Chapter Two

Author's Note: i really like the dialogue i gave them...

"I hung out with my cousin Brodie last night and let me tell ya... People give us shit about the stuff we talk about but I bet they'd throw a fuckin' fit if they had to listen to the shit he talks about."

Dante hummed in agreement, not entirely listening to Randal talk about his cousin. He was too busy trying to squeeze into this tight spot in the Mooby's parking lot. Vaguely knowing Brodie, Dante knew that the guy was up to some wild shit. The guy was just as crass as Randal was, but while Randal more or less kept his cool at all times and dealt out the quick sarcastic quips, Brodie tended to yell and laugh a lot. A lot. Mostly about his nerdier interests or a kid fucking around at Eden Prairie. More or less demanding your attention and the spotlight, which was probably how he got that spot on The Late Show.

"I can't believe he's on TV now. How does he survive not being able to talk about Reed Richards' dick for an hour," Dante said as he finally parked the car. He let out a sigh as he killed the engine. "You think you could handle being on TV?"

"Nah," Randal said with a shrug. "I'm just a regular guy trying to get by in this savage world. Money would be sweet but I couldn't deal with those censors, dude. He probably has aneurysms daily from not being able to blow his wad about comic book characters blowing their wads on his show."

Dante snorted. "Did you watch it?"

"Once or twice."

"He any good?"

"Yeah, he's pretty funny with what he's got. The sketches are shit though, it's probably execs doing that though. I give him six months before he bails." Randal opened his door, nearly slamming it into the other vehicle next to them.

"What makes you say that?" Asked Dante, who was extremely careful opening his door and sliding out of it. "Thought he'd chop off his dick to be on TV or whatever he said in high school."

"Something along those lines. I dunno man, when you achieve your dreams or whatever, real life likes to kick you in the ass. Which is why I aim low and am currently happy where I am."

"Jesus Randal, it wouldn't kill you to have at least a little ambition and dreams--"

"Take your own advice, my friend. You're still in the same spot as I am even after you said you were gonna shit or get off the pot after Julie Dwyer's funeral."

"It was you that said--" Dante grumbled before Randal swung his arm around his shoulders and pulled him into some sort of sideways hug.

"Don't worry about it, ol chum. We're in this together. Still got the whole world in front of us... just like this Mooby's. Let's go in, I'm fuckin' starving," the slacker said as he pulled Dante along with him.

The smell of grease and totally fresh not frozen food invaded the pair's senses, greeting them to the god forsaken place that was their local Mooby's. They narrowly avoided the screaming kids running around as they made their way to the counter. The dark limp haired funployee at the counter looked dead inside, which just completed the picture. A picture of mediocrity and soon to be broken dreams.

"Welcome to Mooby's... Can I take your order, sirs?"

Dante blinked before realizing who the clerk was. He stared at her name tag to make sure... but it didn't really help. So, he just jumped right into it. "Holy shit, Squall?"

It took her a moment, but then her eyes lit up and a smile appeared. Gone was the dead inside smile that seemed to grace everyone that was unfortunate enough to work in customer service and here was a genuine smile. "Oh!!! Dante!!! Hi!!! Oh my gosh..."

Randal shot a look at his friend and then to the girl behind the counter. Who the hell was this?

"I didn't think we'd run into each other again, in all honesty. Like. American cities are so big... and townships are weird but whatever!! It's so nice to see you, oh my god. I'm glad you made it home okay!" Squall rambled, her words running together.

Dante laughed, "You'd be surprised. I get a lot of old classmates and family members coming into the Quick Stop... how've you been?"

Squall shrugged, "I've been okay, I think. Just been working and not much else... Er, anyway... How about you?"

Before Dante could pretty much state the same thing, Randal cut in. "Can we order already, dude? You and..." he trailed off, squinting at the cashier's name tag, refusing to believe that what Dante called her was her name. He was right.

"Shit, this is Squall. I met her at that party Jay begged me to go to a few weeks ago."

"He did not, you just buckled like a belt this time around. So, met at a party, eh?" Randal grinned, forgetting how hungry he apparently was once the possibility of his friend getting laid popped into his head. "You two, uh, build the blanket monster--"

Dante threw up his hands in a small panic, in case Squall was offended by his friend's audacity. She did the same thing, though there was a bit more flailing on her end. "N-no!!!" They both shouted.

"H-he just drove me home after walking me to the bus stop but it had stopped running for the night... nothing else, I'm afraid. Ah shit, I'm on the clock. Sorry about that... uh. Can I take your order?" Squall said, voice shaking a bit as her face turned a bright shade of pink.

As Dante ordered, Randal watched as the girl bit her lip while he spoke. Something was up here. Or maybe it was just his supposed frightening libido hoping for shit to hear about.

"Randal."

