I worked at an ice cream shop. Every day, a boy with a floppy brunette fringe and warm chocolate eyes would come into that shop and buy the same ice cream every time; chocolate chip mint.
He was a beautiful boy. He looked about 19, around 6'2, and had a charming simple smile.
"What's your name?" he once asked me.
"Phil," I replied, cheeks a little warm at the thought of him wanting to know my name. "And yours?"
"Dan. It's nice to meet you, Phil. " Hearing him say my name made my heart do jumping jacks.
Whenever I saw Dan walking towards the ice cream shop, every day around 3 o'clock, I'd hurry to make his ice cream, and even took note that he liked Malteasers and would have a small container of them on the side. Every day, he'd thank me with the kindest smile I had ever seen, and go sit in the same corner by the window that he always did.
One day, it was pouring down rain and I didn't think Dan would make it to the ice cream shop. He did, to my surprise, and was drenched head to toe in water.
"One chocolate chip ice cream please. And a cup of hot cocoa, if you don't mind. "
Dan never usually got cocoa with his ice cream. His normal drink was almost always water. But considering he looked freezing, I guessed that a nice hot drink would help a lot.
"Alright. Do you want to go to the bathroom and dry up a little while I get it?"
Dan nodded, and hurried away. I watched him go, a small smile on my face before I turned and made him his cocoa and ice cream.
He returned a few moments later. "How much will it be?"
"Nothing. It's on me. " I handed Dan his things, smiling at him.
"No, you don't have to, really."
"I insist. "
Giving in, he took the free things, flashing me his beautiful smile before going to his regular spot.
One day, he came, as expected. But this time, he wasn't alone.
He was with a girl.
I felt my heart sink, crack, and then burst into pieces that were shattered everywhere. He was with someone, and that someone wasn't me.
But what was I thinking? Did I really believe that someone like me be with someone like him? Dan was perfect. He was everything anyone would ever want. And me? Well I was just... Phil. Phil, the boy who gives Dan ice cream.
The girl was unbelievably lucky to have him. I wished I could be in her place, but obviously, that was some impossible, silly thing that would never happen.
Dan started coming to the ice cream shop less and less after that. It went from once a week, to once a month, to barely ever. It made me sad not to be able to see his beautiful smile, his dazzling cinnamon eyes, his floppy hair that curled when it became wet...
Until one day, he came.
His eyes were red and puffy like he had been crying. He didn't smile like he usually did. Instead, he hung his head, sighed when he spoke, and silently took his ice cream without a word.
Nobody else but an elderly couple was in the shop, so I decided to go sit at his little table in the little corner next to the window. It seemed like he needed company, and I wanted to be that company.
"Are you okay?" I asked Dan, taking a seat across from him. His head was down resting in his hands and his ice cream was left untouched.
"No. "
"What's wrong?"
"My girlfriend... She left me. She said how she felt was all a lie. She never loved me. Nobody will ever love me. I'm worthless. "
I could feel myself tearing up. How could one as amazing and perfect as Dan feel so horribly?
My hand, acting on its own, reached out and grabbed his, pulling it away from his face and holding it gently in my own. I would have never in a million years made such a bold move, but it was impulsive. I wanted him to feel better, to be the happy Dan I used to see every day.
"You are amazing. I remember the first time you walked into this dump of a place. I had thought about quitting my job until you showed up. Every day, you gave me hope. You didn't even mean to. Hell, you just wanted ice cream, but you did so much by just a smile, by just showing up. That girl? Who cares about her. She doesn't deserve you anyway. "
What I said wasn't supposed to leave my mouth, but I said what I was thinking and wasn't able to stop myself. I was worried about Dan's reaction when he looked up, and gave me a small, slightly sad, but also slightly happy smile.
"You think so?"
"I know so. "
He left that day with a smile on his face.
A week later, he came. He looked in a much better mood than last time he was at the shop. As soon as he walked in, I hurried to make the ice cream, but he said not to make it.
"I didn't come here for ice cream. "
I frowned in confusion, putting down the ice cream scooper.
There were about five other people in the shop. A man, a woman, and their child, were near the center of the shop, while an older man read a newspaper and a woman was on her laptop. They were all disinterested until they heard what Dan said next.
"I thought about what you said. You were right. She doesn't deserve me. And I don't deserve who I really want, but I'm going to see if I can be with him anyway. "
Him? Who was he talking about? It couldn't be me, obviously. That would be impossible and stupid to even think of.
"What are you talking about?"
"I've come here every day. Every single day for the longest time. I got the same ice cream from the same person. But I never came for the ice cream. "
"Th-Then why did you come so often?"
"Because you were here. I didn't care about the ice cream. I still don't. What I do care about, is seeing you every single day, Phil. "
"What? Me?! Why would me being here make you want to come get ice cream?"
Dan laughed, and it was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard. "Isn't it obvious? I didn't even realize it, but I fell in love with you."
"With me?"
"Yes, with you."
"I-well, I love you, too. "
I said it. I finally said it.
The biggest, happiest smile spread across Dan's face, and I smiled right back.
"So, how about I get some ice cream, and a date?"
Ice cream wasn't the only thing I had given Dan that day. And Dan had given me something in return.
Love.
