`a bigmac and fries, open!

[Mikaya Patel]

Mikaya had just arrived in Drake, Texas and was hunger. She had decided she wanted McDonald's so she took her car and drove around town until she found the fast food restaurant. She parked, turned the car off and got out. She looked around. It was in the mid seventies and not a single cloud in the sky. She smoothed out her black and pink silk mini dress that she was currently wearing and headed into McDonald's. There was a long line, which she didn't mind at all. She stepped into line and pulled out her cell phone.

She was wondering where her brother, sister and boyfriend were. She figured that they were at their new home unpacking things. She called Jamie, her boyfriend and asked them if they wanted anything to eat. She took their order and wrote it down on a scrap piece of paper that she had with her. She then hung up. She was almost to the counter when someone bumped into her.

[Carter Langdon]

Taking a quick lunch break from school, Carter practically flew to the McDonald's down the road from the high school in his beat-up old Ford truck. The truck was old and slow, but it got Carter and his son Matthew from point A to point B within a reasonable amount of time. Not to mention it was probably the safest vehicle in Drakes at the moment, it was like a tank practically. Quickly jogging into the building, Carter's short hair flew around as the wind hit it. It was a few months before the sweltering Texas sun would hit, so the residents of Drake could be found doing anything outside before the heatwaves hit.

Walking towards the line, something he wasn't too happy about, just what he needed: to be late for his next period class he was teaching. Although, the class didn't start for another hour, so he had plenty of time. Pulling out his wallet from his pack pocket of his jeans, Carter had not been paying any attention to the person in front of him, and he collided with the person. "I'm sorry, ma'am." he said apologetically as he looked up to her.

[Mikaya Patel]

Mikaya didn't really mind being ran into by someone. She smiled and turned and then saw who it was. She started laughing. It was Carter Langdon, the guy who played her one screen father in Not So Sweet Life. They had filmed the first three episodes back in January and then Mikaya and her family had left for a bit and had just returned. "Carter, hey!" she said with a smile, "How are you? How's Matt?" She didn't know him that much but she knew that he was a single father of a boy named Matthew. He had brought Matthew to the set a few times when they filmed the first three episodes.

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[Carter Langdon]

As Carter's attention was now fully on the young girl in front of him, he realized who it was. "Hey Mikaya, fancy meeting you here." he said to her. He hadn't seen her since January, when they had filmed a few episodes for the new show the network was promoting. However, it was good to see her nonetheless, as he had grown close to many of the young cast when they had been there. Carter had been like a fatherly figure to many of the cast. "You've grown it seems." he added, his fatherly side taking over.

When Mikaya mentioned Matthew, Carter's smile grew even larger. Anytime someone mentioned Mattie or Nina his spirits soared. "Matt's great. He'll be glad you're back in town." he said playfully. Mattie, at the ripe old age of ten, had a little crush on Mikaya. Carter had brought him to the set a few times and Mattie had been enamoured with her. "So why are you back? Re shoots?" he asked.

[Mikaya Patel]

"That's good that he's good." she stated, "No, I got a call saying that we're going to be filming a few more episodes all through March and April." she added. She noticed that the line had moved up, only one more person before herself at the counter. She turned back to Carter after she moved up a bit in the line, "I may stop by to see him if that is alright with you." Mikaya thought it was adorable that Carter's ten year old son had a crush on her. "I'm thinking about taking Cassie to the aquarium and maybe I can take Matt and maybe your girlfriend's daughters." she added aswell.

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[Carter Langdon]

Carter had figured that Mikaya's presence back in Drake had to do with promoting the show or something along those lines, but more episodes? He hadn't expected that. Perhaps the show had done better than anyone excepted. Aside from the money, Carter didn't really like acting all that much. But he was a teacher and he didn't make a ton of money, so that was why he did it. Along with Nina's shove and support. "That's great, the show's doing well then." he said.

Smiling as Mikaya began talking about going to the aquarium, he practically jumped at her offer to take Mattie with her. He almost never had any time to himself and though he loved spending time with Matthew, Carter enjoyed his "alone time", though it was few and far between. "Yeah, that would be great. He'll love spending time with you." Carter said as the line moved forward. "So are you here by yourself? Last I heard you're dating that guy--" Carter paused and snapped his fingers, trying to think of Mikaya's boyfriend's name "Jamie, right? You guys still dating?" he asked, hoping he wasn't getting too personal.

[Mikaya Patel]

"Jamie, yeah. Two years in just a few days." she replied, "I'm actually hoping he'll propose soon." she replied. It was then her turn in line. She walked up to the counter and ordered her own food. She was going to sit at McDonald's and eat and then order the food for her family and take it to them. As she waited for her food, she turned back to Carter, "So how's the teaching job going?" she asked him. She was asking because she was going to be enrolling into the high school as a senior and would have to take gym and he was the only gym teacher for the school.

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[Carter Langdon]

Marriage? Proposing? Kids these days ... Granted, it was nice to see Mikaya in such a stable relationship with Jamie, but still, she was just so young. And of course, what if Jamie was only with her for her money? Carter knew he shouldn't think like that, simply because Mikaya was mature and responsible; she could take care of herself. Though, in all honesty, if Marissa Carter's ex-wife hadn't gotten pregnant with Mattie he would probably still be single. But it wasn't so bad, he and Marissa had been happy for a few years and they'd had a beautiful, smart and healthy baby together.

Coming back to reality, Carter saw that he was next in line. Ordering a Big Mac, fries and a Dr. Pepper, he waited beside Mikaya as she asked him about his teaching job. "Eh, it's pretty good. I'm lucky, they're pretty flexible about letting me off. You know, with Mattie and now that we're gonna be doing some more episodes, too." he said lightly. "For Drake it's a pretty good high school, though. You'll probably have to enroll soon, yeah?" he asked curiously.

[Mikaya Patel]

"Yeah. I'm actually looking forward to enrolling. Though, that means less time with Jamie who is actually looking for a job while we're here, as well as Adam. Cassie will be enrolling as well." Cassie was Mikaya's younger sister. They got along like normal siblings did, they had their fights but they were really close at the same time. Mikaya took her tray of food from the McDonald's worker and turned back to Carter, "Are you eating here or taking back to the school?" she asked him.

[Carter Langdon]

"Oh, hey maybe if it's not too below them, of course, I can see if the school has something for them?" he offered. "I'm sure the elementary and middle school could always use some big burly guys to enforce the rules around the little ones." Carter joked. Mikaya and her siblings seemed so well rounded that he hoped that he could help them out in any way possible. "Listen, if Jamie or Adam ever need to talk to someone their own gender let them know I'm always around." he also offered. "You still have my number, right?"

Hearing his number being called out for his order, Carter quickly grabbed his bag of food and then hustled back over to Mikaya. Hearing her question, he looked at his watch. Plenty of time. "I've got a few spare minutes before I need to head back over to work. Mind if I sit with you?" he asked, extending his arm to her. "I hope Jamie won't mind." he said playfully, though he had no intention of doing anything romantic with Mikaya, as she was more like his daughter than anything else. Not to mention he loved Nina and would never do anything to cause a rift between himself and his girlfriend.