CWRC Anthology

GRACE

©2022 by Idowu Kehinde Elizabeth

Brought to you by Christian Writers and Readers Club.

...

"Hey, Jake!"

Susan came from behind his desk excitedly after the last period was over for the day.

Jake's stormy blue eyes looked up to see her bright pearls. He knew why she was excited. After school, every Friday they always went to the ice cream shop at forth avenue, Susan had a sweet tooth and so did he.

"Alright, gimme a sec to pack." He took his Calculus textbook and stuffed it into his backpack. He stood and they both made their way out of the classroom. The hallway was crowded as everyone tried to leave the school premises.

Soon they got outside the school.

"What flavor would you like today?" Susan piped from beside him. She was a tad bit small for an eighteen-year-old. She had loose, black curly hair with caramel-colored skin. She had the warmest smile Jake had ever seen.

"Anyone you pick, I guess," Jake replied nonchalantly.

Susan seemed to pout at his detached response. "You always do this!"

Jake turned to her surprised, his heart skipping a beat; she was making that face again. Her mouth was in a cute pout, her wide amber-colored eyes seemed to trap him in their clutches and he forgot what he was about to say. He quickly looked away embarrassed before she caught him staring.

"I just don't have a favorite flavor is all."

Susan sighed, giving up.

After ten minutes of walking, they reached 'Ice-cream Haven'. The name of the shop was written boldly in front of a nice font. They went in and as if already expecting them, George, the shop owner, welcomed them. "Susan! Jake! I thought you two wouldn't make it today!"

Susan grinned excitedly and went to the counter where there were countless arrays of delicious ice cream flavors.

"What flavors would you like to experiment with today?" George grinned. "Oh, by the way, I just made three different flavors I'd like to add to the menu, care to help test them out? I'll give them for free," The ginger-haired middle-aged man said excitedly.

Susan's eyes lit up like fireworks, she had such a sweet tooth. Jake just stood silently and stared at her, his heart ached, it ached so much. How could she be so carefree when...

He caught off his train of thoughts and bit his lip.

"Young man, you're always so quiet, do you mind also testing my latest work?"
Jake looked at the man and he saw him staring at him with curiosity. "I-I don't mind," Jake replied quietly.

"Then make yourselves comfortable."

Susan grabbed Jake and dragged him to their favorite seat, it was the seat they always sat at when they came by. The ice cream shop was small but it gave off a warm and soothing atmosphere.

Jake sat still and all kinds of thoughts flooded his head. He stole glances at her when he thought she wasn't looking. He didn't know if he was doing it to carve her face into his memory; every little detail, every single smooth outline of her face.

He was depressed and a bit angry, angry at the fact that the one person he loved, the only person he cared about would soon leave him. Jake's brows furrowed and he clenched his fist. He hated it, he hated life and its incessant troubles, troubles you had no way of preventing.

'Why her? Why did it have to be her?'

"Hey! Helloooo?!"
Susan's voice brought him out of the quagmire that was his mind at the moment. "What's wrong?" Susan held his hand from across the table.