The Unforgettable Story of You, Me and Ice-Cream

Chapter 4 - Burnt Macaroons

I looked out the window and into the dreary world that lay beyond. It was raining. Again. 

"Pete I'm gonna get going." I called out to the back room of the ice-cream store. "I'll see you Wednesday."

Pete rushed out of the back room, apron flying. "Wait!"

I turned around and looked at him - as dishevelled as always. "Yeah?"

"I've got a new worker starting tonight - can you stick around for just five minutes? I just need to show him the basics and you know them even better than I do!" He pleaded, flicking his too-long blonde hair out of his startling blue eyes.

I sighed and shrugged. "Fine. What time is he getting here?"

 "I told him five." 

Fifteen minutes...

"Fine." I huffed. "I'll wait." 

"Thanks!" He grinned and disappeared into the back room.

Probably making some kind of evil concoction... I thought and grinned, remembering the most recent attempt at skittle flavoured ice-cream. 

"So you can taste the rainbow!" He had said, only to be completely shot down by Mel, who had pointed out that rainbow ice-cream already existed. 

I sighed and flopped down on a nearby chair. I could see out the windows and into the wet streets. The smell of burning wafted in from the back room and I grinned.

"Cooking something, Pete?" I asked, trying not to laugh.

"Yeah I am! How did you-" He cut off his own sentence when he noticed the burning smell. "NO!" He yelped. "Not the macaroons!" 

I held my stomach, I was laughing so hard. Typical Pete. 

The bell on the door rang as a boy walked in from outside, shaking his head like a dog to free his hair of the water droplets that had collected there. 

He glanced at me and walked over to the counter while pulling his bag off his shoulders. He was tall with jet black hair, charcoal eyes and a lean yet muscular frame. 

"Hey!" He called out to the back room. No reply. He turned to look at me, an eyebrow raised. "Anyone here or did you break in?" 

I grinned at him. "Broke in of course. Can't you see the damage?"

He looked at me blankly. "Funny." He said sarcastically, turning around to face the back room again. "YO!" He yelled, louder this time.

Pete rushed out, black ash coating his face, hands and apron. "Oh you're early!" He said, reaching his hand out to the boy. 

"Yeah." The boy said, looking in disgust at Pete's appearance. 

Not one to get dirty then. 

"Um, yes, well...ah welcome! So you start here today and you'll be working Mondays and Thursdays and Saturdays if you-" Pete tried, but the boy cut him off.

"I know when I'm working. What do I do?" He said bluntly.

"Ah, Rose will show you. Rose, show him how to use the milkshake machine!" Pete said, turning to me. "I'll be in the back room if you need me." 

Dammit.

"Sure." I replied grumpily as I heaved myself out of the chair. "I'm Rose by the way. You?"

He looked at me with a mixture of distaste and contempt, but finally answered, "Dominic." 

"Well it really is lovely to meet you." I said sarcastically. I mentally face-palmed myself when I realised that being rude to Dominic wasn't going to get me anywhere. "Ok let's just get started."

 

*

 By the time Dominic had found an apron to fit him, had learnt how to use the milkshake machine and I had shown him the right amount of ice-cream to put into each cone, it was almost dark. 

"Pete I'm really leaving now. You owe me overtime pay!" I said, half joking. 

"Alright thanks for your help!" He replied distractedly. He was busy scrubbing glasses.

"Bye! See ya Dominic." I said, sparing  him a final scathing glance. I really didn't like him.

"Yeah." He said, not even looking up from the book he was reading. 

At least he knows how to read...

I picked my bag up from under the counter and walked outside, to find it had finally stopped raining. "Oh thank god." I heaved a sigh of relief. I hated walking home in the rain. 

I turned around to wave goodbye to Pete, only to notice Dominic staring at me through the glass. He smirked and saluted at me, his long dark hair shimmering slightly under the fluroescent bulbs of the ice-cream shop. 

I rolled my eyes and turned around, starting the journey that would take me to my warm bed at home.