Potholes

Chapter 6

"Can I get 2 scoops of rocky road with gummy bears on top in a cup?" L.A. ordered as he stood at the cooler filled with different flavors of ice cream. The teenager working behind the counter nodded and started scooping the rocky road out of its bin. He turned around and watched as Tulip looked around and softly swayed along with the music that was playing inside the ice cream shop while licking her strawberry ice cream out of its waffle cone. He chuckled to himself and turned back around to be met with the teenager handing him his ice cream. He handed the guy his debit card and while he rang them up, L.A. dropped a dollar bill in the tip jar. Thirty seconds later, the teenager handed him his card back and the couple left out the shop. They started down the brick sidewalk that was lit by the streetlights.

"So, when did you come up with this phenomenal plan to run away from my sister and her friend?" L.A. laughed, putting a spoonful of ice cream and gummy bears in his mouth.

"It came to me like a dream," She giggled, "I thought about what would piss her off the most, while still being incredibly passive. How mad do you think she is?"

"Well, I turned off my phone 10 minutes ago because she wouldn't stop calling and texting me, so I'd say she's furious. Nice job, partner." He smiled, holding up his hand. She laughed and high-fived him as they continued walking.

"Is your sister like this with every girl you date?"

"No. Usually, she just bad mouths or shades them to me when they're not around."

"I must be pretty special then if she shades me right to my face." Both of them laughed at her statement.

"Can I ask you something?" L.A. asked, looking over at Tulip. She looked up him, mid-lick, and nodded her head. "It's a little soon to ask this, but I like you and, if we kept dating and this became serious, would my sister not liking you be a problem?"

"I like you, too, and I want to keep seeing you. Luckily for me, I'd be dating you and not your sister. So, her not liking me wouldn't matter to me. If anything, it's more fun for me because I can piss her off by barely doing anything. It would only be a problem if your parents didn't like me, or my parents didn't like you, but I think my parents would like you. Now, let me ask you the same question. Would your sister not liking me be a problem for you?"

"I don't give a damn about what my sister likes and doesn't like. I didn't care when we were younger, and I don't plan on caring now or in the future. And I think you'd get along with my mom. You both don't seem to care about what other people think."

"I like your mom already. Now, no more talk about your sister and her bird of a friend. Tell me about yourself. We only talked about the meaning behind our names when I was attached to your back like a baby koala."

He chuckled at the mention of their unorthodox first encounter. "What do you want to know?"