Ice Cream In Malibu

10

The tension eased only slightly in the span of a whole day, It was uneventful. We drove for the better part of the day, and the music was loud to drown out any talking. 

We stopped at a drive through for burgers and ice-cream for dinner. And right now we're staying in a motel with cheap blankets and the bathroom is filthy. 

We are trying to use it minimally, I did need to shower tonight, but that can wait until tomorrow. 

The room is small, with two twin beds, and acrylic carpet with stains on it. 

Ezra is laying on his bed, watching the television I'm surprised is here. I'm laying on my bed, trying to read in attempt shush my thoughts, trying not to think of him, and how foolish I was to kiss him.

I throw my arm over my eyes to escape the shame creeping into my face and heating it.

"So, I was thinking." Ezra starts and looks over at me, I remove my arm and see his face muddled with confusion.

"What?" I ask, And he hesitates.

"Well, I- Never mind." He says and shakes his head eating a caramel covered popcorn.

"Okay?" I say confused, and shake my head as well turning back to my awfully boring book. I don't even know why I'm reading it, it might be the the most boring book I've ever read.

"Well," Ezra sighs heavily, and I put my book on my lap, waiting for him to continue. "Forget about it." He shoves a handful into his mouth. 

I don't know how people can do that, Shove whole handfuls of popcorn into their mouth like that. My dad used to to that while we watched old movies together, when Pepper was still there.

I havent talked to him in over a year now. After the accident they fought all the time, but when it was almost my 15th birthday, he left. 

Never said goodbye, never called.

It was awful. Mom lost herself in alcohol, and I was closing in on myself more everyday. Pepper and I were very close, she told me everything, and then she left. 

And never came back.

That might've been the worst night's of my life. Dad and Mom were pacing, trying to get ahold of her, I was laying in bed staring at the ceiling waiting for the car to pull up in the driveway, the headlights shining through my window. 

And everything would go back to the same.

The next morning, a squad car pulled up next to the house, saying that the car was driven over the cliff. She was the driver, they said she barely had any alcohol in her, but, her friend who was with her did. 

I always wondered, if she didn't have lots of alcohol in her, why did she die?

Why did she drive over the cliff.

It cost her, her own life, and the life of her friend.

I guess it was an accident though.

Why did my train of thought go so far? It all started with popcorn. 

A commercial plays for Swiffer, and Ezra groans.

"How can you stomach watching that awful TV?" I ask, and he shrugs.

"When you're bored you do crazy stuff." He explains plainly.

"Are you really that bored?" I ask, and he shoots his green gaze to me.

"Oh, no. I'm sorry, I'm not very bored, I don't know why I said that. I'm sorry." He says, I furrow my eyebrows. He never apologizes that much.

"Stop it." I say, and he nods, snapping his mouth closed. "We're going to have some fun." I say, my eyes brighting up in mischief.

I check the time, and see its 12:30, perfect.

"Um, what are you planning? Your eyes never light up unless it's something that will put me in jail." I chuckle.

"It's not that bad, just follow my lead." I say, and throw the blankets off of my body, shivering instantly.

I push my legs to dangle over the side of the bed. And step off.

"Well, if I do get arrested, you're calling your mom to bail me out." He warns, I smile and nod. Walking over to the door.

I open it, and he follows behind me obediently. 

We walk down the hall near silent, and I stop at a door, I knock loudly 4 times, and wait.

Theres a grunt and panicked whispering.

I didn't know who was staying in this room, but I'm even happier it's a 'couple' 

"Um, uh, just uh, hold on a couple of minutes." A man says, and I stare in shock. 

I know that voice. I gasp, and look at Ezra with wide eyes.

He grins, and I grab his hand, running down the hall to a bend so we can spy on him as he opens the door without being spotted. I crouch down, Ezra right behind me, peering over my shoulder.

There are small exclamations coming from within, I can hear them, because this hotel is cheap and the walls are thin.

The door gets thrown open, and I stand from my crouch, walking casually down the hall Ezra behind me.

Obviously the man recognizes us and I smile at him.

"Hello there," I say brightly, his hair is mussed, and his cheeks are flushed. "Hows Brenda?" I ask. And he looks at me with shock.

"Who are you?" He asks, and my smile widens.

"No one in particular, just watch your back." I say, and start to walk away. "And don't worry, tell the redhead I won't tell Max either." I look over my shoulder, and he's gaping.

I walk down the hall, and turn to go to our room.

When we've turned the corner, Ezra starts to snicker, and then as we walk into our room, it turns into a full on laugh.

I join him and he asks.

"How did you know they were staying there?" I shake my head.

"I didn't it was just a coincident!" I say, and laugh harder, at the irony of the situation. "Did you see his face?!" I ask, wiping nonexistent tears from my eyes. 

He nods his animatedly. and we grin at each other, the awkwardness after our laughter came crashing over us like a tidal wave.

I push my lips together in an awkward smile.

"Hm," Ezra says, and jumps on his bed onto his knees facing me. 

"I'm sorry for kissing you, it was selfish of me to just think of myself, and not you or us. You're my best friend, I just hope things can go back to normal." I burst out, and look at my bare feet my toenails painted in chipped purple.

"I forgive you. And I apologize for thinking of my own selfish wants as well. If I never had acted so, I don't know, intimate with you, none of it would have happened." He says. 

I smile, and nod.

"It's forgotten?" I ask, and he smiles broadly at me and nods. "Good." 

A/N

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Elli-