Recollections

The Time We Got Ice Cream

The Time We Got Ice Cream
(song of the chapter: Rhythm of Love // Plain White Tees)

There are mounds of homework sprawled out around me on the living room floor. All of which is due in two days. Did I mention I haven't even started any of it?

Austin has come into the living room three times to check on me, and every time he enters I'm picking my fingernails. When I hear him pad into the living room again, I don't bother glancing up from the pinky nail that I'm tugging on. He groans and kneels down in front of me. His large hands clasp around mine and my fingers smash together, making it impossible to pick them.

"You're driving me insane." He complains. I don't say anything, just stare up at him innocently until he drops my hands.

"Stop picking your nails. Do your homework. If you aren't going to do your homework, stop acting like you are and come in here with me so we can watch the Game of Thrones that I recorded." He tacks on to the end of his complaint.

I sigh, one of my hands flutters to his face and grazes his cheek before dropping back to my lap. "Sorry, I'm stressed out and I can't focus on my homework." My confession is an obvious one. "Elena clearly isn't forgiving me and I don't have anywhere to live."

Austin groans, yanking my hand away from my mouth so that I can't subconsciously bite my nails. "Would you stop saying that? I've told you a million times that you can move back in here with me."

"Austin," I hiss, not wanting to strike up the same argument we've already had three times this week. "We've been over this. I don't want to rush things."

He throws his hands ups dramatically. "We've lived together before Erin, how is that rushing?"

"Yeah, and remember how that turned out for us the first time." My snarky comment shuts him up and I cringe at the mental image up Austin passed out drunk on the same carpet I'm sitting cross legged on right this moment.

We both sit in silence for a moment, me picking my nails again and Austin fidgeting with the carpet shags.

"I'm sorry, it's just, you know how I get when I'm anxious." I apologize. "I can't focus on this." I say, making a show out of pushing my homework away from me.

Austin stares at the mounds that I've shoved a few feet away then he hops to his feet on a swift movement. His hand reaches for me and I habitually grab it and stand with him. "Put your shoes on." He instructs me, and I don't argue.

Together we walk hand in hand to Austin's car and he grins out the windshield as he drives us away from his apartment.

**

I'm not completely surprised when we pull up to an old fashioned ice cream parlor. He's smiling ear to ear as he hurries around to my side of the car and pulls the door open. Our hands find one another as we make our way up the path to the store.

Business is slow so we don't have the hassle of waiting in a line. Austin orders his double decker chocolate cone as soon as he steps up to the counter and I stall, trying to see everything on the menu. The cashier tries to remain patient but Austin is much to antsy. He steps in front of me, "she'll have the rocky road."

I scowl at him as he lugs us away from the counter. "I can order for myself."

He's grinning. "You were going to order the rocky road anyways, I just sped up the process." His left eyelid falls down in a heart stopping wink and I bite my lip. He's right, I always get rocky road ice cream, no matter where we go. It's my favorite.

We sit at a small booth in a corner and they bring our ice cream out to us. Austin is sitting on the same side of the booth as me with his arm slung casually over my shoulder. I'm spooning my rocky road into my mouth slowly, but I can't keep my eyes off of Austin's mouth.