The Werewolf Cheerleader

Book One: Chapter 12

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.