The Bad Boy's Bucket List

Try a New Flavor of Ice Cream

"Hello?"

"Hi, this is California. May I speak to Nolen?"

"This is Nolen."

"Wow, your voice sounds so... creaky. Like an old mans. I thought I was speaking to your great grandpa."

"Ha, ha.  What do you want, California?"

"I'm bored and then I was wondering if we can start completing your bucket list."

"That's actually happening?"

"So can we?"

"Fine. Text your address to my number and I'll pick you up."

I smiled confidently as I hung up, and after texting him, I stood from my desk and hurried towards the walk in closet. I wasn't sure what to wear, but after examining my clothing I settled for high rise jean shorts and an old camp jersey. Mom was always complaining about how I dressed, but it was summer. And who knows what we were going to be doing.

I grabbed my phone and sunglasses, along with some money, and headed downstairs. Elena, my younger sister and a total brat, was sitting on the couch texting. She had on a dress and heels, along with cat eye makeup that looked stunning.

"Seriously, heels?" I asked her. Elena ran her polished fingers over her dress.

"I'm going into high school this year, California." She claimed, like that fact justified everything. I rolled my eyes. "Oh, and can you make me a low calorie lemonade?"

"I'm not your slave."

Elena narrowed her eyes. "By the way you're dressed, you sure look like it." She sneered. I opened my mouth to reply, but there was a honk from outside. Elena didn't bother to say goodbye when I left. Gosh, she needed some attitude rehab.

I closed the door behind me, locking it, and turned to face Nolen's car. It was an old pickup truck that looked ancient, but I didn't mind as I opened the door and sat inside. Today, Nolen was wearing a black shirt along with blue jeans, which I surprisingly didn't mind. Normally, I hated when guys wore jeans, but Nolen made it work.

"Hey." I smiled brightly, buckling in and raising my feet to rest in front of me. Nolen's eyebrows shot up, glaring at my feet. Finally, he started the car without saying anything.

"So what's first on the list?"

He handed me the paper. "You choose." He focused on driving while I read.

"Let's do this one." I decided, folding the list back up. "It's 'try a new flavor of ice cream' and I'm hungry so..."

Nolen was trying not to smile, but I knew he wanted to. The corner of his cheek was twitching upwards, trying to grin.

Happily, I turned the radio on.

~!~!~

We drove and drove until we came upon an ice cream shop. It was a pink building, your stereotypical ice cream joint. There were picnic benches to the side of it, completed with a small playground for kids to climb on. Green grass covered the ground. Nolen pulled his car into a parking position, and together we climbed out.

As we walked towards the door, Nolen quickened his pace, opening the door and holding it for me. I smiled at the gesture. The door ringed as we entered, and that ice cream aroma (I swear, there is a smell to ice cream, no matter what Sidney says) filled the air. There was a girl working behind the counter, but besides that, the place was empty.

Nolen and I arrived at the counter. The worker, whose name tag said Jayla, had jet black hair and piercings. She stared at us blankly. "Do you know what you want?"

I scoffed at her rudeness, about to remark back, when Nolen cut in. "I think we may be a moment." Eyeing me, he pointed to a menu that was written out on a chalkboard across the wall. "I've never tried rum raisin."

My nose shriveled up. "That probably has alcohol. And you're driving."

He rolled his eyes. "What about avocado?"

I nodded a yes, and he paid for two avocado flavored ice creams. Jayla handed me the green stuff, which looked kind of gross, and Nolen reached out to pay. I thought it was cool, how he was always trying to pay for everything. Like a gentleman.

Huh. The bad boy is a gentleman?

We walked outside and settled on one of the picnic benches that was hiding in the shade. I hoisted myself onto the top of the bench, because sitting on the seats was so overrated, and Nolen followed. We held our ice creams out.

"You ready?" I questioned.

"Ready." He repeated. I tipped the ice cream towards my tongue.

"YUCK!" Nolen cried as he tasted it. I was too busy spitting the dessert out and trying to wipe the taste off my mouth. The avocado ice cream had tasted slimy and gross.

"That was..."

"The worst ice cream ever." Nolen finished, and I laughed because that was exactly what I was going to say. Nolen began laughing too, and to anyone walking by, we probably looked crazy, two kids just sitting on a picnic bench, heads tilted back, happy.

Finally, when the laughter died down, I leaned over and nudged Nolen with my shoulder. "Do you want to get more ice cream?"

He just grinned back, getting up and offering me his hand. I grabbed it, and hopped off the table.

Jayla rolled her eyes as we re-entered the shop, and pulled her earbuds out once again. Growling, she faced us. "What do you guys want now?"

"One vanilla ice cream in a cone with rainbow sprinkles please, and one...." I glanced at Nolen, question in my eyes.

"Vanilla with gummy bears."

Jayla mumbled something, turning around to get the ice cream. I looked at Nolen, making a face, and he held his fist over his mouth to keep from laughing. Jayla was weird, but after she gave us the ice cream for free, I decided she wasn't that bad. Then again, she probably just wanted to get us out of her hair.

We sat in the same spot, licking our ice creams. The sun was out and shinning, and I was thankful I had brought my sunglasses. I hadn't put sunscreen on though, and would probably need to do that tomorrow.

Tomorrow. I grinned.

In the car ride back, as we were driving, I tilted my head to lean against the window. I looked at Nolen, and watched as he focused his eyes on the road. I outlined his lips in my mind, noticing how they naturally parted a little bit as he breathed.

"Stare much?" He asked, eyes still on the road.

"You like gummy bears on your ice cream?" I ignored him.

He shrugged. "And you like sprinkles. So?"

I straightened up in my seat, looking out at the road as we pulled into my driveway. "It's nothing, I'm just," I opened the door, "I'm just trying to figure you out."

I fully got out, shutting the door. Nolen gave a small wave from inside the car. I motioned for him to role the window down, and when it was, I leaned inside. "I had fun today."

He nodded. "Surprisingly, me too."

I full out grinned, but I was always smiling so it wasn't anything new. "Give me the list and a pen." He handed them over, and I crossed off the first thing off. "There. I'll see you tomorrow." I handed him the items back.

The corner of Nolen's mouth twitched up. "See you tomorrow."

~.~.~

Hey there!

It's winter right now, but I sure could use some ice cream. Vote if you agree with me!

Q: Fav flavor?

A: Same as California.

Don't forget to vote and comment, thank you for reading!

-S.