WRONG NUMBER / CH

chptr 27

Calum peeked inside the shop before he entered, making sure the coast was clear and that she wasn't there yet. When he saw that it was another person manning the counter of the Ice Cream Palace, he strolled in confidently.

It was a terribly hot Saturday afternoon, so the place was almost packed with people. There was even a line. He didn't mind waiting, though. Today he came with the full intention to get some ice cream, and for the first time, he didn't come to try meeting Leia. Besides, she wasn't even here. Some other girl was busting her ass off trying to get to all the hot-headed customers.

Leia had been texting less, but Calum didn't mind, especially now that he had actually seen her in person. He figured she was too busy with settling in and her new school and stuff like that. But the desire to meet her never wavered. It grew with each passing day he'd avoided doing so.

His phone rang in his pocket.

from: michael dickfford
where r u

to: michael dickfford
ice cream palace, why?

from: michael dickfford
get me a fudge sundae thnx

Calum frowned at his phone, not even realizing that it was almost his turn to be served. The customer in front of him was holding a baby, which dropped its ice cream cup and spilled its contents on the floor. Calum noticed none of that as he was too busy texting Michael. He vaguely heard a female voice calling him out. "Uh, sir?"

Calum stepped forward without looking up, unaware of the slippery hazard awaiting him. But the moment his foot skidded off the floor and he felt his body falling, he caught a glimpse of the girl about to serve him.

Leia, he thought, right before he crashed to the floor.

"Oh my God, are you okay?" Leia came running from behind the counter to help Calum up from the floor. He stared at her without speaking. Physically, he was fine. Mentally? That he didn't know.

There he was, half-lying on the floor with ice cream on his clothes, and there she was, sitting less than six inches away from her, but he couldn't form any proper thoughts, let alone words.

She was still talking. "Hey? Can you stand?" Her eyes were laced with worry. He was aware of the people in the store watching them, but he couldn't bring himself to speak when the girl he wanted to meet for so long had just witnessed him slip and fall ungracefully.

Dying would be less humiliating than this.

Calum shook himself out of his mesmerized state, determined to turn things right. "I'm fine, thank you," he said, then stood up to show it. He smiled at Leia and offered his hand. She took it and allowed him to help her up.

The only thing that went through Calum's mind was how soft her hands were.

"I was worried you hit your head or something," she joked, returning to her spot behind the counter. "Since you blanked out for a moment there." She was all smiles and pretty eyes, Calum thought. Damn. She's prettier up close.

Calum laughed weakly. "Yeah, sorry." He started freaking out internally. What was he supposed to say? Why didn't he have any interesting conversation topics? Why did he have to fucking go embarrass himself right in front of her?

"Sooo, what can I get you?" she asked him.

Calum cleared his throat, trying to find his voice. "Uh, double roa-wait, I mean rocky road. Double scoop." He mentally slapped his forehead, and when she turned around, he did it physically. Today was definitely not his day, so of course the universe decided it was time to meet Leia in the worst possible way.

When she turned around again with his ice cream in hand, Calum put on a big smile. "Thank you," he told her. "Not just for the ice cream."

"You're welcome," she replied cheerfully. Calum stood there for a beat longer than usual, since he felt like he was forgetting something. What was he forgetting? "Uh, you know you have to pay for that," Leia said, slightly amused.

"Oh, shit, right." Calum scrambled for his pocket, feeling blood rise to his cheeks. Could this get any worse?

Apparently it could, since he realized he had left his wallet at home.

Calum was silently cursing the universe's cruelty. He couldn't believe the misfortunes raining on him. He had been wanting to meet this girl for months now, and how did their first encounter go? Tripping in front of her. Spacing out. Forgetting things. Being too broke for fucking ice cream. Ugh, fuck me, he thought bitterly.

Leia was smirking slightly. "Sorry, but I don't go around fucking strangers," she said, not unkindly.

Now Calum was really embarrassed. Great, he was talking aloud now. He sighed in defeat, wanting this whole mishap over. "No, I mean, I, uh, seem to have left my wallet. I wasn't asking you to..." He let the silence finish his sentence.

Leia laughed holy fucking shit that's a sexy laugh. "Oh, that's...unfortunate," she said. She beckoned him to lean closer, so he did. "You look like you're having a bad day, so just forget about it. It's on me."

Calum blinked to make sure he didn't imagine the whole damn thing. "You sure?"

"Yeah," she replied with a cheerful smile that pretty much blinded with with purity and charm. "You're lucky you're cute."

Calum turned beet red. She just fucking called me cute I don't think I can fucking handle this oh my God-

After he thanked her again he left, stood outside for a while, and then started laughing like the nervous wreck that he was, struggling to process what the hell just fucking happened.

He can't believe she bought him ice cream and called him cute.

a/n: longest chapter i've written. it was a struggle. and hey look at that they finally meet thank gOD