Idiosyncrasies of a Shadow // (ManxMan)

~Bonus Chapter~

[Skylar]

Age 17

"I'll have two cookie dough flavoured ones please!" I peek over the tall ice cream truck, wanting to see the machine in action but sadly my forehead barely passes the counter even when I am on my toes. All of a sudden I feel hands under my arms and I am hoisted up into the air and onto a pair of strong shoulders. "Thank you Jelly Bean."

I place my tiny hands in Felix's hair, who only grunts his response while we wait for the ice cream to be made, it is quite interesting to see the old man working and sprinkling the little decorations on my cone. "Stop moving around so much." Felix grips onto my legs to stop me. It's a very hot summer day, I wish there was a portable air conditioner but ice cream will have to do. Plus, I don't think it's possible to bring it with us on our camping trip at the park.

"Thanks!" I grab the two cones and Felix hands the man his money, the man immediately goes to tend to other people. "Where are we going now?" Slightly lowering my arm so Felix can get a bite out of his ice cream.

"Beach. I don't want you to get a heat stroke." I kick my legs, I've rarely been to the beach since it's so crowded, but this is perfect because it's still early. The closest beach is a 20 minute walk from the park where we are currently at so I am guessing we are packing our bags to go there right away. "You sit there, I'll pack our shit up."

"But your ice-cream is going to melt..." I look at it, half eating with part of the cone missing. I hate when I waste food, it's very hard for Felix and I to make money, so we don't have opportunities to each ice cream very often but today is special, Felix said it's a special day.

He walks over, ruffles my hair and fixes the collar of my polo shirt. "You can have the rest of it." I shake my head, he bought me the ice cream, he has to eat it or else it's not fair. "Sit in the shade alright? I'll be back." He runs over to our tent, very quickly packing it up as I try my best to catch the dripping ice cream with my tongue.

"Can I help?" I ask, standing next to Felix as he hauls everything onto his shoulder, his sun glasses sitting on his nose.

"I'm done, I told you to sit under the tree." He frowns, takes off his sun glasses and puts it on me. I give him his ice cream and he smiles very slightly, he's been smiling more lately, I like it when he smiles. "We should move quick, you're going to get a sunburn." He places a hand on my shoulder and starts walking.

"Do you think there will be many people today?"

"Not sure. It's still early in the morning so I doubt it." I walk beside him, swinging my head while humming and biting into my ice cream, Felix is at his last bite and he gives me the bottom of the cone. He knows it's the most tasty bit. "You have cookie dough on your cheek." He chuckles deep but briefly.

"Where?" I say while sticking my tongue out trying to reach it. "Where? Where?" I poke him in the side, he doesn't answer and swipes it away with his finger then licks it clean. "You just ate my spit!" I fall into him, even with the heavy bag he is still standing tall and strong like he always does.

"As if I haven't done that before in the past year..." He says with an unamused stare. "You are the ultimate cookie hoarder."

"More like a little cookie monster!" The blue fluffy thing has a very wide mouth but I think he's pretty cute.

"You are far from a monster." Felix says, shifting his bag further up his shoulders. "You're just a Cookie."

~

"Bring me more water please!" I hand the bucket to Felix, who walks over to the shore and fills it up, taking the heavy bucket back with no problem. Weak people problems are especially bad under the summer heat. "Thanks Felix."