Second Challenge: Scene with specific words and a slap

​Project Writeway: Challenge 2 was to write a 200 word scene and include the words simplicity, plant, cookies, jam, squirt, bulldozer, and someone has to get slapped. I pulled from my angst ridden teenage years and came up with a scene very loosely based on my high school boyfriend. My husband says the only angst in my life then and now is money. Now I can tell you that my pen name was Caliente and here is the scene:

            Andrew leans against a bulldozer at his construction job by one of the many Eegee’s in Tucson where we’re meeting for lunch. Even with sweat down his front he’s adorable.
            Waves of heat prickle my ankles. I’d love an eegees. The simplicity of frozen ice with a squirt of flavor. A brain freeze with a sugar rush. Except I’m saving for college.
            Inside Eegee’s, Andrew points to a man-sized rubber cactus plant with cartoon eyes and one hooked arm holding a sign for a new flavor. “How about cactus-mango?”
            “No.” I tap my sack with a jam sandwich and cookies. I’m not going to be the reason he  doesn’t go to college.
            “I wish you’d stay here,” Andrew says.
            I shake my lunch at him. “I wish you’d apply for college.”
            “My parents didn’t tell me I had to move away,” Andrew says.
            “Don’t bring up my parents.”
            “Liz. Don’t leave. Tell them you’re going to the U of A.” Andrew slurps his slush. I want to hit it out of his hand, make him see it’s not my parents. It’s me. I want to go away.
            Instead, I slap the rubber cactus.
            “Watch it,” the cactus says and groans.