"Shit. Yeah can I get... uh..."

A few minutes later, they got their food. Right away. Mostly because there wasn't really anyone in front of them and no one behind them in line. The rush where parents were trying to get their kids fed before after school practice or lessons for god knows what was over.

Squall slid them their tray, her free hand adjusting the stupid funployee hat with horns. "It was really nice to see you again, Dante."

"Yeah, maybe I'll see you around again... Jaycelynn."

Squall frowned, or at least tried to. There were still hints of a smile in both her voice and on her lips."Maybe... but don't call me that if we do. Have a great day!"

Dante blinked before a vague memory of her rambling on about names played in his head. "Right, right. Well, see ya."

Squall gave him a wave before going back to her job and looking dead. Dante carried his and Randal's food too a far off table near the bathrooms. Once they were sitting, Randal leant in close.

"Okay, give me the real story. Didja two bang or what? You're acting awful friendly for someone who just drove a chick home, dude. Plus, she has the hots for you."

"What?! No!!" Dante started, maybe a little too loudly and clearly exasperated.

"Probably 'starts diddling herself as soon as she gets home thinking about you' kinda hots for you."

"Oh my god!!! Randal, believe it or not, men and women can be just..."

"Aw, don't give me that 'friend' shit, people fuck their friends all the time. There's names for it."

"Well we're best friends and haven't fucked."

Randal snorted, taking a french fry and putting it in his mouth. "And whose fault is that? You didn't even think to ask."

Dante sputtered. Was he fucking serious?!

"I'm kidding, ya fuckin' mook. If I was gonna fuck a guy, it'd be someone hot, ya hideous fuckin' C.H.U.D."

"Well jeez, thanks." Dante scoffed, not sure if he was relieved or slightly offended.

"You're welcome. So fine, you two aren't fucking because friendship or whatever. You planning on fucking her?"

Dante sighed. "No. And I guess we aren't really friends. Stop," he said, trying to cut Randal off before he could even start that again. "We just don't know each other well enough. This was just us running into each other a few weeks after we met. And to be honest... She's kind of weird."

Randal leant in. "Weird how?"

Dante took a quick glance over his shoulder before leaning in a bit more. "Well, I'm making small talk on the way to bus stop, being polite or whatever. I ask her where she's from and she starts this whole thing about how she's from Canada even if she lived in North Dakota before here and general life story shit. And I literally just met her."

"Dante, you're in love with a girl that fucked a dead guy and you think some Canuck oversharing shit about her past is weird? I don't understand your standards sometimes. So what's the real reason?"

"I am not still in love with Caitlin Bree, alright?" Dante sighed with a roll of his eyes. "I care about her and I'm the reason why she went catatonic--"

"No, she would've fucked that old dead dude even if she thought it was someone else. Hell, she probably would've done it if she wasn't expecting anyone. She was kind of a big whore, man. Don't beat yourself up over it."

"The important thing is, I don't really feel that way about her anymore. I think."

"You think."

"Yes... because that night, I realized that Veronica was the one. I took advantage of her shit and like you said; I was dating her because it was easy. But... she wanted me to better myself, yknow? She cared about me and I just... well, you know all that shit."

"So you love Veronica then? Even if she sucked thirty-seven dicks."

Dante snorted. "Yes, and I'd still accept her if she sucked another thirty-seven. It's the least I could do after the things I put her through."

Randal leant back in his chair, "did you tell her all that when you talked with her after that night?"

Dante shook his head. "No. She wants nothing to do with me, and rightfully so. The most contact I had with her since then is when she comes into the Quick Stop. We don't talk, she more or less throws her money at me and doesn't look at me the whole time."

"Damn, I'm sorry."

"Nah, don't be. I know you were trying to help, I wish you'd have told me before doing it but what's done is done. I think I might've needed that. I clearly wasn't listening to you about Veronica and Caitlin when I was dating her. Because I was comfortable, I didn't wanna do anything to break that. Or I didn't want to hear things that weren't enabling my bullshit."

Randal gave his friend a slow nod before taking more fries. As he chewed, he watched Dante eat his own food. Even if he was still in the same place as before, Dante seemed to have matured. It was weird to think about. People considered his friend to be the mature, responsible one between them. They wouldn't have been wrong, Dante could easily be both of those things. But he was like a child in other areas; whining and throwing fits when things didn't go his way, blaming everyone but himself when things went wrong. Randal could've smiled at the thought. He wanted to congratulate Dante, but how?

"Anyway, I'd rather... avoid relationships for a while. Even just one night stands. I'm still feeling raw, I guess."

"Jesus Dante, that was in April, but, then again, you're clearly not really the type to get over chicks easily."

Dante frowned, "what's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, it took you a while to get Caitlin out of your system after all."

Dante shrugged. "I guess you're right."