The Unproven Theorem of You and I

chapter three - falling tears

[ dedicated to @youresofake ]

"Be comfortable with who you are, our flaws are what make us perfect." 

– Machine Gun Kelly

Chapter Three

THE NEXT DAY, Saturday, Elle found herself in front of 55 Flavors, the famous, local ice cream parlor in a nearby downtown city complex. It was autumn, and she wished she had something warmer to wear than her brother's old Neymar Junior jersey. She had no other shirts to wear, and the yellow, green-lined Brazilian team jersey hung loosely over her thin frame, its hem just grazing her upper thigh. She wore the comfiest jeans in her closet, but its material proved ineffectual in the chilly weather.

            After the revelation with her doctor the previous day, her father had insisted on driving Levi back to his college, just to make sure he didn't go into rage-mode and crash his car into a tree or fire hydrant, and end up with two children confined in a hospital. Her mother had taken up a part-time job at a local diner to thicken the cash flow the Riveras were earning. And Savannah ­— well, Elle wasn't even sure if her older sister knew about the doctor's appointment. If she did, Elle decided that it was debatable if it would help matters at all.

            In her defense, Elle handled the whole 'you are going to die in less than a year' news better than the next sixteen-year-old girl. Throughout her entire lifetime surrounded by boundaries and limitations, she'd learned how to keep most of her emotions inside, in check, exceptions aside. People taking pity on her made things even worse, and she was determined not to let her fear show.

            Elle entered the bright store, clutching three one-dollar bills tightly in her fingers. Immediately, the sweet, sugary, and ironically warm scent of ice cream wafted around her, and she inhaled deeply, savoring the smell. Her eyes scanned the overhead menu of the parlor, and landed on Flavor 48, her first ice cream of the month.

            Her mother was very strict with what Elle ate and drank. She had forbidden her daughter from consuming greasy foods entirely, and nearly banned ice cream as well, until Levi came to the rescue. Long story short, ice cream was the only exception, and even then, she could only have it twenty-four times a year — on the 15th and the last day of every month.

            The first time Elle had gone to 55 Flavors was with her brother and sister, just after they'd moved into Quinsen City. It was a bright, glossy, and chic ice cream joint sandwiched between a library and a convenience store, and sat less than a block away from the high school she and Savannah attended.

            With its hanging lamps and cozy booths, 55 Flavors had become a location frequented by high school students, library bees, adults stuck with the night shift, and an occasional family celebrating birthdays. As a bottom line, it was a festive, 24-hour joint that never stayed empty for long.

            After ordering a large serving of Nutella-Hershey's ice cream and a similarly sized coffee, Elle found a table outside and sat down, pulling out a book and some homework. And then, fifteen pages, twenty-one sips, and a large cup of ice cream later, the trouble started.