The Burlington Academy Boys

Chapter Twelve

That was the last thing I want to hear from the other end of the line. Before I listen any further to their conversation and plan to look for me, I ended the call button.

I decided to buy the notebook I was holding and a book at the bookstore next door. I took the bike down to another ice cream shop. I need my second cup of the creamy delight from another shop. Inside was a red haired girl with freckles dotting her pale cheeks.

"Welcome to Sprinkles on Ice, what can I get you?" She uttered her lines as if she has been saying them her whole life. Perhaps she did. Who wouldn't get tired of repeating the same old thing for a week?

"I'll have a scoop of mint, strawberry, and vanilla." I said.

"Cone or cup?" She asked, staring at me with a bored expression.

I smiled, trying to conceal my growing annoyance. "I hate cones."

With that, she shrugged and got a cup of ice cream. I took my order and a bottled water then settled at the booths outside.

This village is so simple. Old people shopping for vegetables down a stall, kids playing with their parents at the park across the street, and what caught my attention the most are the couple sitting on the park bench.

The girl's head lies on the boy's left shoulder. If I see correctly, there are tears rimming the girl's eyes. Their facial expressions seems to be bidding each other goodbye. Just like that, the black haired boy fell into a deep sleep.

Everything happened so fast. First, his girlfriend cried louder getting the attention of the people around them. The parents of the kids playing near them rushed towards them and helped. Somebody called an ambulance and the next thing I know paramedics where rushing the boy into the ambulance.

Staring at everything, I came to realize how short life can be. In a matter of five minutes, everything between those people changed. A girl on the brink of losing her boyfriend's life, the kids staring at the scene clueless about what happened, and the parents clutching each other's arms, praying everything will be just fine.

That's when everything came to me. Life is too short. I may be too far away from my family but their concern will never fade. I realized how I've been too rude towards dad. Not that he can blame me. After all, he knows all too well that I'm not prepared to have another mother. I should've called mom sooner. No matter how restricted our relationship is, she's still my mother and I have to find ways to make it up to her.

"Frances!" Someone called out.

I whipped my head into the direction of the voice and found Etienne standing a few feet away from me, panting.

His brown hair sticking to his forehead with sweat. Wet circle marks decorate his shirt. And the worry in his eyes for a moment made feel guilty.

"Where the bloody hell have you been?!" He panted and ran up to me. "Don't you know how worried we all are? God, Bree is practically bawling her eyes out."

I ate the last scoop of my ice cream and stared at him. "You all wanted me to leave. I did what I had to."

He grabbed the chair in front of me causing a screeching sound. "No one wanted you to leave. You just decided on your own."

I glared at him. "No, I didn't. You are all so into the moment of killing each other and here I was, trying so hard to help all of you! I was trying to extend my hand! And what did you do? You freaking told me to fuck off just because I know nothing about your past!"

Etienne stared at me, stunned. "I-I didn't say anything like that."

I mentally slapped myself. Etienne has nothing to do with it anyway. It was Xavier the jerk who did. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

Etienne gave me a half smile. "It's alright. I understand that we all stress you out. And I am very sorry that I wasn't that approachable. I let my feelings for you get in the way and Hell... I think he is also concerned for you as I am."

Going back to their fight at the pub, it was clear that Hell isn't acting the same way. But he was still annoying Helios the last time we talked earlier this morning.

"Let's go back?" Etienne asked me.

He stood up and extended his left hand out to me. I smiled at him and took it gladly.

"Let's buy them ice cream first. I feel like I owe everyone something to cool off their minds." I sheepishly smiled at him.

Etienne laughed his deep voice vibrating. His laugh sounds great. It's weird that I find it fantastic but it really is. "Yeah, go get 'em ice creams."

"How about you?" I asked as we enter the ice cream shop. The waitress who was disinterested in me a while ago seemed to be more cheerful when she sees Etienne. Etienne is quite nerdy but he manages to pull it off in an attractive way.

"Hmmm... No ice cream or anything sweet, remember?" He reminded.

Confused, I looked up to him. "You don't have ADHD, right?"

Etienne rolled his eyes. "I'm messing with you. I don't have ADHD. The truth is I'm addicted to chocolate and I can never get over it. I tend to get hyper once I overdose myself with it. Other than that, I am not sick."

"So what do you want?" I asked.

"A proper date." He replied, smirking at me.

"Why are you always asking me out?" I asked him, matching his attitude at the moment. Which is half - cocky and half - cutie.

Wait, WHAT?! Where did half - cutie came from?

Etienne shrugged. "I want to."

Is that even a valid answer? Nevertheless, I owe him one proper date. By the way, I feel like I'm starting to understand him as Etienne Sennet. The astronomy geek and the chocolate obsessed boy who loves history.
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Hey guys! I know this won't make up for the months I haven't been updating but I'm trying my best to balance my school works, relaxation, personal hobbies, and writing. I have decided to make my updates as frequent under one condition which involves your help. I need 200 comments for the whole book and let's say 2k votes for the next chapter. Is that a deal? Come on! It has to be! Hahaha thank you for the beautiful feeds I have been receiving lately.  And for the concerned ones, I will try and find some time to edit my grammar mistakes and factual ideas.
Question/s of the Chapter: Is Etienne making sense to you? Do you think Frances has some kind of unknown feelings sprouting for dearest Etienne? How about Hell?
Goodbye!
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