The I Scream Talk ✓

18 | Crab Ice Cream

       vanadis' coworker, melanie, was staring at her weirdly.

"are you that really friendly with our costumers?"

vanadis jumped in surprise as she turned around. putting down the telephone, she laughed nervously. squeezing her mind out for a possible answer.

"um, that was a friend."

the twenty-two year old coworker narrowed her eyes. but after a few seconds, she laughed out loud.

which was so weird. for vanadis, at least.

"i actually had you there." melanie chuckled.

uh... vanadis stood awkwardly.

"i'm just kidding. come get out, someone's looking for you."

van's eyes widened. someone's looking for me? for a second, she thought of giovanni. but was it even possible? i just talked to him a few minutes ago.

vanadis stepped out of her working booth and spotted a girl just by the counter. she was grinning like a fool and was waving ecstatically at her. vanadis squinted her eyes. who is this girl?

"are you vanadis?" the girl beamed.

"yeah..." vanadis smiled hesitantly. "may i help you?"

"i'm ashleigh!"

vanadis gasped. "you're kidding."

ashleigh smirked. "fortunately not."

both of the girls just stared at each other for a few seconds, each wearing a very wide grin. and the next thing they knew, they were already hugging the lives out of each other.

"it's so nice to meet you!"

vanadis led her to a two-seater table near the window. her hands were already itching to get to know this kid over here. she can hardly wait for all the things they could do together!

ashleigh had baby blue eyes, which reminded vanadis of giovanni—who said he also had baby blue ones and that he actually hated it.

what's there to hate? she wondered. i could drown in them forever.

"you're so pretty!" ashleigh gushed.

"oh please, you're prettier." van rolled her eyes playfully.

"are you kidding me? i hate my hair! i got it from mom. giovanni's hair is way better. you know, chocolate brown."

"really? he told me he hates his hair. and his eyes."

"he's always like that! have you met him already?"

vanadis shook her head. as much as she wanted to meet him, she didn't like to see the horrified expression of Giovanni when he sees her face.

oh she could totally imagine it.

"that's a shame! does he know where your working place is?"

she shrugged, "i don't know. we haven't talked about it."

"oh. should i bring him here next time?"

vanadis' eyes widened, "oh no! no!"

"why not? it'd be amazing!"

she snorted, "amazing. i'd rather just talk to him on the phone forever than let him see how..." she fake-puked at the word, "unappealing i am."

"oh come on! let me take a pic of you! i'll send it to van and see if you're really unappealing. i bet his saliva would be dripping if he finally sees you."

"no way." van laughed at how nagging Ashleigh is and almost immediately covered her face when ashleigh took her phone out to snap a picture of her.

"oh, yes way!"

and then she heard a click.

a camera click.

"ashleigh!"

the fourteen-year old she-devil laughed which sounded almost evil to Vanadis' ears. oh god. giovanni was right.

she is, indeed, an annoying little brat.

"aww. you covered your face! but this could work, anyway."

she attempted to grab the mocking phone of Ashleigh but failed when the kid took it out of her reach. she almost screamed her heart out.

"it's not bad!" Ashleigh laughed and showed her the phone.

and there, showed a picture of her hysterically blocking her face from the camera. but behind the space between her fingers was a wide dazzling smile no one could ever deny. her green eyes shone as the sunlight oozing from the window struck her. she looked playful and care-free.

now who said she was ugly?

vanadis blinked. or maybe, the camera was just filtered?