【ｔｈｅ　ｔｈｒｅｅ　ｓｈｉｔｈｅａｄｓ】

requested by HUMBLEHOLLAND

•••

"Shop closed today due to short amount of boba left in stock..what the fuck." William said as he jogged back to the car. We were sitting in the familiar yet empty parking lot in front of our beloved boba shop.

Louis and I turned in our seats to face Willie who was buckling in his seatbelts. "What did it say again?" Louis's raspy voice spoke out.

"I told you the paper said the shop was closed due to it running out of boba." He shook his head. "How the hell does a boba shop run out of boba like..." I turned back into my seat and started the engine, snickering under my breath. Willie's mad outburst was funny to watch.

"What are we going to do then?" Louis asked, his hand below mine as I switched the gear, backing out of the parking space.

"Why don't we just drive around and see what happens?" The boys agreed and I drove us on and out of the parking lot.

"Do you want me to google any boba places around?" Louis asked from my side, I shook my head. "Let's just have it be a surprise, stop at any shop we haven't gone to."

"Bryan is going to poison our drinks the next time we go if he finds out." Willie mumbled from the backseat, taking a peak from the rearview mirror I saw he was shaking his head.

It was a clear day and the boys and I had just finished another photoshoot, the boys desperately wanted boba, finding out it was closed, we went in search for another shop. The windows were rolled down a bit to let in some fresh air. The radio was tuned down a bit, but was still audible over all the outside noise.

We were sitting at a red light, Louis's left hand still rested on the gear sift, mine sitting in my lap. Louis's other hand held his phone which he was staring at. Willie was humming a familiar tune behind us.

When the light turned green, I started to recognize the song Willie was humming, the song in particular made me grin, considering the amount of times I used to sing it as a child not realizing how deeply inappropriate it was.

"I'll take you to the boba shop." Willie started to sing.

"I'll let you suck the boba balls." I chuckled slightly as Louis's head shot up still facing forward, his hand still gripping the gear shift, the other holding his phone.

"Go 'head girl don't you stop
Keep going 'til you hit the spot, whoa." Willie made an circular shape with his hands to microphone the last part.

Louis laughed beside me as he turned to face our friend in the back, both of them grinned at each other before Willie started to sing again.

"I'll take you to the boba shop" He sang, really getting into it.

"yeah" Louis sang as backup, making Willie pause and laugh.

"Boy, one taste of the tiny little balls."

"I'll have you spending all you got"

"come on" Louis said dancing in his seat as he sang after Willie.

"keep sucking 'til it hits your tummy."

"yuh" Louis and Willie both ended in union as they stopped afterwards. All three of us laughed as Willie bowed in his seat, "Thank you, I'll be here all night, thank you."

I grinned as I pulled into a semi full plaza, the boys perking up in their seats. "While you boys were getting it on, I saw this place at that last light, let's try it." I stated, parking into a spot in front of a new and unfamiliar boba shop. We stayed still in our seats.

"It looks kinda sketchy." Louis said.

I mean he wasn't wrong. Half of the lit up sign was flickering and the building could use another paint job, but nonetheless it was still a boba shop.

I sighed and opened my door, "Don't be so judgmental Louis, it's not a good look on you."

And then I proceeded to walk towards the door, the boys leaving and shutting the car door behind me. Opening the door for them, I waved them in, they were muttering a "Wow what a lady." and "So kind of you ma'am." as they walked in.

Strolling into the shop, I was sandwiched between Willie and Louis, the three of us studying the menu as a teen stood behind the cashier waiting for us. (🧍🏻)

"Hmm what are you guys gonna get?" I asked them, flickering between their two faces.

Willie pointed to a brown drink on the menu, "Since it's a new place, i'll go on the safe side and try chocolate, you?"

I looked back at the menu, my eyes running down the list, "I'll go with matcha." Nodding my head.

We turned to Louis who was still looking over the sign, "Maybe guava." He said at last.

We all nodded and walked towards the register, Willie ordering for me when the guy had asked for my drink. "She'll have a regular size matcha with boba. A regular chocolate for me with boba as well." Willie pulled me to the side so Louis can order and pay since it was his turn.

"We'll get it out in a few." The guy said before going to the back to make our drinks. The three of us lingered in the room, looking around the place or at our phones.

Willie was showing me this tiktok when the guy returned with a cup holder and three of our drinks sitting comfortably in it. "Here you go." Sliding in three wide straws between the drinks.

Louis grabbed it, giving the guy a nod, "Have a good day!" We chimed out as we walked out and into the car.

I eyed the drinks when Louis set them on the console, they looked a bit funny. I waited until the guy returned to the back of the store before handing the boys their drinks and straws.

"Here's your basic ass chocolate boba Willie, and yours Lou, guava." Handing them their drinks.

Willie slapped the back of my forehead, "Ami please shut the fuck up." I clicked my tongue at him as the three of us tapped the lid of our drinks twice then popping in our straw. Our tradition.

Before I could even finish the sip I took, I already knew it was horrible. Coughing out the boba into a napkin and wincing at the disgusting taste lingering in my mouth, I cringed. "God this tastes horrible."

I turned to the boys to see the same looks on their faces. Louis trying to swallow his but his eyes were slightly closed and his mouth was puckered in a sour kind of look. Willie had tears brimming his eyes as he opened the back door, spitting the drink onto the street.

I put my drink back into the cup holder and gulped down the water I had in my side pocket before Willie snatched it from me finishing the rest of it. As if we were trying to wash down the foul taste.

"Usually I don't get matcha but from now I'm traumatized. Never getting matcha again." I stated as I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. Louis coughed beside me as he put back his drink. His mouth still in a sour puckered look.

"Guava...ruined." Was all he said.

Willie on the other hand, had lots to say. "I got fucking chocolate." Louis and I turned to our best friend. "And they managed to fuck that up too! How the hell do you mess up chocolate?" He was shaking his head in horror. "And the boba! They're not allowed to be a boba shop anymore, they didn't even cook it right. It was too chewy and I doubt they seasoned it with brown sugar."

I coughed, "Boy did you just say season?" I started to laugh.

He pushed forward in his seat to face me, "Yeah and what about Ami? They didn't season their fucking boba... you know what I'm going to leave a bad review." Willie then pulled out his phone. Finally done with his rant.

I turned to Louis and we both shrugged our shoulders. I then started the engine, and drove out. "Lou, throw the drinks out when we get home." I told him as we turned to another street. Willie still on his phone in the backseat.

"Okay babe." He said, his hand warm under mine.

Willie gasped behind us before exclaiming, "They only fucking have half a star! We never should've gone there."