𝓣𝓻𝓾𝓮 𝓟𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓲𝓼𝓮𝓼 𝓞𝓯 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮 {Eddie Munson}

34) '𝓬𝓪𝓵𝓶 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓬𝓸𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓭.'

Two days later, June 25, '85
-Ariella POV- Scoops Ahoy
I was touching up on my mascara, when I heard the bell on the front counter ring. "Steve—" I called, just to get interrupted, " It's your turn ' Ella, I got it the last two times." Steve told me from his seat. I sighed, he didn't do it the last two times, Robin did it, and before I did it. I walked out of the break room, and made my way to the ice cream counter.

I threw on my smile and enthusiasm, " Hello! What can I get for you?" I asked the man standing on the other side of the counter, he looked oddly familiar. He gave off a weird kind-of creepy vibe. Then it hit me, it was him. That guy. The creepy ass guy that tried to pick me up in April, when I was hanging out with Eddie.

I felt an overflow of emotions, I first felt embarrassed from the way I reacted in front of Eddie, it was my second day knowing him and I had a whole breakdown. Then, I felt scared, scared that that man would try something else. He won't. He won't?

" Did you hear me? I said orange sherbet." I looked back up, " Oh— Uh- sorry. Cup or cone?" I tried to stay calm, let's not repeat the meltdown I had last time, it'll only make things worse. Im okay. It wasn't that bad. Well.

" Cup, no toppings. Hey, you look familiar." Oh shit! I just gotta stay calm, don't freak! It'll only make it worse, I have a job to do, I just have to make his order and he'll leave. No crying or meltdowns involved, I need to keep it together while I'm in public.' I thought to myself as I scooped the ice cream and placed it in a cup.

" One- one or two scoops?" I asked, " Just one is fine." He smirked, I noticed his eyes scan my body, I set down the ice cream scoop and handed the man the cup. My hands brushed his as I did, and his hands were clammy. Ew!

" Thanks,— Ariel." He paused to look at the name plate pinned to my uniform. I watched as he walked out of the ice cream parlor. I breathed deeply, don't fuckin' cry, no one else needs to know about this, it's fine. You have a job to do. I looked up to see how much time I had left in my shift. Or until my neck break.

I walked into the back room, I was happy to see that Robin was back from the restroom. I couldn't stop thinking about the situation, what just happened and what happened in April. It reminds of events before this. Way before this.

" Hey, are you alright 'Ella?" Steve asked me, I just nodded, continuing to stare down at the floor.  I wanted to talk to Eddie about this, but I didn't want to remind him about last time. I was still so embarrassed for causing a scene and having a whole meltdown. I didn't know how to react to that, but I knew that crying would make it worse. After that he probably thought I was some werido that's always crying. It was okay to cry in that situation, but not for over 5 minutes like I did.

" Are you sure you're okay, Ariel? You've been zoning out really hard for the like the past 5 minutes." Steve told me in a concerned tone, "Yeah I guess." I replied, " You guess? What's wrong?" He scooted his chair closer to me, " Just— nothing. I didn't get much sleep last night, I'm really tired." I replied to my curious and concerned brother.

" Something keeping you awake?" He asked and I shook my head, " Okay, well, if you need to talk I'm here, 'kay?" I nodded at my brother and he smiled in return, "Okay, I love you Steve."

" Dingus, your children are here!" Robin called out, " Alright—, I love you too." He patted my shoulder before leaving the room.

I got up and walked over to the phone that was hanging on the wall, I dialed Eddie's number, I still wasn't sure if I wanted to tell him, but I feel like I should. " Hello?" I heard his perfect sounding voice, answer the phone " Hey Eds." I spoke into the receiver, " Hey, Ariel, what are you up to?" His tone completely changed when he realized it was me.

" When I get of work in about and hour, can we meet up? I wanna tell you something." I questioned in a somewhat serious tone. " Yeah, yeah, of course. It isn't bad is it?" He expressed concern, " Not 'bad', I just can't keep it bottled up, I have to tell someone so I don't tell the wrong person. I'm probably just overreacting.."

I wanted to tell Eddie because I knew I could trust him, and he was there the last time. I didn't want to accidentally blurt it out to Steve or Robin. Steve would freak, and Robin would probably tell Steve. Not that I can't trust her, but they tell each other everything. If I tell her that I have a new crush, Steve knows within the next 15 minutes.

" Okay, do you want me to come pick you up when you get off, or did you drive yourself to work?" He asked, " If you don't mind, please pick me up. I get off at 6:00." I told him, "Alright sweetheart, I lov- I'll see you later, bye!" He quickly hung up before I could say the same.

I couldn't hear what he said before he told me 'I'll see you later, bye!' Did he tell me he loves me? There's no way that Eddie, Eddie Munson loves me. He said he really likes me, but I doubt he would ever say that he loves me.
We're polar opposites. He wouldn't love me, it's probably just puppy love.

"Not to be nosy, but who were you on the phone with?" Robin asks, " Just Eddie." I felt myself smile, just hearing his voice makes me feel better. Saying his name makes me feel better.

" You really like him don't you?" She asked in a hushed tone, " Wait, who does she like now?" Steve called out from the slide window between the back room and the counter, " Steve go eat apple pie!" She yelled out him, " What?" I giggled at the words Robin said, " You won't get it." She told me, " Okay!" Steve called back, shutting the window.

I think apple pie, is like a code name or some shit,  wait, she's said that before! " So what did he say to you?" She asked, intrigued about my relationship with Eddie. " Nothing much, I just told him to meet me here after work, I have to ask him something," I told her, I wasn't lying, I just wasn't telling the whole truth.

" What are you gonna ask?" She smirked, I playfully rolled my eyes, "It's nothing like that Rob! It's just about his band." Now that I think about it, I will ask about his band anyway.

" You want me believe that you called him, and want to meet up with him, just to ask about his band? I know you better than that, Ari." She smirked once again, " Okay, it's more than just his band, but I still need to ask about it." She smiled widely, " And I still want to see him."

" You miss his don't you!?" She exclaimed, "Maybe, a little bit. A lot bit." We both laughed and joked with each other for a few minutes, and before I knew it my shift at Scoops Ahoy was over. I smiled when that beautiful, familiar face of Eddie's walked through the doors.