Green, white and yellow stripes glowed in the sunlight that beat down on the new canvas awning. Hot, lazy summer days were here now, and ice cream at everyone's favorite spot seemed like just the thing to cool down with. Small wrought iron cafe tables and chairs lined the sidewalk outside the curved windows of the corner drugstore. They had been freshly painted in a bright yellow to match the awning, and this afternoon, like every summer afternoon, every table was filled.
Shy Casey Trotter filled the silver tray with ice cream cones of all different flavors. Holes in the tray held the pointed sugar cones in place so that she could carry all seven of them safely out to the group of teenagers sitting around the tables on the sidewalk. Her friends from school.
Casey could tell that they had all come from the pool. She noticed that their hair was still mostly wet, though not dripping, and the t-shirts that they had thrown on over their bathing suits were darkened in spots where they had not dried yet. She looked at Ross through the window as she made her way to the door. His head tossed back as he erupted in another one of his deep laughs that she could hear from here. She took a deep breath. She loved his laugh, she loved him. Not that he knew about it. Her crush on him had never been obvious, and she was sure that no one had noticed. She really missed being part of the group.
She shrugged, it had been her choice to take this summer job. Hanging out with her friends would have been fun, but she needed a head start on tuition for college, and she was not allowed to work during the school year. This was it. A sigh escaped her lips, she might as well get this over with.
Pushing the glass door open with her hip, she put on a friendly smile. Hands came up to grab the cones as she lifted them out one by one. She saved the one for Ross for last. He was sitting at the far end of the grouping of tables, and had to stand to reach her outstretched hand. Smiling back at her, his fingers brushed hers as he took the cone.
"Thanks," he said and sat back down, still keeping his eyes on her. Casey tried not to react, but that brief contact had done something to her stomach and she had forgotten to breath for a moment. Now his attention to her had her flustered and she could feel the heat burning her cheeks in a blush that she could not hide. His smile broadened and he winked.
Ross had liked Casey since their Sophomore year. She was quiet and hardly ever talked, but when she did, she always has something important to say, and well, he just loved the sound of her voice. Always part of the group, they had done so many things together, he knew her well by now. She was smart, and talented and one day she was going to be a famous artist. He knew that was her dream, though she told her parents and the counselors at school that she was studying to be a teacher.
Just then, Sherry dropped her ice cream on the sidewalk. She looked down at it and then, frowning, looked back at Casey. The kids were all laughing, it had been funny to watch. The stuff from comedies. Ross could see the concern in Casey's eyes. He loved that about her, she was always so kind to everyone.
"I'll go get another one," she said as she turned and rushed back into the store. Within a minute she was back with a new one. Sherry smiled and thanked her, the conversation took up where it had left off and Casey went back inside. Ross immediately missed her.
At the end of her shift, Casey walked out of the door to see Ross sitting there, in practically the same place he had been this afternoon. But now he was wearing dry clothes, and his hair combed. His hair was getting long again, the silky waves, that she longed to touch, curled a little on his neck. Realizing that she was staring at him, she tried to look away, but not before she gave him a small smile.
She could not imagine why he was here now. Alone. Though she knew what she hoped, Casey would never have dreamed that he wanted to spend time with her. But she was about to find out that that was exactly what was going on.
"Want some more ice cream?" she teased, not knowing what else to say. He smiled, shaking his head slightly. He stood, and slowly moved toward her. She didn't know how pretty she was. It intrigued him that she could be so unaware of her appeal to him. He wanted to change that, but he would have to take it nice and easy.
"Can I walk you home?" he asked and fell into step with her as she nodded and turned toward the street. He wanted to hold her hand. He would sometime soon.
The sky above them was finally letting go of the brilliant colors from the sunset. Stars were starting to make an appearance one by one as the lavender twilight faded into the deeper blue of night. For once, Casey did not notice. Her artist's eye for beauty rarely missed the splendor of nature around her, but all of her attention was now focused on the boy walking so close to her.
She nodded at the Sloans who lived down the street from her. As they passed by, the couple exchanged a knowing look. They turned and watched as Ross casually reached out and picked a bright flower from the bush along the sidewalk. He handed it to Casey, and she held it delicately with both hands. Looking up at him through long lashes, her delight showed through as she thanked him.
"Ah, young love," Mark Sloan whispered to his wife Elaine. She smiled and nodded, giving him a quick kiss. It was just so sweet, she thought. Mark picked a nearby flower and gave it to her, copying the gesture they had just seen by Ross. She smiled and leaned into him, holding onto his arm as they made their way home. Mark had a contented look on his face. Giving flowers to a girl never got old.
