“Dad! Mom!” Alessia and Zachary greeted them with easy smiles as they wove through the after–school crowd. The food truck was parked on the busy corner, with students thronging around the window,ughter and chatter echoing down the
street.
“Zachary, Lessie, you’re here,” Karen said warmly, her hands moving deftly as she packed up another order.
“I thought you two were supposed to head straight home after school,” Brendan called over his shoulder, sliding a box of freshly wrapped sandwiches across the counter to a waiting customer. He pressed the few remaining bills from the cash box into Alessia’s hand. “Are you hungry? Go pick out something you want.”
Alessia caught Zachary’s eye, giving him a subtle signal. Zachary stepped in, blocking Brendan’s view as Alessia quickly slipped the money between the box and the side of the truck, safely out of sight.
When she finished, Zachary shed her an OK sign behind his back. Alessia ducked her head to hide a fleeting smile, and when she looked up again, her face wasposed and calm.
“We just wanted to see if you needed any help before the rush died down.”
“There’s nothing left to do here. You two should head home and start the rice; we’ll be back soon after we finish up.” Between words, the soft chime of mobile payments kept ringing, signaling new orders.
Most of the customers were students, pausing to nce curiously at the family’s truck as they passed.
“Hey, can I get one seaweed wrap?” a girl asked from the front of the line.
“Sure! What vor?” Karen replied without missing a beat.
“Original, please. Hey, Ignatius, do you want anything?”
No answer. She called his name again, a little more insistent this time. Following her gaze, Alessia’s heart sank.
“Oh, look who it is–the ice prince of Crestview High,” Ignatius sneered, his words cutting through the crowd. “Heard your family went bankrupt. Guess the rumors
were true.”
“Ignatius!” someone hissed, trying to rein him in.
<b>14:41 </b>
“Hey, at least we had money to lose,” Alessia shot back, her voice cool and
measured, each wordced with quiet scorn. “Unlike you–some people are born <b>to </b>stay at the bottom.”
Ignatius’s smile faltered. When he noticed Alessia’s worn jacket, though, he forced a smirk. “Well, if it isn’t the former princess who got kicked out of her own castle.”
Zachary stepped between them, wrapping a protective arm around Alessia’s shoulders. A flicker of anger shed in his eyes.
“Hey, kid. Ever heard of manners?” Brendan wiped his hands and came out from behind the counter, face set and steady. Karen followed, standing quietly in front of Alessia, shielding her from further attack.
The crowd thickened, most of them curious students drawn by the confrontation.
“Zachary, why don’t you and Lessie head home now?” Brendan said gently.
Zachary frowned but nodded. He knew Ignatius was only here to stir up trouble, and leaving would hopefully diffuse the situation. Ignatius, however, wasn’t about to let them go so easily. His eyes darted to the food cart, and he raised his voice theatrically.
“Wait a second–I’m pretty sure I saw a flynd right in that rice bowl. You guys ever heard of hygiene? What if one of us seniors got sick right before finals? Who’s going to pay for that, huh? Actually, maybe I should call the health department and have them take a look around.”
His voice carried over the heads of the crowd, and suddenly, the curious onlookers started muttering, ncing suspiciously at the food truck.
Brendan, who’d once run apany, remainedposed despite the mounting pressure. He knew if he didn’t put a stop to this now, their business would be finished before it even began. False usations like this could destroy a small family operation.
Before he could respond, Alessia’s voice rang out from behind him–clear, steady, and just loud enough to reach everyone. The chatter faded to silence.
“That’s funny. You didn’t order anything, and you never even came close to the food truck. So tell us–exactly when did you see a flynd in a bowl that’s been sealed shut all afternoon?”
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