Never Be

an ice cream disaster

It had been a bad day. A bad week, really. If I really thought about it, the whole month wasn't that great, or any of the year. My whole life recently seemed to be a series of unfortunate events. I had decided that I was probably cursed, and the only thing I could do was eat away my problems in ice cream – Even though, of course, I had walked to the ice cream shop and would have to walk home as well, and it had started pouring rain the moment I ordered my cone. I had a feeling that it was one of those cold rains, too, the type that looks like regular old rain but feels like pointy ice.

Ah, well. Nothing like some good old pneumonia. It was too late to turn back; the girl behind the counter was already scooping the ice cream out of the tub and plopping it into the cone. Besides, I was looking forward to it melting in my mouth, the chocolate sauce running over the sides...yum. Everything else was forgotten as I exchanged pounds for the chocolatey goodness – only to turn around, bump into someone, and watch the precious, savory ice cream go flying.

I just looked at it for a second, mouth hanging open, watching it melt on the floor. I mean, I shouldn't have been surprised – The bad luck seemed to follow me around like an eager puppy dog – But I felt my heart dropping to the tips of my toes anyways.

"I am so sorry." I looked up to see about my age wincing, brown eyes full of sympathy for me. A big chocolate smear splattered his pink shirt.

"No, um, I'm the one who should be sorry." It wasn't his fault that bad things seemed to follow me around no matter where I went.

"No, really, I shouldn't have been standing so close," he insisted, grabbing a handful of napkins from the counter and leaning down to clean up the mess.

"I can get you another cone if you'd like," the girl behind the counter offered. I sighed.

"No, that's okay." It probably just wasn't mean to be – with my luck, I'd probably be the first person ever to get food poisoning from ice cream or something. Instead, I leaned down to help the friendly stranger clean up the mess, and – Promptly headbutted him.

I immediately grimaced, letting a string of "I'm sorry's!" out, but he laughed and instead of getting mad, he simply smirked and said, "Funny running into you again – Literally."

I shook my head glumly, reaching out for him to give me his handful of chocolate smeared napkins in exchange for a couple of new ones.

"Hey, don't look so sad – It's no big deal, really." I couldn't wrap my head around why he was being so nice about it.

"But I ruined your shirt,' I pointed out.

He shrugged. "It'll come out in the wash. I have a bunch of brothers. I'm no stranger to messes, trust me." He let out a giggle. "If I'm being honest, I cause most of them myself.'

I allow myself a small smile. "Thanks." We both stand back up now, and I toss the dirty napkins into the trash can. The floor is clean now, so there's no reason for me to stray – although I am intrigued by this unreasonably forgiving boy – But, no, I don't want to rub off any of my unusually bad luck off onto him. I smile and start to make my way out.

"Wait," he calls out. I turn around to find that he's made his way back to my side. "You never told me your name."

"It's Chloe," I said.

"I'm Rye." We shook hands, all formal-like, as if we had just met right then, without all of the mess beforehand. "You going out into that rain all alone?" He cocked his head, motioning to the rainstorm pounding down outside.

"Yeah..." I said cautiously, unsure of his intentions.

"Uhm, do you need a ride?" The only two cars in the parking lot were presumably his and the cashier's. I shrugged.

"I'm good."

"No, please, let me. I've not got anything else to do." His smiled seemed pure, and, well – I really wasn't looking forward to having to walk home in all of that. He hadn't been anything but nice to me so far, and it was such a relief to be around a friendly person, that I gave in and accepted his offer. Besides, he was kinda cute.