A Necessary Struggle: Spring Semester

Chapter 12: The Inevitable

Harmony stood in the surprisingly fast-moving line as she read the menu. All the entrees, snacks, drinks, and desserts were all the same but she just wanted to refresh her memory.

"Whatcha getting?" Sinclair asked bobbing back and forth on his heels with his hands jammed in his pockets.

"My usual." Harmony's ears perked toward the dings blaring from the last two bowling alleys. "Frito pie and the triple M."

"The triple M'." Sinclair rushed his eyes over the menu using his finger to track his progress. "I don't see that up there."

Harmony pointed her finger at the last section on the menu, "Right there."

"The Minty Mountain Milkshake." He scratched his temple disturbing the beanie that covered his chocolate tresses. "Sounds good but..." He bunched up his nose. "With a Frito pie though." He gagged.

Harmony waved off his gesture, "Don't knock it till you try it. It's oddly good." She stepped forward as the line moved. "So, what are you getting?"

"I don't know." He held his chin scrutinizing the menu. "I've never been here before."

"Oh!" She harked angling her body towards him. "I forgot you're a transfer. This is your first semester at T.U."

"Yep." He nodded and then glanced at her. "What's good? What should I get?"

Harmony shrugged moving up with the line; they were next. "I don't know. I always get the same thing."

"Stop playing."

"I'm not."

"You get the same thing every time."

Harmony nodded. "I know what I like."

"How do you know what you like if you only tried one thing?"

Harmony pulled her bottom lip between her teeth not knowing how to respond.

"You got to step out of your comfort zone." He placed his arm around her shoulder fitting her against his body. "Sample the menu and see what waters your palate."

Harmony huffed with a grin playing on her face.

"What?"

She pushed his arm off her shoulder, "That's something a friend of mine would say."

"Smart friend."

"Yeah." Harmony unconsciously flicked her eyes in the direction of the table her friends were sitting at. "He's pretty smart."

"Oh...the guy you like." He snuck a peek at the table and then turned back to Harmony. "He can't be that smart if he's not with you."

"Smooth." Harmony rolled his eyes. "Really, smooth."

He shrugged looking about at the menu, "Not smooth. Just honest." He turned to her with suspicion on his face as if a question was lodged in his mind then he shook his head and refocused on which choice to make.

"What?" She gestured to his face. "What were you about to ask me?"

"If you like the guy over there then who was the guy that was waiting for you after class? Don't tell me you're a cheater." Then his eyes widened and he whispered, "Are you in a polyship."

"A throuple." She chuckled, thinking that would solve most of her problems but Cairo and Wex despised each other. "No. One's a friend and one's a relationship that I'm trying to decide if it has an expiration date." She let out a sad sigh. "I don't know yet. I went through so much change last year I don't want to experience anymore, yet."

"Change is a part of life,"  Sinclair said. "The seasons are a reminder of that.

"Wise, Abernathy. Thanks for the wisdom." She stepped up to the counter. "I'll have the Roller Derby burger and a Boondock Berry Smoothie."

"And you." The cashier with the backward Neon Strike baseball cap looked at Sinclair.

"I'll have the Frito pie and a Minty Mountain Milkshake." He grinned at Harmony. "I'm in the mood for something a little bit odd."      

Do you think Sinclair is right? Harmony should except change because it is a part of life.