No other restaurant in Moondale was better than Burger Queen. The place was established during the 50s when fast-food diners grew better. Back then, Moondale needed money from traveling bypassers to help their community grow stronger. One woman, a hospital chef named Daisy Queen, volunteered to build the first diner. Everyone called her Burger Queen because she totally knew how to fry mouth-watering burgers on grills. Thanks to her diner, more people arrived to shop and eat her burgers. 

After she passed away, her granddaughter, Ella Queen, took over and faced fierce competition. More restaurants and new shopping districts grew around downtown, shadowing over the first diner. With fewer people and less money, the business turned rocky for poor Ella. She almost thought she would lose the diner and disappoint her dead grandmother. How depressing!

But a business person came by and grew an interest in the diner. He thought he could use it to compete against other fast-food restaurants across America. Ella accepted his offer, and then her diner turned into a franchise in the large fast-food chain. They built only fifteen Burger Queen diners in the mid-west, and none of them couldn’t compete against the bigger restaurants in America. That sucked, but it helped Ella stayed in business, keeping the legacy of her grandmother alive. She became the new Burger Queen, still ruling her kingdom until the day she will die.

Her diner was the heart and soul of Moondale. If it weren’t for her grandmother, the town would have faded away from existence. And I wouldn’t be here with my cheerleading squad.

While Kevin sat at the table, I approached the cashier counter and stared at the menu. I usually ate salad with my friends to avoid the burgers. Now my tummy was begging me to eat meat.        

“Hey Jessica,” said Bandy, the cashier. “What can I get you?”

Bandy knew me since my friends brought me to Burger Queen. I guessed he loved working at the diner since I kept seeing him.

I bit my lower lip. “Can I get one cheeseburger and twenty barbecue burgers from the ninety-nine cents menu?”

Bandy widened his eyes. “Wow, really? I thought you only eat a salad here.”

I shrugged. “I gave that up. My stomach acted strangely since last night. I can only eat meat now.”

“I guessed eating so many vegetables made your stomach hate them now.” Bandy typed on the computer. “That will be twenty bucks.”

I gave him a twenty-dollar bill. “Thank you, Bandy.”

“For here, or to go?”

“For here.”

Bandy handed me a number card. “Your burgers will arrive in two minutes.”

I returned to Kevin and sat down in front of him. When my mouth opened, my cellphone rang. 

“Excuse me,” I answered it. “Hello?”

“Jessica! Where are you?” my dad's voice shouted. “It is getting dark now. You should be at home.”

“I’m fine, daddy. I am with Kevin at Burger Queen.”

“Burger Queen? But I ordered a pizza.”

“Sorry, but Kevin had a terrible day at school. We’re at Burger Queen to make him feel better.”

“What happened?”

I sighed. “He fell into the wrong crowd."

“Well, don’t stay out too late. I will work late again. Be home before me, okay?"

“I will.”

“Okay. Bye-bye.”

“Bye.” I sent him some smooches and hung up. 

The waiter approached the table, just on time, and our trays down. “Here you go. Enjoy."

After the waiter left, Kevin grabbed one cheeseburger.

I gazed at my burgers, noticing they all looked like sloppy joes in barbecue sauce.

Mmmmmmh…..

Already their delicious taste drifted into my watering mouth. Sweet BBQ, spreading all over my tongue, and my heart pounded like a drummer.

I felt like I haven't eaten in years although I ate lunch only a few hours ago. So hungry, I could eat the whole diner if my body forced me to. No way I would actually do the diner. Hehehehehe!

I picked up one burger and took the first bite. It was juicy, sweet, and very meaty with a lot of sauce between the honey buns.

“Mmmmmmmmmmm!” I munched the whole burger and grabbed the next one. And the next one, and the next one, stuffing them into my chomping mouth. Meat and sauce splattered across my face, and I didn’t care. I just want to keep eating and eating until there was nothing left.

After swallowing the last burger, I burped like a horn.

“Wow!” Kevin paused before his burger touched his lips. “I never seen you eat like that before!”

I giggled and grabbed a napkin to wipe my face off. “Man, those burgers are totally good! Are you going to eat that?"

Kevin stared at his burger and gobbled it down. “Geez, Jessica! Since when did you start eating meat?”

“I don't know.” I licked the sauce off my fingers. "I couldn’t eat lettuce anymore. Somehow they totally make me get sick.”

“When did that happen?”

“Since lunchtime.”

Kevin rubbed his chin. “Maybe your body got tired of you eating veggies. That is why you are puking it out.”

“I can’t even drink milk, eat bread, and taste ice cream.”

Kevin pointed the crumbs on my tray. “You ate the buns.”

Oh! I gazed at the crumbs. “I guessed my stomach couldn’t tell with so much meat falling down my throat.”

“Are you lactose intolerant too?”

“I don’t even know what that means.”

Kevin bit his burger. “Your body cannot break down sugar and daily.”

“Well, that totally sucks, but I never had that problem before.”

“You must have caught something in the woods when you were out with Mark.”

I gulped.

Hearing the word ‘woods’ reminded me of the horror I encountered in Blackwood Forest. I whether not get into too much detail about it. “Can we change the subject, please? Like why the total heck did Randy attacked you?”

Kevin sighed. “He was paying me to do his homework.”

My mouth hung. “He is paying you?” 

“He said if I helped him with his homework, he will give me ten bucks.”

Wow, I never heard a bully offering money to a nerd. Usually, the nerds get atomic wedgies if they don't work with them. 

I would never pay someone to do my homework. Why waste it when I could shop with my friends instead? “And you accepted his offer?” 

“Why not? I needed the money for my science project. Randy’s offer was irresistible.”

“But that jerk almost punched you.”

“That was different. He never did that before. I knew I screwed up, but I guess he overreacted.”

“Overreacted?” God, this dude was being a total dork. "More like overkill. You should totally avoid him like a plague.”

“But how can I get more money?” Kevin asked.

“Get a job. Save money. Do your own freaking homework. And mine too."

Kevin nibbled on the lettuce in his bun. “I guess you are right. Randy is a jerk and I don’t need his money anymore.”

I smiled. “Good choice, but don't you dare forget my homework either."

Kevin laughed. “You’re hilarious.”

I laughed back.

Kevin finished his burger and wiped his mouth with his napkin. “So I heard you are from Beverly Hills. Must be a great place for you.”

“Oh, it is totally fabulous there. Sometimes I would cry whenever I hear those words.”

“Why did you moved?”

My stomach knotted. Another dark spectacle I wanted to keep in the closet. "Tragedy…… I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay."

I gazed at the window next to our table, seeing the full moon rise over the dark clouds. Something strange popped up inside of me. Like I was being drawn toward it.

“Jessica?”

My eyes blinked. "What?"

He gestured at the window. "You were staring into space."

I shook my head. "Sorry….. Eh, can you give me a ride home?"

"Sure."

Better to get a ride home now than never. Who would be stupid enough to walk home at night alone?