Summer 1998
"Water! Juice!"
"Get your ice cold water for the commute!"
"Cinnamon roll- muffins and Honey buns too…"
"Ice cold tea- bananas and oranges…"
It was business as usual for the two teens who had served the community now for over three years. Business was booming with old friends and regulars while they were making new friends and opening up new markets. This summer they began selling candy bars too.
"Man I hear the House of Kics is the place to be…" In between the sales, they chatted about the upcoming party that was going to be held at the famed teen hangout House of Kics.
"Dude, I'm telling you all we need is a new ride…"
"Word…"
"Mom said that if I come up with half; she'll front me the other half on a car." Jayden excitedly shared with Avery. Avery stopped short and turned around. His face beamed at hearing that.
"Real tip?" He asked. Jayden boastfully nodded his head.
"Yup… I passed driver's Ed and she took me to get my license already." He told him the big secret that he had been holding back. He had been afraid that he wouldn't pass the road test or his mom would change her mind so he had kept it to himself.
"Dude and you're just now telling me? When did this happen?" Avery walked over to his friend and pushed him into the wall. Jayden laughed and then pushed back.
"It's no biggie… Yesterday… first thing in the morning on my sixteenth birthday…" He revealed trying to be cool about things; but in reality he was exploding on the inside with so much joy and excitement of getting his license and his first car for his junior year of high school.
"Man-oh-man…. If that happens you know what that mean?"
"No more school bus and chicken-heads for days!" They said in union hi-fiving each other.
"Did I hear that somebody is getting a new ride?" Jacob voice broke through their private conversation bringing them back to reality.
"Sup…" They greeted recognizing his voice as they turned around.
"Daddy, lemme get a honey bun…" The teenage girl greeted. Jayden knew that was his daughter Dinah; Mr. Ellis had introduced her to him a year ago when they were all going out on a family outing.
"And don't forget mom's blueberry muffin and apple juice." She reminded him as he placed his order.