The kingly taco mascot of Taco King's sign glows in the drizzle, casting weak shadows across Jayson and Lexia as they approach the fast-food joint. The mingling crowd consists of a few people just getting off work and high school and college students wanting dinner.

  "I still can't believe Derrick just flew off," grumbles Lexia, shaking raindrops from the umbrella before closing it. “All this talk about not wanting me to get sick and he leaves me in the rain.”

  “Maybe he wants some alone time with your mom,” suggests Jayson, smirking.

  Lexia freezes, her eye twitches, and Jayson pats her arm.

  “But who knows? I could be totally wrong,” adds Jayson.

  Lexia frowns. “Don’t joke like that. I was just poisoned by a rattlesnake and my heart can only take so much right now.”

  Jayson opens the second set of doors for Lexia, and he follows her in after she enters. The sharp smell of grease and spices coupled with the beeps, sizzles, yells, and clangs hit them immediately. Behind the counter, a bored-looking rabbit scrolls through his phone.

  "Welcome to Taco King," drones the worker without looking up. "What can I get you?"

  Suddenly, the overweight, greasy squirrel that is Juarez appears out of nowhere and slams a wet rag next to the rabbit’s hand, narrowly missing his phone.

  “Get off the damn phone!” yells Juarez. Then he turns his fury to Jayson, pointing a shaky hand at him. “And you! Get out!”

  “Oh, crap. I completely spaced that I was banned,” says Jayson.

  Lexia rubs her chin. “You’re right. You mentioned that earlier today. I completely forgot that, too.”

  “Very funny,” sneers Juarez. He points at Jayson. “You, get out.”

  He points at the employee. “You, do your job.”

  He points at Lexia. “You, order something.”

  Jayson holds up his hands and walks backwards to the door. “Lexia, get me a King Don burrito and a large grape soda.”

  “Sure thing,” says Lexia. Jayson exits and she grins and leans against the counter. “Hey there, buddy. Two King Don burritos, six crunchy tacos, two large drinks, and two packs of those cinnamon twisty thingies.”

  As the cashier rings her up, his eyes flick from his consol to her face.

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  “You’re Tempest Blaze, the dancer, aren’t you?” he asks.

  “Yeah…” says Lexia slowly.

  “Awesome. My dad has a picture of you in our bathroom next to our toilet paper stash.”

  Lexia sighs heavily and leans forward. “Kid, there’s just some things you don’t say in public.”

  A few minutes later, Lexia exits Taco King, holding a drink carrier and a large plastic bag of food, her umbrella clipped to her raincoat’s belt loop.

  Jayson is standing by the entrance, uncaring of the rain beating down on him. Lexia gives Jayson his drink and a burrito, carrier and the two walk down the road.

  As they walk down the cracked sidewalk of Bliss Town, they pass vandalized and abandoned buildings, and bunnies huddled around, muttering to each other in trace-like states.

  “Man, this town is a wreck,” says Jayson.

  “It wasn't always like this,” says Lexia.

  “I know.”

  “How could you possibly know?”

  “I grew up here, remember? Just like you.”

  “And how come I don't remember you?”

  Jayson looks down. “I was a ghost.”

  Lexia hums. “Just like me.”

  Jayson rolls his eyes and takes a bite out of his burrito. “You were not.”

  “Was to.”

  “You literally signed up to every talent show,” says Jayson, his mouth full of food.

  “For singing. And I lost every single one. I didn’t even win the prom queen! It went to Vanessa McNessa! Like, every year it was her, and I didn’t get a single vote! Not once! Not ever!”

  Jayson slows his chewing and glances at her out of the corner of his eye, wanting to tell her that lots of girls never got a single vote, but decides against it when he sees the mist in her eyes.

  “I still remember the notes in my locker, too. Patchwork was their favorite insult,” says Lexia. “Vanessa never did that, but she was too busy being pretty and popular to bully me or give me advice on how to look beautiful!”

  Jayson sighs and finishes his burrito.

  "For what it's worth," says Jayson, his mouth full once more, "I think Vanessa looks like a soggy breadstick compared to you."

  Lexia snorts, a small smile playing on her lips. "That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

  "Don't get used to it."

  They continue walking in silence, the steady drizzle weighing them down with millions of microscopic droplets. The neon signs from various shops cast colorful reflections in the puddles beneath their feet.

  When they approach the Crystal Plate, Jayson peers through the window. It takes him a moment, but he sees Mariana wiping down tables, her movements sluggish and her expression vacant. Her dark uniform is wrinkled, and dark brown circles hang under her eyes.

  "I see Mariana," says Jayson.

  "I see her, too. And with her being exhausted like that, that means she's too tired to argue about giving me more anti-venom," says Lexia, pushing through the door.

  The Crystal Plate is nearly empty except for an elderly couple sharing a slice of pie and a lone businessman typing furiously on his laptop. Mariana looks up at the sound of the bell, her lips curving to a frown when she spots them.

  “Welcome to the Crystal Plate,” says Mariana. She looks at the Taco King bag and cups. “No external foods allowed.”

  "Relax, we're just here for a friendly chat," says Lexia, approaching Mariana.

  “We need more of that anti-venom. Lexia here might have another run-in with Claribel, and I'd rather not see her nearly die again," says Jayson.

  “Yeah, that really sucked.”

  Mariana grunts. “Understandable, but I’m on the clock. Come back at ten and I’ll have it for you.”

  “Sweet. Can we hang out here until you’re done?” says Lexia.

  “No loitering.”

  Lexia and Jayson stare at Mariana, and she stares back, unflinching, unblinking.

  “Fine,” sighs Lexia. “Let’s go Jayson.”