Bubblegum and Rockyroad

The Matching Ice-Creams

*** Marc's POV ***

'Is Nathaniel okay? ' I wonder as he looks away, not wanting to meet my gaze. " Did I do... something wrong? " I mumble quietly whilst holding back tears. "Uh... NO!" He exclaims hurriedly. "It's just... uh... THE SUN! I'm sunburnt, haha guess I forgot to put on sunscreen." He replies, even faster than last time. "Really?" I respond slowly, still unsure on if he was okay or not. " Haha ... um Yes?" He says dragging out the last word as if he was slightly unsure. "But, the sun only just came up. " I suggest logically and a little bit confused on what he had told me. This time his face turned bright red as he tilted his face away from me, his hair gently falling over his eyes. "Sorry." I whisper quietly. I know for sure this time I had done something wrong, but what? " It's... not you." He mumbles, taking a deep breath in and slowly breathing out. "It's me. So I guess in a way... I'm sorry." He glanced back up at me, his eyes twinkling through the curtain of hair. I reached up, gently brushed the hair out of his eyes. " Wait!" Nathaniel exclaims, scaring me so much that I jumped a bit.

"The ice-cream! It looks like you and I!" He yelped, his face contorting into a look of pure confusion. He kept glancing back and forth, back and forth.

"Oh, wow... guess I hadn't noticed." I say shyly, knowing fully why they looked like that. Something in my head was trying to come to the surface, the look of the ice creams was bugging me, there was something about them but I couldn't remember what.

"Are you sure this isn't yours?" I ask after finally giving up on the thought. Nathaniel began to laugh, the sound was beautiful, ringing like a bell. I could hear the sound echo softly in my head. My cheeks started to feel warm.

"No? I ordered your ice cream first, plus I've had ice cream from here before and it always looks like this!" He replied defensively. His tone made me feel like laughing, smiling. I felt like diving into the seine to cool off.

"Really, is that so?" I said slowly, no longer meeting his eyes. He dramatically puts his hand on his chest and yells loudly "The audacity of this peasant!" He feigned shock.

"This person deserves to be beheaded!" I chuckled softly, I wonder how long he can keep this up?

"Oh no! Please spare me your Majesty!" I bowed my head and begged as if in a dramatic play. He tilted his head down and looked up at me. We both burst out laughing, I clutched my ribs, they stung from laughing but it felt nice to laugh like this again. He was still looking up at me which made me feel like a million butterflies were in my stomach. He suddenly stopped and gasped.

"Wait, could I borrow a piece of paper quickly?" He called out to me. I tore a small piece of paper from the back of my book and handed it to him. He pulled out a neon green gel pen and scribbled down something on the paper. I peeked over his shoulder trying to see what he was writing but he folded it up quickly and shoved it into my hand.

"Anyway..." I say slowly "I have to be going" I mumble a little sad to be going, I slowly put the paper down in my lap and stare toward the rising sun.

"I'm going to be late! School starts in fifteen minutes!" He yelled, bolting up from the chair. "I-I'll see you around...Marc" He gave me a quick grin before darting off down the bridge and around the corner. I grinned toward the sky.

"Wow, Nath is really cute." I muttered as I breathed gently into the sky. Wait, what was I thinking?

"He is just a friend." I reassured myself. I rose to my feet and dusted off my lap. Wait! Where's the paper Nathaniel had given me? I turned frantically, searching for the small piece of paper. A small white blob on the wooden decking caught my eye. I bent down and picked up the paper, unfolding it in my hand.

"Wait, is this what I think it is?" I pull out my phone and start typing.