Troubles

The car didn't hit me. It stopped right next to me, the horn still going. The guy just stared at me. For some reason his windshield wipers were on. It wasn't raining. It still isn't raining.
If the car had hit me, I don't think I would've minded. I don't think anyone would have. I have no ID on me, so no one would know who I was. No one would report me missing. No one would miss me.
The car should've hit me.

“How may I help you?” the clerk asks. I look up at his smiling face and then up at the menu board.

“Two hamburgers, a small fry and a small salad.” At least I can pretend to rinse my system with a salad as dessert.

“Would you like anything to drink?”

“No,” I say. I can't afford it. “Thank you,” I quickly add. He's just doing his job.

“Alright, that'll be 5 dollars and 50 cents, please,” he says. I quickly look up at the menu board and check the prices. 40 cents. I'm short 40 cents.
I'm about to open my mouth, when I suddenly feel a hand on my shoulder.

“Hi, Frank,” Mikey says and toothily smiles down at me, “can I order with you?” I frown at him quickly, then just shrug. He steps up to the cash register and starts a long order. He can't possibly eat as much as he's ordering, and it isn't until then that I see the girl next to me smiling goofily at Mikey's back. She sees me looking.

“Hi. I'm Shelly,” she says and waves at me quickly. I just smile at her, guessing she's already heard my name.

“I'll just pay for the whole thing. You can just give me a five or something,” Mikey says nonchalantly, then turns back around and pays the guy. I look down at the floor as I run my fingers through my pocket, hearing the coins rattle. I wish I had a note instead of just coins, so I wouldn't look like I begged my way to five dollars.
“So, why weren't you in school today?”

I look up at Mikey and see that he's leaning his ass on the counter. He's suddenly a lot more confident than he usually is. His hair is styled too. His white shirt looks new.

“I, uhm,” I start, but pause a bit when the girl walks up to Mikey and leans against his shoulder while Mikey's arm wraps around hers.
“I missed the bus, so I thought I'd just skip,” I say slowly, wondering where Mikey met this chick. She looks older than him, and I don't think I've seen her around school before.
Mikey's eyebrows jump up.

“Oh, you thought you'd skip, huh? I thought you didn't skip. I thought-”

“I get it, Mikey,” I interrupt him, “I'm sorry.”

Everything goes silent for a minute. The girl is looking at the a TV screen to the right. It's showing commercials, so I know she's not looking at the screen because it's interresting; she's looking at it to give me and Mikey some privacy without actually leaving – like she's pretending not to hear anything.

I like her already.

“If you don't mind, Shelly and I would like to eat our food alone,” Mikey says. I can tell he's trying not to sound bitter, but his attempt is fruitless. Shelly turns her head towards us.

“Oh, I don't mind,” she says genuinely, smiling at both of us with a confused, insecure look in her eyes.

“No, it's alright,” I say, smiling back at her, “I was planning on going home and eat my food there.” She smiles at me. She seems really cute.

“There you go. Have a nice meal,” the clerk says. I quickly step forward.

“Uhm, can I get a bag?” I ask. The clerk just nods and quickly whips out a brown paper bag with red and yellow writing on it. I nod as a thank you, before I quickly scoop up my burgers, fries and salad.

“So, you live with your grandmother now?,” Mikey asks. He's getting worse and worse at hiding his bitterness.

I just look up at him, deciding to quit being nice and giving him some of his own attitude. Bitterly, I take all the coins in my pocket and hold them out to him. He opens his hand and I let the coins drop into his palm.

“Thanks,” is all I say, before I turn around and walk away from him.

Gerard has obviously not told him, but I'm sure he will once Mikey starts bitching about how I behaved today.

My secret's out.