LIABILITY (GxG)

CASE 18

"You want to make root beer floats?" I questioned, looking between the vanilla ice cream, the root beer soda, and the tall glasses.

I know I probably looked crazy—from my frizzy hair to my puffy eyes and flushed cheeks.

But aside from my appearance, I surprisingly felt better.

I hadn't actually talked about what happened to Chloe with anyone—much less even cry it out.

It was like I had it all bottled up since the day it all happened.

"Maybe instead of being sad by everything that reminds you of her—try embracing it," Fenix suggested as she opened the ice cream tub, "Try embracing her," she reiterated, holding the ice cream scooper out for me.

I looked between her eyes and the ice cream scooper, taking in her surprisingly wise words.

They felt oddly relieving—suddenly the weight on my chest was gone at even the idea of embracing her instead of feeling so much guilt and remorse.

"Okay..." I breathed out with complete hesitation, taking the ice cream scooper with furrowed brows.

Fenix smiled slightly, and for once it wasn't a smirk or a cocky grin—no, it was a genuine smile.

And it was beautiful.

"You know... I've never actually had a root beer float," Fenix admitted, standing beside me as she grabbed the soda bottle.

I gasped dramatically, "What? You haven't lived until you've had one," I said as Fenix poured the dark bubbly liquid into each glass cup.

Fenix chuckled, "Trust me, I've definitely lived, Rossi—maybe even a few lives," she joked, easily making me roll my eyes.

But the laugh that managed to escape my lips contrasted the look on my face.

"It was rhetorical, Akena," I retorted.

Fenix laughed once, "Okay, chill on the government name now."

I couldn't help but smirk to myself, scooping the vanilla ice cream on top of the dark drink, "You forget that I'm a part of the government," I countered, licking the vanilla ice cream off my fingers as I sat the scooper down.

Fenix only shook her head at me, looking down at my lips that my fingers fell from, "It's easy to forget sometimes," she said, looking back up to my eyes.

I inhaled a sharp breath, easily feeling my face grow warm under her intense stare.

The moment suddenly felt intimate, especially with how she was looking at me.

Fenix slowly leaned down toward me, causing my stomach to grow with knots.

But when she dipped her finger in the ice cream beside me and smeared it across my nose—the once intimate mood easily turned playful.

I dramatically gasped, "So that's what we're doing now?" I questioned, allowing my tone to remain light.

Fenix smirked down at me, "Oh yeah—bring it on," she challenged me.

"Bring it on?" I questioned, subtly digging my hand into the vanilla ice cream.

Fenix's lips parted in shock when I smeared a handful of the cold ice cream on her face.

And it was definitely much more than she had previously smeared on my own face.

"Oh, so that's the game we're playing?" Fenix said, taking a step toward me as I stood in front of the tub of ice cream.

I stared up at her with a devilish grin, leaning back against the counter, "What? Can't handle your own game?" I asked her with a raised brow.

Fenix only leaned into me, brushing her warm body against mine and easily sending annoying shivers down my spine.