Page 11 (1/2)

"Orange Pekoe?"

I wrinkle my nose, "Blech Worse"

He shakes his head, "Em, that’s a travesty" The way he says travesty is funny As iftea is comparable to the travesties of war and farip onto him for a minute and then pass him the hand sani He chuckles and squirts "How does Michelle do it? My hands are so dry I barely take it"

I laugh, "She wears nighttiht of the creaain

I can’t help but wonder if he notices the way I wash hi time until we come to a place called Emack and Bolio’s He opens the door and puts his hand on my lower back I’h the hoodie, that’s three or four sizes too big, I can feel the heat of his hand It ht back" I say and walk to the bathrooe when I am alone in a stall

’At Bolio and Efor a ’

I gasp, ’I don’t have money I have yourand technically I’ain’

’Whatever’

He doesn’t bite He’s gone

I grab toilet paper for the door handle and head to where he’s ordering He sirl behind the counter smiles at him "What kind of ice creairl, "S’Moreo"

He turns and grins, "Can you scrape the top layer of the S’Moreo off and get her two scoops of the stuff closer to the bottoe sauce?"

I nod He looks back, "Fudge sauce as well please I’e sauce please"

She flutters her eyelashes, "Two scoops?"

He nods, "Please"

He hands her money and points to the small table in the corner I sit and wonder if my face is covered in shock

He frowns, "What?"

I shake h at my question and the amount of interest I placed in it I ask stupid questions when I get uncorins, "Love almonds and coconut" He makes a face, "S’Moreo? What are you ten-years old?"

I laugh and look down, "A friend recommended it" I look back up at him, "You ordered my ice cream the way I would have ordered it?"

He looks confused, "It’s not hard to guess I watched you make a sandwich at my house The mayonnaise was brand-new and you opened it, took off the sealed protector cover and then took the entire top layer of it off You pulled the e and saw the seal was broken I watched you You put it back and cooked bacon for the sandwich instead"

I bite my lip and process it, "You watch ets bad some days I hope he hasn’t seen those ive me your cell phone number because you say you don’t ever use it But you text Michelle aYou won’t sleep at my house and never letto kill me, but back off and won’t let et just a little bit further with you"

I feel sick and panicked until he finishes his thought

"You have me completely enchanted and bewildered andwhat you’re doing I watch you like a stalker would" He puts a hand out, "I ah He runs his hands through his hair, "But I’et excited every ti happened to you and your life has been weird and horrid in a lot of ways I just want to be the good thing in it I want to protect you and irl delivers the sundaes, but I stare forward and think about what he’s said He wants to be the good thing He wants to be in my life I haven’t run hi on the cute boy, loved hands I forget what he said and feel better about my ice cream My natural defense is a well-oiledthat makes me think

She plunks them down and leaves

I look at him and a, he leans in and mutters, "The service here is shit but the ice cream is yummy" I can see he’s upset by the lack of response I knoould be if it were he not saying anything I honestly have nothing I can share back

I twirl the spoon in the ice creae sauce "Thank you" I say after a minute