On Mute

Chapter 26: The Indirect-ness of Fudgy Ice Cream?

Chapter 26

"Hello, anybody home?" I rapped on the door out of habit but I knew his dad wasn't home so I tried the knob afterward. Locked. That boy...

            I stomped around to the other side of the house, and found his window rather quickly. I gently stuck the folder between my teeth. Well, I better get climbing?

            Don't worry folks, Abby is a trained professional; I have it down to a science. These last few days I have done the same procedure. I hoisted myself onto the trunk of the tree, grasped the largest sturdiest limb, eased myself onto it and shuffled over to his window. I lifted the pane and looked inside. No one's home, where could he be?

            "Freaking Jesus Murphy!" I blinked back, noticing Marc in the hall. He ran at top speed when he saw me, grabbed me by the pits and hoisted me into the house. "This is the third time this week, are you insane?!" I pulled the folder from my mouth.

            "I wouldn't have to go to such lengths if you remembered to unlock your door?" He grabbed the file as he grumbled to himself.

            "It's a habit I obtained from living in the city." He flipped through the folder as he plopped into his bed. "Wow, they sure know how to pile it on while you are away huh?"

            "Yeah, homework is a pain, you are supposed to be home resting, not doing projects and assignments?" He nodded. I sat down with him.

            I guess I should explain myself huh? Marc has been home for about a week or so, I haven't really kept track, we were assigned a huge project in Global History class so I am really busy, when I am not home working on that I am bringing Marc the work he missed.

            "I noticed your speech has gotten a lot better." He chuckled a thank you.

            "I've been practicing." He beamed.

            With that sweet smile we conversed over the work, with me explaining the concepts and him watching me and nodding.

            "So then you would apply the SOH CAH TOA method and_."

            "Hey, Abby?" I looked up from the math sheet to Marc.

            "Yeah?" Marc-who was on his side- rolled onto his stomach.

            "Wanna get outta here?" I raised an eyebrow.

            "But what about your_?"

            "Screw it." He cut in, shooting up from the bed and grabbing my hand. "I need to get out of this house; I have been cooped up in here for ages!" I looked at the large hand that gripped mine, how dark and rough it was compared to my thin and pale one.

            "To where?"

            "You like that fudge brownie stuff right?" Is he talking about ice cream?

           

            Next thing I know I am sitting on a rock next to Willow Wonderful's Ice cream Bar. We trekked up the path and walked into town then Marc told me to sit. So here I am, waiting for my ice cream.   

            "Here," I look up and there was the dessert, Marc went ridged as my hands wrapped around the cone.

            "What's the occasion?" I asked, taking my first taste of the fudgy goodness.

            "Isn't this what friends do; chill, hang out... buy ice cream?" The northerly wind cut through the air, whistling as it past.

            "This isn't really the weather for ice cream though?" I was surprised the parlor was still open in the fall? He looked like he mentally smacked his forehead.

            "Sorry, guess I wasn't thinking?" I shrugged, and grinned as I took another lick.

           "Still, it is pretty good." I heard him sigh. I opened my eyes and stared at his front. His hands were cone-less.

            "Hey, where is yours?" He patted his pockets.

            "I only had enough for one." I shot up from the rock.

            "Hold on I'll buy you one t_." I turned my pockets inside out, and with another gust of wind a lint ball flew away into the breeze. "I'm sorry..." He shook his head.

            "It's fine; I wanted you to have one." Then an idea struck me. I shot my hand upwards, shoving the frozen treat towards Marc.

            "Here, you can have some." He looked at it then back at me, his marvelous black eyes wide and speechless.

            "You want me to...?" I nodded, curling my lip into a smile.

           "Yeah, it's really good. And don't worry, I don't have germs." I chuckled. He took it in his hands, studied it, then me, then with a flush rising to his face took a bite, not a lick, a bite.

            "Yum." His eyes glowed as a grin surfaced to his face.

            "You stole my brownie piece." I whine. He hands me my cone; that grin never escaping him.

            As we walked back he turned to me; his hair being tossed into a mess as he faced the wind. His shaved sections were finally growing over and becoming less noticeable.

            "Hey Abby, I hope you don't mind but..." I licked my ice cream, studying his weird behavior. "I indirectly... kissed you." I looked at him hard, and his Adams apple bobbed at my scrutinizing stare. I punched him in the shoulder. We both broke out laughing, but at the end it fell melancholically. I stared at my ice cream and pictured Marc's face. I shook off my rising fluster.

            "You think such crazy things my friend." His shoulders slouched at the last word.

            "Yeah, I guess I do."

            Walking back down the trail I was about half finished my cone. Its contents were gone and the crunchy outer shell was all that remained; its taste being altered by melted ice cream that was sucked in by its sponge like character.

            "Abby," I looked up from my food, shoving the last bit into my mouth. "I will probably be late getting home tomorrow so you can just leave my folder on the door step. Here," He lightly kicked a round granite rock that guarded the front door. "It won't blow away if you put this on top." I swallowed.

           "Where are you going?" He smirked, his hand coming up and gently wiping away some ice cream on my face.

            "Don't worry, I will be back soon." Then he closed the door behind him and was gone.

NOT LAST CHAPTER. I REPEAT, NOT LAST CHAPTER!