"Liza, get over here! I need you!" Charlie yelled from behind the counter of his kitchen.
Liza was sitting upright very properly in a chair and eating the chicken strips that Charlie's mom had made her when she'd found out that Eliza hadn't had anything to eat that night. She had been listening to Abraham and Michael argue about the importance of math versus science, which they did all day and all night. She herself usually jumped in by moderating the argument and adding a opinion for language arts and history, but tonight the guys were in way too deep talking about derivatives and how Isaac Newton was such a genius because he invented the laws of physics and calculus.
"I'm not sure I can leave, these two might injure themselves trying to defy gravity or something." She called into the kitchen back at Charlie.
Michael paused in his description of the invention of music evolving from math to shout at Charlie. "A word of advice, Charles: ask nicely."
Charlie stuck his head out and looked at Eliza. "Lady Elizabeth, would you please come join me in the kitchen for a moment?"
"Alright." Eliza got up from her chair as Shanna walked in. She laughed when she realized the guys were having their age old argument.
"I'll watch 'em, Liza." Shanna said and waved Eliza away as she sat down in her chair.
Eliza walked into the kitchen and set her plate on the counter as she leaned against it. "Hey."
"Hey," Charlie greeted her. He was setting out sodas on the counter, and he tossed a Dr. Pepper to her. He gestured to a plate with various fruit and cheese and crackers on it. "That's for you."
"Why thank you, Charles!" Eliza said with a surprised but happy expression on her face. "What is the occasion?"
Charlie shook his head and grinned at her. "You didn't eat or drink anything and sang for almost an hour straight. I'm celebrating your rare recklessness." Eliza just stared at him with her eyebrows raised. "Oh, alright fine. I wanted to thank you."
Eliza cocked her head to one side. "For what?"
"Could you please take ice cream inventory while you're here?" He gestured to the freezer.
Eliza opened it and began to count ice creams. "Continue on."
"Well, for one thing, you encouraged me to meet new people and put myself out there." Charlie said with little smile.
"Ah." Eliza said with a knowing expression. He was talking about Aylin. "Sure."
"And for another, you let me sing, which I think was the tipping point." He was full out grinning wistfully now.
"Of what?" Eliza asked with a half amused, half worried face.
"Of winning her." Charlie sighed, and Eliza gasped. He was already referring to Aylin as "Her". Charlie could definitely fall in love easily. "Aylin has realized that even though I'm a dork, I am also gentleman with a voice that croons. It might've gotten me a kiss." He said smugly.
"It only might've of gotten you one? You don't know for sure?" Eliza said teasingly.
Charlie hit her with a towel. "Shut up and tell me how much ice cream we have."
Break
Nellie was sitting on the floor with her legs spread out in front of her and crossed at the ankles as she leaned back against the couch. She was in the Weisman's living room, a space with two couches, a flat screen TV, and recliners. It was a large room with carpeted floor and rugs on top on top of the carpet. The gang was spread throughout the floor, but most of them were in the living room.
On the couch behind Nellie was Michael and Aylin, across from them on the other couch sat Eliza, Blake, and George. Abraham, Adam, and Luke were standing and trying to do various tricks like cartwheels and throwing food in their mouths.
Presently Charlie and Shanna walked into the room from the kitchen.
"Attention!" Shanna shouted and cleared her throat, making the others laugh. "The time has come for the ice cream creators go to their stations and prep. I now hand it over to our host and announcer, Mr. Charlie Lubeck!"
Everyone clapped and cheered as Michael and Abe got up from their seats and went to the kitchen. Charlie bowed, and then began to speak. "Alright. Welcome all to the first ever Ice Cream
Battle, hosted at the Lubeck household." There was a smattering of applause, and Charlie grinned at them all. "Elizabeth, the rules sheet!"
"Right here." Eliza handed over the lined sheet paper.
"Our dear Eliza has created the list of official rules for this situation, and has vowed to be completely neutral until the taste testing. The Official Regulations of an Ice Cream Battle as of 20 minutes ago." He looked around to make sure everyone was listening. "The two contests will both get equal amounts of counter space, vanilla ice cream, and toppings. Each contest must use the vanilla ice cream and a minimum of one topping of their choice in their dish."
"Wow." Aylin muttered to Eliza. "You took this very seriously."
