Two Scoops of Summer Love

8. Moose Trax

Mum and Marissa came home as Noah and I were playing explorer in the backyard. I was covered in grime from the dirt and sand we had been playing in sticking to my sunscreen, so I had to shower and get reorganized before my shift started. At least if there was any benefit to the grease-adhered dirt it was that my skin would be soft after this almost involuntary exfoliation. 

I shoved my feet into a pair of sandals, grabbed my bag, and set out for town. I danced past Camille's house, grooving to the music from my earbuds well aware that I looked stupid. I knew Camille was home and probably napping but I took the opportunity to goof off. She didn't come outside so I had failed. I continued down the quiet street dancing in a more reserved manner. I turned when I heard footsteps catch up to me.

"Good tunes or should I not comment?" Cameron was still fidgeting to get his shoe on as he matched my pace. My face flushed. 

"Oh yeah," I said feeling like my embarrassment was plastered for all to see. "Uh, I was just trying to see if I could make Camille walk with me to work." I tugged the cords and wrapped my headphones around my phone. 

"Oh well I'm headed to work too, I can keep you company," he offered with a smile. Cameron rubbed the back of his neck and looked away before saying, "I mean, if you want the company."

"Yeah, no, that'd be great!" My voice sounded too chipper when I responded. I cleared my throat and watched my shoes as we walked. I had been kicking the same stone along for a couple minutes before Cameron spoke again. 

"I noticed you this morning when I was on my run," I felt his eyes on my face but continued looking at my feet. "Were you babysitting or something?"

"Oh, yeah." I looked up and got caught in his eyes. "My nephew has a lot of energy so I was trying to burn some of that off for my sister." He smiled at me with his perfect smile and I felt like melting. 

"I figured you knew each other well by the grins on your faces as I ran past." The spell was broken by his words and I looked away again. 

"Yeah, they visit a lot."

We continued on our way to the main strip. Families biked past us and other teens made their way down side streets heading for the water. I found another stone to kick. It skittered in front of us a couple times before I didn't get another chance to kick. Cameron had toed the stone so far ahead of us that I stopped walking; I stopped partly because he stole my stone but also partly because of the grin he gave me as he continued walking.

"C'mon pipsqueak," he laughed. "Or are you too scared to race me for it?" Immediately, I ran forward, both of us racing for the stupid rock. I slid my foot in front of his and tapped it out of his path. We ran all over the road, chasing the rock and trying to beat one another to it after the kick.

A honk stopped our makeshift game. Cameron and I moved over to the side of the road and let the grey minivan drive through. I had to catch my breath a little. I tried to watch his face out of the corner of my eye. His cheeks were flushed. I found that I felt my face blushing at the thought of how adorable his tinged skin was. I pulled my hair out from behind my ear and tried to hide the colour. Some days I really did curse how my pale skin made blushing so easy. The minivan crushed the stone we had been abusing as it went by.

"Well that's the end of our game, isn't it?" I laughed, forgetting my embarrassment.

"You know Ana, sometimes I like to think that some things end for other things to start." Cameron said. 

"I think I agree with you there." I added before checking my watch out of habit. "Shit! I'm going to be late for work if I don't get going." Cameron gestured as if saying 'lead the way' and I started walking a little faster than before. We made it almost to the strip before we parted ways, Cameron saying that he had to meet up with a friend before he went to work.

Walking into The Creamery, I knew I had a dumb grin on my face. Bryan didn't look up at all from his phone as I grabbed my apron and settled in for my shift.

~~~

This is ridiculous. Sweet Thing has a line up that stretches down the block, and I've served maybe ten customers in the past four hours that I have been at work. All I do is wipe down clean counters and stare out the window at the monstrosity of a tourist trap that is Sweet Thing. What do they have that we don't? Yeah, okay so they have fun decor and a bigger seating area, but ice cream is ice cream, isn't it?

I looked up as the bell jingled. The possibility of a new thing to do was too strong after the boring afternoon I had just endured. It was just Bryan, returning from his break. I sat back down sulking a little. Here I had thought that getting paid for not doing anything was a sweet deal. What a fool.

"Get out of here," Bryan snipped in his bored tone. "Have dinner or something, I don't care but with that line up I seriously doubt I'm going to get slammed with a dinner rush."

"Yeah, okay." I agreed as I grabbed my bag and headed up to the convenience store. It was easier to eat behind the counter in their air conditioning than to fend off seagulls and sweat like crazy on the beach front. It was a benefit of practically being family. As I was walking, Cameron called my name.

"Hey, Ana! Are you on break?" He asked when I stopped and turned to look at him. 

"Yeah, I'm on my dinner break so I have an hour before I have to be back." I smiled as I spoke.

"Oh that's rad, I am too!" Cameron smiled back.

"Really? What a coincidence," I said incredulously.

"Well not really, but I'm the only one left for today so now can't hurt." Cameron seemed like the sun personified. He was always seeming bright and warm, at least when I was around. I laughed at his excuse and gestured for him to follow.

"I just have to stop and grab a drink, but then we can head wherever," I said as I turned and pulled open the doors. "Do you have stuff on you?"

"Nah, not really," Cameron seemed spacey as he looked around the convenience store. I'm guessing that he hadn't been inside yet. I made a beeline to my favourite ice tea before waiting for him to catch up.

"You want anything then?" I asked gaining his full attention. "It's no big deal, I get a family discount because I grew up with the owners' daughter."

"No, it's okay I can't ask you to do that," he refused. "That is a nice deal though. Besides I'll just grab a combo at the burger place on third." I shrugged and grabbed my bottle and went to the front of the store. Dropping a dollar and smiling at Camille's mom, I followed Cameron out and down the street. I decided to make some small talk while he waited for his dinner.

I found out that his family did actually move into the house down the street, and that he was transferring to Camille's school in the fall for his senior year. He had a little sister who was only four because his mother had her after she remarried. Cameron was also hoping to join the school volleyball team because he played in a league before the move. His zodiac sign is a Cancer, but his birthday was in June so he hadn't moved yet.  And according to him, Cameron had "a big brain" so he was going to take AP Biology and Physics in the fall.

We sat on the patio of the burger place laughing over our mutual break. It seemed like our senses of humour matched and I found myself coming out of my shell quicker that I normally would. Of course, it helped how laid-back Cameron was. After my iced tea came out of my nose after a particularly funny joke, I didn't feel like dying of embarrassment like I normally would. Instead, Cameron immediately lapsed into an account of chocolate milk coming out of his own nose in middle school.

I walked with Cameron back to The Creamery at the end of my break. The smile on my face as I walked in the door had Bryan looking at me funny. I tugged my apron back on and by the time I turned around, Cameron was no where to be seen. I didn't care. Either way, I felt like I had found a new friend.