Chapter 3

I had been sitting in a beach chair reading. When it was slow I made major strides in my summer reading. Alyssa sat there too, but she just texted Rian or talked to people she knew who stopped by. She knew basically everyone, so whenever someone came by she talked to them until new customers came. Everyone liked her, but they didn't know her as well as I did. Deep down, I know the boys just liked her because she has big boobs but it was always a little sad when I sat there reading my summer reading, and she talked to Suzy Smats-frats for a half hour ten feet away.

She helped the kids in our grade, and I usually just helped the mothers who came by with their little kids. I scooped endless amounts of dyed pink ice cream and covered it with rainbow sprinkles. I smiled when the little kids leaned up, their little hands flat and gripping the small counter, and all you'd see was their eyes as they told you what flavor they wanted. They always got the same kind too, but I pretended I didn't remember them at all- just so they felt important. I liked that part of my job.

While Alyssa was over there leaning over getting ice cream for some guy, I was helping little kids and making their day.

A woman came up with her two kids. She had a baby girl who always stood beside her, and a boy who stood right up on his toes and told me he wanted rocky-road in a cake cone with chocolate sprinkles and a cup in case if fell like it did that-one-time. I smiled and got him his ice cream. Then I got his mother chocolate and the baby girl a soft serve vanilla. The little boy looked up at me. "The rocky road is really good today," He said. "Did you make it today?"

I smiled. "Yeah," I lied to him. "You like it? We added a new ingrediant."

"It's really good today," He said. The mother laughed a little, and I got her her change. I liked them best, because you could tell she liked her kids. She didn't just tolerate them like all the other mothers did. They came every Friday. I'd always help them, and then they'd sit in view of the screen door and eat. The mother wore these pretty long flow-y dresses, and her kids all looked like her. They had the same olive skin and curly hair. And they were always so happy.

On my break I had rocky road, and the boy was right. It was really good today.


"Hey, baby," Rian always called Alyssa baby. I leaned onto my elbow and kept reading. He always came by, and she would always get up and talks in a high excited pitch. It was the most annoying part of my day. I looked up at watched her eventually. She rolled her ankle around and she smiled at him, curling her hair in her fingers. Alyssa, even though I hated her most of the time, was gorgeous. She was the lucky girl everyone else was jealous of. I don't know when we became best friends, but it was sometime when I started dating Bryce.

Rian was good-looking too. He was really tan and brunette, but he was boring. He didn't do anything in school except play lacrosse and get mediocre grades, but he dated everyone eventually, Alyssa now, which we had expected for as long as they knew each other. But I didn't find him that remarkable anymore. When I was fifteen I used to like him, but that was two years ago.

Behind him, I saw Peter. He looked uncomfortable and bored, he never got dragged around like this. I got up and went over to a window far enough away from Rian and Alyssa. I slid back the window. "Peter, hey, do you want anything?"

Whenever anyone came they always got ice cream. The Shack had the best ice cream in the whole world, so there was no going there without leaving with ice cream. He looked over, surprised by me. He froze for a second second, making out what I said and making sure he wasn't just hearing things. He started over, and came to the window. He leaned down. "Hey," He said. "Um, yeah." He stepped back.

I leaned onto my elbow, I was always tired lately. I looked at him. He looked at the overwhelming list of forty flavors. I never knew that Peter never had a preference on a flavor, but I watched him and waited. He fixed his glasses, staring hopelessly at the words. I cleared my throat a little. "The rocky road is good today," I said.

He looked at me blankly, or so I thought. "It is?" He said. "I'll have that then."

"Cup or cone?" I asked. I brushed hair out of my eyes slightly.

"Cup," he said.

"Sprinkles?"

He thought it over. "Sure," He said with a nod. It was sort of funny, in the Peter kind of way, the way he was acting.

I smiled a little, it was less awkward. "Chocolate or rainbow?"