"Hey!" Blake shouted at her. "Ice cream is very serious."
Charlie shot Blake an annoyed glance. "May I continue?" He asked them all. When he had received nods and eye contact, he continued. "Each contest must serve a group of civilians their ice cream creations, and this group must be at least 7 people. Before the ice cream is served all dishes must be inspected visually and found equal. After tasting, every taste tester will get one vote that goes toward whichever ice cream creation they preferred according to taste, visual presentation, or any other reason they might have. Contests are allowed to vote, but to win this right they must taste both ice creams. In the case of a tie, the voting will be extended to a parent or additional friend whom is not biased." Charlie looked up at the group and smiled. "Does anyone hunger for ice cream? Let the tasting begin!"
Cheers erupted from the group. Everyone got up and headed into the kitchen where Michael and Abraham were. Someone had laid out food on the counter for them along with candy, cookies, and soda. The two boys were each on opposite sides of the kitchen, perfecting each dish of ice cream. Predictably, Michael was sitting on the counter with a jar of peanut butter and delicately swirling it into the vanilla scoops. Abraham on the other hand was cutting off the ends of Twisler's and Redvines and stuffing them with toppings.
Michael noticed what he was doing. "Liza! Is what Abe is doing legal?"
Abraham looked offended but turned to Eliza. "Tell him, Liza."
Liza smiled and looked back at her brother. "He's perfectly clean. In fact, I'd say he's using the rules to his advantage. There's a one topping minimum."
"But isn't this a competition between the two toppings?" Michael asked, confused.
Eliza considered this. "Valid point. Here's what I'd say: the formerly chosen topping must be the star of the show. It needs to be most present in your dish. Other toppings may enhance the dish." Liza looked around at everyone else stuffing themselves with food and talking. "Oi! Did you all here that? Pay attention to the toppings and choose wisely!"
Nellie scampered up to Michael and leaned against the counter. "So, what're you gonna do?"
Michael quickly checked all of his dishes before looking at her. He let out a sigh. "I think I'm going to keep it simple."
Nellie gave him a small encouraging smile. "Well, I wish you luck."
"Thanks, Resident Ice Cream Expert." Michael said back to her. He got a smile from Nellie as she went to talk to Abraham. "Hey Liza, I'm ready."
Liza nodded and checked on Abraham, who was still creating. After a minute or so, he waved her over.
"Check it out!" Abraham said proudly to her. His creations were very creative and colorful. Besides licorice, Abraham had used chocolate syrup and M&Ms along with other unidentifiable gummy candies.
Eliza grinned. "Well, you definitely get style points." She glanced over at Charlie, who was talking with Aylin. "Charles! I have inspected the ice cream! Both teams are go!"
"Everybody hear that?" Charlie yelled loudly. Charlie had a gift for getting people pumped and excited. Everyone looked at him in anticipation. "Gentlemen, shake hands."
Michael and Abraham stepped forward to shake. "If I lose, I lose to a worthy opponent." Michael said smiling to Abraham. Abraham pulled him into a bro hug.
"I think I need a drum roll!" Charlie yelled.
Blake, on the counter, jumped up. "Lize! Sticks!" he yelled to Liza as she and Luke ran back with their drumsticks. They only had two pairs though. Adam jumped up too, for he also needed sticks.
Everyone else had already begun the drum roll on the cabinets and counters.
"Uh…" Eliza glanced around franticly at them, threw he sticks at Adam, and opened a drawer.
"Aha! Here!" She yelled at Blake as she tossed him two wooden spoons before getting two for herself.
Together Adam, Luke, Liza, and Blake did the "official" drum roll.
"Ok. Everyone get one bowl of each ice cream! Commence tasting!" Charlie yelled and brought his hands down like a referee at the starting signal of a race.
Everyone got in line for ice cream, and Abraham and Michael handed it out. Then they moved to hang out in the other rooms as they ate. Michael and Abraham joined their friends after dishing out all the ice cream. Michael lay down on the floor with his ice cream in a bowl on his chest and ate it like that.
Meanwhile, Eliza, Blake and Adam were talking.
"Nice save back there, Liza." Blake said with a smile and gestured to the sticks in his back pocket.
