Sidney Berry had her life planned out: after high school go to culinary school, become a world-renowned chef and marry her childhood sweetheart, Aiden. But after a tragic incident that shakes her world at the end of her senior year, her plans derail...
She pivoted and started back toward her apartment building. Still starving but she was confident she could make it to her mom's house and wait to eat for free there. Her stomach growled and she tried to remember the last time she ate. She must've eaten something the night before but other than throwing a few stray cheerios in her mouth that spilled out of AJ's bowl this morning she was sure she didn't eat anything else. The bright red and white awning of the chicken spot on the corner, the same one she perched in during the stakeout days, beckoned her along with the scent of deep-fried goodness.
"You hungry dude?" She asked AJ. He wiped his nose with the back of his hand and then used that same moist hand to point at the place Sid had been eyeing.
"Fries!" He shouted.
"I'm with you boo-boo." She hightailed it to the place hoping they could fix her a small hot wing and fries special before her Uber came. She wouldn't want to make the car wait and lower her sister's precious 4.9 stars.
She walked in to see a line of people milling about the store. Waiting. Damn. This wouldn't be quick at all. She stood at the end of the four-person line anxiously tossing looks across the street at her building. Checking for the car. Nothing yet. She eyed the front counter.
An expanse of bulletproof glass secured a middle-aged middle eastern man as he turned chicken that was simmering under bright lights. His movements slow and deliberate, unbothered by the line of people. Sid sighed and let a fidgety AJ down to the floor where he could stretch his legs and he beelined for the colorful gumball machine in the corner. Just as she wondered when was the last time they cleaned that machine, the door swung open.
"Aye, my savior!" Phil's voice boomed from the door. People barely even looked toward his loud entrance. Brooklynites. Sid turned around.
"Don't mention it." She said to him coolly. It was no big deal to her. She wasn't sure why but picturing him in jail seemed...wrong. Though Phil was a drug dealer, it seemed more of a circumstance than an identity and she knew a lot about that.
"Imma mention it. That was a big look, Sid. You know?" He raised an eyebrow. Sid thought she may know what he meant but it was really hard to decipher his code speak and she was starting to get light-headed from hunger so she just nodded.
"I owe you. You ordered already? Let me pick up the tab for you." Phil reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of bills. Sid eyed the green paper greedily.
"Not yet, this line is taking forever and my car should be here any minute." Sid glanced over her shoulder to see a gray Toyota Camry pull up in front of her building. Just as her phone dinged.
Whitney: Your car is there.
Damn.
Phil stretched his head over the line.
"Yo, Ahmed, you got a line here man! Where's Junior?" Phil yelled to the man behind the counter. He whirled around with an annoyed look on his face that quickly melted into a smile.
"Phil!" He yelled and seemed to come to life, "he had a test for college today. It's just me!". His hands pleaded with Phil, and by proxy, the people in line.
"I hear you, Habibi, but you gotta move it. Put something hot in a box for the lady. She gotta go." Phil turned to her quickly, "What you want?"
"Just hot wings and fries." She murmured. She was concerned that the other people would become angry with her order being pushed to the front of the line but they didn't seem affected.
"Hot wings and fries, Ahmed!" Phil yelled through the bulletproof glass. Ahmed nodded and made quick work of tossing the wings in a box along with a healthy scoop of fries -- way more than he'd ever given her when she came on her own -- and bagged it all up before sliding it through the small square opening in the glass. Phil strode up and slid what looked to be fifty dollar bill across the counter.
"Get these other people their shit. They hungry! Look! Ms. Watson about to pass out." Phil said pointing to an older woman in the line. Sid's eyes widened at the comment but Ms. Watson just burst into loud healthy chuckles.
"Shut up, Phil. I'll tell your mama!" She tossed back at him. Phil made mock praying hands in a plea toward her as he made his way over to Sid. He handed her the steamy bag of food.
"Go catch your car. But listen, actually call me, okay? You've been playing me. I'm tryna chill with you." He said sincerely. Again, no airs. Just straight down the middle. It jarred her and made her clam up.
"I will." She tossed to him as she stopped AJ from spinning the handle on the beat-up gumball machine in the corner to death. Scurrying across the street, she flung open the car door and apologized to the driver who wore a steely and slightly annoyed face. Yep, Whitney would be dropping to 4.8 stars today.
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