"Chocolate," He said, smiling a little too. The corners of his mouth turning up.

I nodded, pushing off of the counter. "What size?" I asked reaching for a little cup. I had my fingers on the regular.

"Medium," He said.

Same thing. I picked it up and went down on freezer. I scooped him his ice cream. We were told to generally skimp, but nobody was really eating the new carton of rocky road, so I made sure I gave him a lot. I gave him a lot of sprinkles too. Walking back over to the window. I disappeared under, opening a new bag of spoons. "That'll be two-fifteen." I called up to him.

He nodded, taking out his wallet. It's been a couple days since I last saw him. "Are you busy today?"

"No," I said. "Actually. Today's pretty slow."

He nodded. He gave me three dollars. Then he tasted the ice cream. He nodded as I passed him his change. He had a little of it on his lower lip. After he pocketed the few coins, he got a napkin. "This is really good," He said.

I nodded, laughing a little. "It usually isn't that great," I said. "But we must have gotten a good carton of it."

He nodded taking another spoonful. "I'm pretty impressed." He said smiling a little. I smiled at him.

"What brings you here anyways?" I asked. Peter never hung out with Rian alone. And he knew what I meant by this. He shrugged, swallowing. He glanced over at the two of them, they were both laughing softly to each other. I don't think I've ever really heard them talk, they usually just laugh at each other and kiss. But I guess every couple in the world but me and Bryce always do that.

"We're meeting up with Marcus and the other girls soon," He said. "I just really wanted ice cream."

I smiled. He looked at me. "Guess we're going to Joe Carlson's house tonight, too," He said. Peter and I never talked much at all. So this was unusual, but he was easy to talk to, which was something I always kind of picked up on. I groaned. We always went to Joe Carlson's.

"I'm so sick of going there," I said softly.

He made a face in agreement. "Nobody like's Joe," He said. "I don't see why we always have to go over his house." He took another bite of ice cream. "Hey, Kayla," Alyssa called over to me. "Do we have anymore sugar cones?"

"Yeah," I said. I disappeared under the counter again and got her one. She met me halfway, getting Rian his black rasberry. I turned back to Peter. "Whose driving?"

He paused. "Me and Marcus probably," He said. He got another spoonful of rocky road. I exhaled, looking off past him into the road. "But Rian might be actually, his dad's letting him use his car today."

I looked at him. "Really?"

He nodded. "So I might not." He said, he looked into his cup. I nodded looking at him.

"I hope Rian doesn't," I said softly. Rian started driving lately, and I always get stuck with Tyler in the back while Rian and Alyssa sit in front. And Tyler's been much more presistent lately.

He looks at me. "Me and Marcus could always pick you up if you want," He said suddenly.

I shrug. "Thanks," I smile a little. "I'd be cool with that."

I didn't think anyone notices me and Tyler. Or even acknowledges how much I hate him. They probably all think we're cute, but I know Peter picks up it all. He nods a little, about to say something before Rian calls to him. He says goodbye to me, and goes with him. Alyssa sits down next to me. She smiles at me. "Tyler told Rian he's going to ask you out soon," She said.

I nodded, not saying anything. I smile a little at her before going back to my lawn chair. I open my book and start reading. Alyssa reads her Vogue next to me, and we don't talk that much. I'm too tired to put in the effort with her. We only start talking when Harper gets dropped off and it gets busy. But other than that we don't acknowledhe one another.

She didn't even see me and Peter talking, even when I know she hates Peter the most out of all of us.


A/N: So here's my little check-in: What do you think so far? Honest opinions?

-Thoughts on Kayla and other characters.

-Am I missing the boat on anything?

-Any characters you like/is this believable and relateyable?

-Is it interesting?

I would like some feedback as I embark on the rest of it, and I will appreciate anything that is said to me about anything. You could completely tear this apart and tell me to learn how to spell and I will appreciate it. Review, please, then, I guess I'm saying. I love you all.