Super short because I'm super tired but this was one I was really looking forward to writing. Who doesn't love a late night ice cream date?
"Lucas, if my parents catch us they're going to do a lot more than steal our shoes," Riley hissed as she followed her boyfriend up the fire escape to the roof of her building.
"Don't worry Riley, we're technically not leaving the building and your parents are probably fast asleep by now." Making it up to the top he turned to help her over the ledge of the roof.
"As we should be. Who crawls through someone's window at 4am to go for ice cream?" Her voice was frustrated from having been abruptly woken just a few minutes earlier, but she couldn't keep the grin off her face at the sight of Lucas standing in front of her.
He looked so different from when she'd last seen him only five weeks ago, with his hair sticking out slightly longer and a light trace of stubble on his jaw. Looking at him now it wasn't hard to remember that he was fourteen months older than her. He would be eighteen soon, he was practically a grown man. Suddenly she felt insecure about her Cuddle Bunny pajama bottoms.
"Again, technically I didn't crawl through your window," he chuckled, leading her to the bench on the other side of the rooftop. "I stayed outside the whole time. I know better than to press my luck with your dad. I swear he has a sensor that goes off every time I step foot in your room." They both laughed as they sat down and Lucas began pulling the ice cream containers from the paper bag he'd been carrying. "I just missed you, and I wanted to see you as soon as we got home. Is that a bad thing?"
"No, it's not. I missed you too," she replied easily. He and his parents had gone to visit their family in Texas for the last half of summer vacation and had only flown in late last night. He had to have literally come straight to see her. The thought made her heart warm with love for this sweet boy she had been lucky to call hers for the last nearly two years.
Lucas smiled as he passed the smaller container and a plastic spoon to her reached out hands. She had been texting him all week about the unbearable heat wave that had hit New York; even the nights required her family to blast their air conditioning. He'd gotten the idea to stop by the all night ice cream shop a couple blocks from his apartment while they were still on the plane ride home.
"You remembered the gummy bears!" she cried happily, bouncing up and down a little with excitement as she woke up a little more.
"Of course." He cocked his head to the side with a laugh and wondered how she thought he could forget.
"Thank you," she mumbled through a bite of ice cream. She leaned up and pressed her cold lips against his cheek. His stubble scratched her face, and while the sensation was new it wasn't altogether unpleasant.
They stayed up there until the sun began to rise over the horizon, eating their frozen treats and talking about what they wanted to do during their last week before the new school year. When the sounds from the streets below them started to get louder Lucas knew it was time to get Riley back to her room. Even on summer vacation Mr. Matthews was an early riser and he really didn't want to risk getting on his bad side.
With a short kiss and a promise to see her later in the day, Lucas finally stepped back to begin his dissent down to the street.
"Good night Riley."
"Good morning Lucas," she giggled, before disappearing back through her window.
