Unpredictable (Calum Hood)

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

“Hmmm…” I put my finger on my chin, trying to decide between flavors.

“Cookie Dough or Rocky Road?” I asked Luke.

“I say go with the Rocky Road. I’ve heard it’s almost as sweet as the cashier.” He commented, my eyes widening as he winked at me. I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks as I turned back towards the ice cream flavors. I caught a glance at Calum, his eyes also wide at Luke. He gave his blonde haired friend a look that I couldn’t quite read, then stalked off to the other side of the shop. Luke chuckled.

“I think I’m gonna have the cookie dough.” I said after a moment.

Luke nodded, taking an ice cream scooper from behind him.

“Calum?” He turned towards me as I spoke to him. “Are you gonna get anything?”

His expression softened a bit as he stood up. “Um… yeah”

I looked back at Luke as he spooned 2 large scoops of Cookie Dough ice cream into a sugar cone. Calum came closer to the counter, standing next to me, right next to me I might add, as Luke handed me the cone over the clear counter top.

“Chocolate in a cup?” Luke asked. Calum nodded.

I looked back and forth between the two of them, trying to read their expressions, but Luke walked towards the cash register before I could.

He handed Calum his cup of ice cream then pressed a few buttons on the register. “That’ll be $2.54 for the cookie dough and….a million for the chocolate.” Luke joked. Calum didn’t look too happy.

“C’mon man, I was kidding!” Calum still said nothing. “Alright, fine. It’s $2.01 for the chocolate.”

I reached into my wallet and pulled three dollar bills but Calum was already handing Luke a five.

“Calum I can-”

“We’re not having this argument.” He said, pushing the money away.

“I literally just met you I’m not-”

“Reilly, it was literally $2, its fine!” he laughed, picking his ice cream up off the counter and taking a spoon from the container. “You wanna sit outside? I don’t think it’s supposed to rain until later tonight.”

I nodded before grabbing a handful of napkins from the dispenser. I waved goodbye at Luke as we walked out the door and Calum shot him a dirty look.

“He seemed to know your order pretty well for you not having been there before.” I laughed.

Calum blushed. “Okay, so maybe I lied, but I was just making up an excuse so you’d come with me.” Now it was my turn to blush at his lame comment, bursting out laughing as a snort came out of Calum’s mouth. His eyes widened, his hand flying up to his mouth, covering it.

I started to hold the cone to my mouth when Calum’s hand flew towards it, smashing the ice cream onto my nose. His loud laugh echoed, making the people on the other benches turn to look at us. I gasped when the coldness hit my nose, making it almost slip out of my hand.

“Calum! You almost made me drop it!”

As he continued laughing, I held the cone into my hand and smashed it onto his nose. His laughing ceased and he abruptly stood.

“Oh now you’re dead.”

I stood from the bench and ran to the other side of the building, Calum chasing after me. We ran in circles and figure-eights until I felt Calum’s arm wrap around my torso. He pulled me back, trying to get me to stop running. Instead, I went toppling on to the ground, pulling him with me.

We rolled around on the grass for a minute, laughing at the expressions we were getting from people passing by. When our laughing faded, we made eye contact, then burst out laughing again.

And that was when I got that same feeling again, the one I had had before. Now I was sure that this summer was going to be different, and I could take a guess and tell you that the boy lying next to me just might be the cause of that.