Liza smiled. "Thanks, Blake." She looked over at where Nellie, Abraham, and Michael were situated. Abraham had decided to lie like Michael and had demanded Nellie to feed them, which she demurely refused to do. "Look at them, all friendly."
Blake glanced over, and then his eyes lit up. "I have a great idea!" He shouted and shot off towards the others.
Adam glanced at Eliza. "What do you think he's gonna do?"
"Something creative and probably funny, knowing Blake." She replied. "But who knows."
Adam took a breath. "Liza?"
She looked at him. "Yeah?"
"Thank you." He said.
"For what?"
He sighed and looked away, then made eye contact with her. "You know. For helping me, being my friend, and generally being awesome."
"Of course." She said smiling slightly, still looking at him carefully because he had a funny expression on his face. "Why are you thanking me now though?"
"You seem to be doing a lot of match making lately," he purposely eyed Charlie, who had ice cream on his nose, and Nellie, who giggled from her place leaning over Michael at something he had said. "And it's making you tired."
"You the think the couples are making me tired? Not the mass amounts of homework from school?" She shook her head at him. "What about you? You seem too serious for your own good."
He smiled. "Well, you know. Girl troubles."
"You? Girl troubles? I didn't know such a thing was possible." Eliza said smugly.
"Girls are complicated." He shrugged and tried to hide the color creeping up his neck.
"I'm glad to hear you're finally figuring that out." She told him. Charlie was waving her over. "Oh, looks like it's time to tally up the votes. Wish me luck with this whole process." She said over her shoulder as she walked away.
"Throw the election! Throw it!" He yelled after her.
She turned around and grinned at him. "It's an ice cream democracy!" As Liza was walking toward Charlie, Blake grabbed her.
"Liza! You're just in time to see my idea play out!" He pointed to Michael and Abraham, the only ones who had yet to finish their ice cream. They were sitting up now. Abraham had a bowl of his type of ice cream, and Michael had a bowl of his.
"What are you gonna make them do?" Liza asked Blake critically.
"Just watch." He said with a goofy grin.
Nellie brought her camera out. Michael and Abraham, making serious eye contact, both got a big spoonful of ice cream and shoved them in each other's mouths, wedding style. Nellie snapped a photo of the two of them, Abraham with a crazed look in his eyes and trying not to swallow, and Michael smiling with red-tinted vanilla ice cream dripping down his chin.
Eliza chuckled. "Oh Blake, this is why we're friends."
"Aww, look at the love birds." Aylin cooed and laughed.
"Liza." Charlie called and grabbed her by the elbow. "Let's start the voting."
Eliza cleared her throat. "Alright. While the love birds finish eating their ice cream, the voting can begin. Here's how it'll work: when I call your name, you will go into the kitchen and place your spoon on one side of the counter. One side is Michael's, one side is Abraham's. Then you will come back out and keep your mouth shut." She glanced around menacingly. "Everyone will vote."
And so it was. Eliza called everyone's name, and each person went in the back with their spoon and returned without it. The very last person to go was Nellie, and she very carefully made her decision.
"The votes are in." Eliza said before going in the kitchen to count the spoons. She disappeared into the room, then after a minute or so came back out and whispered something in Charlie's ear.
"Attention! I have the results." He shouted at the group, who quieted down. They looked up at him eagerly in suspense as he continued whispering with Liza.
Michael sat up quickly. He flattened his palms and leaned his face against them. He looked over at Abraham, who was also watching intently.
Charlie cleared his throat. "In a very close tally," he started out, "we found our ice cream winner. And that person is…." He hung on a while for suspense, "Michael Weisman and his Peanut Butter Ice Cream!"
"Yeah!" Michael jumped up and fist pumped in the air. Everyone else decided to pile on him and form a group hug. Michael, grinning, turned around because he'd felt someone poke him. That someone was Abraham, who glared at him for a second before breaking into a grin and tackling him in a hug.
"As long as it was close." Abraham said jokingly to him.
"Let's continue this party, shall we?" Charlie yelled and turned on Macklemore's And We Danced. The party then resumed, and there was much dancing and singing.
I'm not even going to apologize. You get it. If anyone is still actively interested in this story, please write a review. Otherwise, I'm not sure what direction I'm going to go with it. But I wanted to finish this chapter for you guys.
