60 Flavors Of Ice-Cream

Chapter 3 - Quince being...?

Hey guys, even though I have to study for my finals, I'm full of ideas and new chapters and... TA-DAAA!

So here it is, hope you enjoy and please comment your opinions below! It would make me really happy! Also, my editor for this story is Hemmoisapenguin so the chapter is dedicated to her! (At least, when I get my laptop back... Beware!!!) :) :) :)

"So Blondie, what can I get you?"

Mystery boy is grinning at me, standing behind the glass vitrine. He is holding an ice cream scooper and taps his foot in the rhythm of Nirvana, just like I do. I crack a smile and let my eyes roam over the variety of ice creams. Thankfully, the labels are in both Greek and English so I'm able to tell what each flavor is. The sad part is that I can only recognize a small portion of them.

"Back in Salem we don't have all these kinds of ice cream. Can you recommend me something?" I say, putting a loose strand of my hair behind my ear.

"Sure. Do you know what kaimaki is? Or spoon sweet?" He asks, showing me a bunch of fine jars, filled with what it seems like liquid gold.

"Nope. But they look wonderful", I reply, watching a ray of sunshine go through them and make them shine. Yep, wonderful.

"And you haven't even tried them yet", he chuckles. "Kaimaki is like vanilla ice-cream but it has a little different taste than it. Spoon sweets are just like jams only sweeter and with whole pieces of fruit inside. I would get you kaimaki with sour cherry but I'm not one to go by stereotypes. Are you allergic to quince?" He talks too quickly and I only get the thing about me being allergic to something I didn't even know it existed, so I shrug and motion to him to put what he just said into a small carton bowl.

His smile falters a little.

"You didn't get a word from what I said, right?"

"Just get me what you recommended. I'll find out then if I should trust you enough not to let me spend my summer holiday in a hospital", I reply. I think he's cute when he feels as if he made a huge blunder. He blushes and dimples form at his cheeks.

"I will not send you to the hospital for something like that, Blondie. So, kaimaki with quince it is, then?" He asks, scratching the back of his neck.

"I guess", I smile and watch him scooping a ball of white cream and pouring a spoon or two of the orange content of one of the jars. He then passes me a couple of napkins and a plastic spoon.

My dad finally gets inside the small shop and like me; he notices the endless variety of ice cream flavors and the rock music having changed to Another Brick In The Wall, by Pink Floyd. He nods his head approvingly and after a quick glance at the old fashioned vitrine he asks for his usual, a cone with two scoops of dark chocolate.

He notices me talking to Mystery Boy who hasn't remembered my name yet and keeps calling me Blondie in English, so he does not hesitate to ask him about the weather here and if the beaches are clean. He replies confidently, recommending some places we Absolutely Needed to visit during our stay and then tells us our total. Dad gives him the money, making him keep the change and then waves goodbye to him and gets out of the small shop. I, at the same time, let my eyes linger through the seemingly endless ice creams, repeating some of the weirdest names, so as to be sure to try them when we come here again. When Dad gets out, I turn towards the brown haired boy, taking my ice-cream and trying a full spoon of it. The taste of the rich cream mixed with the sour-sweet quince (which is, as I learned later, a kind of orange) makes me almost moan in pleasure, the delicate aromas of both of them making me want more.

"It's delicious! The combination is plain amazing!" I half cry-half moan closing my eyes to concentrate on the cold feel of it on my tongue.

"I know, I know. So, what do you want to do this summer, Blondie?" He asks and sinks his scooper in a bowl full of water.

"What do you mean, no-name-boy?" I play along, licking my spoon clean.

"I'm Andrew. Ανδρέας in Greek. What are your plans for this summer?"

"Oh. Well, I want to explore the island, make it unforgettable, know what I mean?" I laugh.

"Sure I do. Now, if you ever want a guide to show you what is really worthy in here, just drop by, to let me know about it. I can promise you, it will be just as amazing as your ice cream was", he chuckles.

"I'll think about it. It was very nice meeting you, Andrew", I smile and then exit the little parlor, avoiding my dad's smirk; linking my arm with his and then continuing our walk through the small alleys.

...

"So, is he like a Greek God?"

"No, I don't think so. More like a really cute guy, I guess".

"Cute guys; shy girls' deaths. I knew that you would eventually fall into one. What's his name?"

I am video texting with my best friend, Kat from America. Since the wifi connection is really crappy, more than half of my ass is OUT of the balcony railing. Quite dangerous, even for me, I must say. However, the view from up here is absolutely gorgeous.

"Andrew", I reply, bringing a loose strand of hair behind my ear. I can't help thinking how much the name suits him.

"Cute. Well, as a bestie I am, I dare you to try all the flavors in his shop. Within the month of you're staying there. And talk often with Andrew. What do you say?" She smirks.

"I don't have anything better to do. And it's not like I have an allergy in ice cream or anything. I'm in. It's two flavors per day, I can manage it", I flash her a toothy grin, raising my thumbs towards the web camera.

"So, what will be the prize?"

"I don't know, Kat. What do you think?" I ask.

"Well, maybe I can get you some vinyls for free. New stock. My brother just brought them", she offers.

Kat's family owns the only vintage shop in our town. You can find absolutely anything in there. Vinyls, posters, works of arts, retro clothes, presents, jewellery, everything. It's my second favorite place, back in Salem. The first being my grandmother's house.

"Definitely. I also want the brown leather necklace. The one with the feathers. And if I don't manage to complete your challenge, you'll get my bag, the one you've always wanted, fine?" I smile at her picture. Her dyed red hair is tied up in a French braid, showing her tattoo on her neck. It's a delicate black tulip along with the words Try Me in a calligraphic letters. Kat is my best friend since I was old enough to make friends and we grew together. As the years passed, we changed our personal styles but never drifted apart.

"Wonderful. What are the plans for today?" She asks, arching her eyebrows.

"Dinner with the Athanasopoulos family. Obligatory", I sigh, brushing my hair with my fingers.

"Come on, you're going to have fun, I mean, you're in Greece. I'm stuck in Atlanta with my grandparents. Now, I really have to go, Aunt May wants to teach me how to cook. See you after the catastrophe, girl", she laughs and logs off. I turn the laptop off and then proceed in wearing something warmer for tonight's dinner. And also something that will not make my mother scream in disgust. Good luck with that, Amber.

Ανδρέας = It is pronounced Anthreas with the th as the word though.