Wait For It (Sequel to Challenge Accepted)

Chapter Four: THE List and THE Burger

So Ted was engaged to Stella, I was back in New York, and everything was back to normal. Well...kind of.

"These things are impossible!" Barney told me, the list in his hand. "Have an entire conversation without using 'the'? How would you do that?"

"I don't know, Barney. That's for you to figure out."

"This isn't about trust, ok. This is just an excuse for you to rally the troops an mock me. Well I won't fall for it!"

"Then I hope you're ok being just friends." I said, emphasizing the last two words. He sighed. I'd forgiven Barney, and he was right. This list wouldn't make me trust him again. But, not only would it be fun to watch, it would also give us time together, so maybe I could get to know him again and work up to trusting him.

"Fine. But I'm not gonna be happy about it." He pouted obnoxiously.

"If you finish the first one today I'll buy you an ice cream. How does that sound?"

"Really?! With sprinkles!" I rolled my eyes at him.

"Whatever, Barney."

"Well the first one on the list is no alcohol for a month, so I can't do that today. And there's no fashion shows around, so I guess I 'll start with Number four."

"Whole conversation without using the word 'the'?" Lily asked, her and Marshall sitting down across from us while Ted sat on the end of the table.

"That's...one, yeah." Barney replied. "How did you know that?"

"She may or may not have helped me write the list."

"Well, this won't be that hard. Honestly, I've got this in..." I looked at him. "a bag. I've got this in a bag. Ha!" I chuckled. Robin joined us.

"So, what do you guys wanna do for dinner?" Ted asked.

"Oh! We just got a new cook.  You have to try the burger, it's amazing." Wendy the waitress told us.

"Oh, great, we'll take five of those." Robin told her.

"Five burgers."

"Whoa, uh really? You wanna eat here?" Ted asked.

"Yeah, I'm freaking starving. I just finished a seven-day cleanse."

"Didn't you just start that yesterday?" I asked.

"I finished early, ok? Five of those."

"Five burgers."

"Whoa, uh, wait, what about sushi?" Ted suggested.

"We had sushi last night." Lily said.

"Italian." Barney threw in.

"I had Italian for lunch."

"I don't care where we eat, I just want food." I said exasperatedly.

"I feel ya sister." Robin high-fived me.

"That's my thing. I give th...high fives."

"I can come back." Wendy said.

"No. We always do this. We spend an hour arguing about where to eat, and then we end up eating here anyway. I haven't eaten in two days, can we pleases, for the love of God, just order something now?"

"Chinese?"

"Ugh." Robin groaned.

"I don't like Chinese." Barney replied.

"Indian?"

"I just said I don't like Chinese."

"Indian isn't Chinese."