Sunshiny Things (Original)

Ch. 14 Yeah...Me too

Freya

"I've never been to this place before." I tell dace as we step trough the door to a little ice cream parlor. It's really cute from what I've seen so far. Retro booths, black and white checkered tiles, old songs playing out of the big jukebox sitting in the corner. Even the waiters and waitress are on roller skates. It's not too far from my apartment either. Just about two or three blocks.

"Yeah, it's new. They just built it. Apparently it's the world best ice cream," Dace tells me. I look up at the menu that's displayed above the counter, and my eyes grow wide. There's an abundance of different ice cream flavors. Sherbet, rocky road, hot fudge, cookie dough, and my favorite.

"Oh, mint chocolate chip!" I squeal as I jump up and down in excitement. Half of the customers turn their heads in my direction and I hear Dace laugh. I scan the parlor and give shy smiles to people who are looking at me.

"Well I guess I know what you're having," Dace says and I nod my head hysterically. "Jim," Dace calls out as he raises his hand to get some mans attention form behind the counter. Jim? Like from the office?

"Dace," the man whose name is apparently Jim yells out with excitement. I feel a warm breath linger against my ear which causes the hairs on the back of my neck to stand straight up.

"Oh," Dace whispers into my ear. "I might also sort of know the owner." My cheeks flush up and I smile.

"Sort of?" I respond back to Dace as I look up at him.

"And who's this pretty lady you have hear with you, Dace?" Jim says as he skates up to us, wiping his hands with a dish towel in the process. Talk about skill. I would be able to set one foot on the ground in those things. Let alone multitask in them.

"Oh...uh, Jim this is Freya and Freya this is Jim, which i'm sure you've figured out by now." Jim holds put his hand for me to shake and I do just that.

"What kind of bribe did Dace offer you to make you go out with him now, Freya ?" Jim jokingly asks. Well what I at least hope is a joke. But I decide to go along with it.

"Uncle Jim," i hear dace mumble with embarrassment as he rolls his eyes. Uncle?

"Actually, he offered me some of the worlds best ice cream," I say back to Jim. "And i'm not out with him on a date or anything like that. We're just...friends," I hesitantly say the last word. I don't really know what we are. Just sheer acquiesces rekindling our past mistakes over ice cream. I see Jim nod his head at my words and then clap his hands together.

"Well, okay then," Jim says before skating off back behind the counter. "What will it be for you guys then."

~

Me and Dace sit across from each other on the red booth as we down the last few pints of our ice cream. I got mint chocolate chip, of course, and Dace got some weird Oreo fudge concoction that actually looks pretty appetizing. But other then the viscous slurps and gobbles of our ice cream, everything has been pretty much silent. I don't think this could get anymore awkward. I barley even know this guy but yet here I am sitting at a booth with him at some ice cream parlor owned by his uncle at 8:00 on a Saturday night.

"So," I say to Dace in attempt to break this silent streak. "You're uncle, huh?" Dace finishes off his last bite of his ice cream and shrugs his shoulders before responding.

"Yeah, he owned one down in Ohio but decided to move it here so he could be closer to family." I nod my head slowly in response to his answer. I wonder what family he has around here. Most likely more then me. My parents were the last ones of the Gibson generation. Well except for me. My parents were both single children. So no aunts or uncles to go crawling to. And as for my grand parents on my moms side, well let's just say they're not the most pleasant people. That's another reason why I got an apartment with Becca instead of having to move out and live with them.

"But I didn't come here to talk about me," Dace say as he picks at the fake marble desgin that's starting peel off on the booths table. "I came here to apologize." I let out a deep breath as I watch him intently. He better have a good explanation behind why he did what he did. Or what he at least try to do. "I was drunk and for some reason...i don't know, thought you were an easy target." I scoff a little and cross my arms over my chest. He is unbelievable. Just like every other teenage guy.

"So basically, you thought I was vulnerable and that you could take advantage of me?" Dace shakes his head rapidly and says no over and over again.

"No...uh, shit that came out wrong," he defends. "I meant I was drunk and stupid and clearly wasn't in the right state of mind. Because honestly, you're not like any of the other girls I meet at those parties." The silence rejoins us but it's a little bit more comfortable then before. But why is it comfortable?

"Oh," is all I manage to mummer out. I look down at my fiddling fingers that I've been peeling the baby blue nail polish off of this entire time.

"I'm just hoping you'll consider giving me a second chance to do things right," I hear dace say. I look up at him and my fingers stop their picking movements. What did he just say?

"Uh...what—what do you mean do things right?" I ask with a little nervous laugh added. I watch as heat spreads up to daces cheeks from his neck. Is he blushing?

"Yeah, I guess I just kind of wanted a due-over so I could ask you out...properly." My whole body freezes up and so do my eyes on Dace's. Does he want to ask me out on a date? Because I don't know if I'm ready for that. I barely even know him.

"look Dace, I—."

    "I'm not saying I want anything right now," Dace cuts me off. "I just want to start out as friends, I guess." I can tell by Dace's body language when he says the word friends that he's not used to this type of thing. Taking things slow, I mean. Man, this is weird.

I lean back on the red booth and hesitate for a moment. If I say yes, what does that mean?

"I..I don't know," I finally respond to him. Dace sighs at my words which makes me feel a little bit guilty for some reason.

"Listen, Freya, I promise...just friends...nothing else." I look deep into his pleading hazel eyes. For some reason I trust him thats he's telling me the truth. Just friends. Damn those puppy dog eyes.

"Okay," I say to him and he lights up instantly. "Friends." Dace gives me his bright smile which gets me smiling a likes as well. I'm starting to see why all the girls at school swoon over him. He really is adorable.

"Great," he says sheepishly as he still keeps his gleaming smile. "Uh, check please, Jim."

~

"Thanks again for agreeing to come with me tonight. I had a good time," Dace tells me as he walks me to my apartment door. I give him a smile to match his that he's already giving me.

"I actually had a really good time too," I respond to him. His smile holds as he starts to scan my face like he's looking for something more. Or he's wanting something else.

"Just out of curiosity," Dace starts back up again, breaking me away from my thoughts. "Earlier before you were with...Cole." My body tenses up right as the mention of his name slips from Dace's lips.

"What...what about it, I mean him," I ask almost at whisper level.

"You guys don't hang out do you?" Cole asks me and i laugh almost choking on my own spit in the process.

"Me and...me and Cole...hanging out? Of Course not. I just ran into him on the elevator and well you know...we happen to live next to each other, so." Dace looks at me weirdly, like he doesn't fully believe me, but I give him a reassuring smile.

"So, I have nothing to worry about then?" Dace asks like he's still not entirely sure about my answer. But I nod my head rapidly.

"Yeah, of course." Dace then nods his head once in satisfaction.

"Good, because I hate him." I laugh a little, but quickly stop myself and instead just nod along as well.

"Yeah...me too."

~~~