

Alyssa slapped her cup on the table, "Lee, are you okay!" She reached for her friend.

Feeling Alyssa's presence nearing her, Lela opened her eyes to swat away Alyssa's hands. "Don't touch me!" Alyssa sat back as Lela held her face. Lela fixed her eyes on the third booth down the way. Sylvan wouldn't tell a soul and there was only one other person that knew about her illness. "He told ya!" Her voice rose, "He told you!" Her wide eyes shifted back to Alyssa. "Have you all been talking about me behind my back! Crazy Lela!" She ripped off her Jolt apron. "I knew he was too good to be true."

"Fuck!" Alyssa exclaimed watching Lela storm off.

"Can I get an apple cider cupcake?" The linebacker-like man asked fanning a dollar at Alyssa.

She scowled at the robust man, "Don't you think you had enough."