CH 10: Peach Flavored Ice Cream

"Wait!" I call as Tori's about to drive off.

Yeah, I still haven't told her how I felt. All day I've been trying to force myself to ask her out, but right before I tried, I'd become incredibly nervous.

Last night she told me she was supposed to leave in the morning, and that she wouldn't wake me. Here I was, though.

I thought it was too late when I woke up and didn't find her in the guest room. Sure enough I rush over, and it turns out I just caught her by a few seconds.

"Jade! Did you come to say goodbye?" she smiles, as her window rolls down.

Goodbye was the last thing I'd came for. I came to say I was in love with her, and that I really was jealous before. I came to say I didn't want Cassopolis to be the beginning and end of our time together as friends- no, more than just friends. I came to tell her she's more gorgeous than the lake at night, and how sexy she looks in her bikini. I came to tell her I carved our initials on our tree with my necklace.

But I just couldn't find the breath to speak.

Tori puts the car in park, and hops out.

"I'll see you at school in a couple days, alright?" she says, quickly embracing me in a hug. "I gotta go now, my parents are expecting me home in a couple hours."

Still, I stood speechless. Why? Why did my words have to choose now to not work? I store blankly as she drove away down the dirt road.

It was probably for best I kept these things to myself. Had I just blurt them all at once, she probably wouldn't understand! One day I'll tell her though, and I'll tell her everything that was running through my mind; the day she said she called Cat, or when I started avoiding her. Maybe she'll provide some insight too, and we'll finally be able to be open with each other.

In the mean time...

My phone buzzes. I slide my phone on to answer the call, but wait for her to speak first.

"Jade, come down to the Marina, ASAP!"

"Tori?" She'd hung up.

Something was riling her up though, and she wanted me there. I started to walk at a fast pace, and as the Marina came into view I found myself running.

The parking lot was crammed with cars, and people were standing around with their kids and grandkids, all anxious to get inside. There was a big banner above the door, which read 'Grand re-opening!'

"Barb, how?" I babble in astonishment as I enter the building.

"You made it! I'm so pleased!" Barb smiles. "Tori, come over here! There's someone here you two should meet."

Next to Barb stood a women who was maybe a few years younger than she. She had on very old-fashioned clothes, as well as the ring Tori and I retrieved.

"Girls, I'd like you to meet Flora. Her great-grandfather was the former governor of Georgia!"

"No way!" Tori excites.

Barb had somehow contacted a descendant of the ring's owner, but... "How in the world...?"

"Are you the two young ladies who found my great grandmothers ring?" the lady asks. "This ring means so much to my family! Thank you very much!"

"Flora, did you do all this?" Tori asks, looking around at the crowded restaurant in awe.

The lady nods, and Barb smiles.

"Thank you Miss Flora." I sincerely respond. "This place mean so much to us all."

"Don't you even worry about it, girls. I'll be taking care of all payments on this place, regardless of the conditions." she assures us.

"Now you two enjoy yourselves; ice cream's on me, girls!" Barb says, waving her hand up in the air happily.

We both had to leave, but I figure we deserve to sit and enjoy one ice cream after all we'd done this week.

"Seeing this place like this, it was all worth it." Tori claims, then takes a lick from her cone.

...

"...okay... Did you lose your voice again or what?"

"No." I choke out. "No I didn't. I'm just... Happy."

"You don't look happy." Tori notices. "We did it; the Marina's back! Aren't you at least a little excited?"

"Don't get me wrong, I'm really, really glad this place is staying open. It's just... Now we have to leave."

I didn't just have to leave the Marina, but all the memories of this trip had to stay here too.

"Just because we're not at the lake doesn't mean we can't still be friends." Tori suggests, taking another bite out of her cone.

"Whaaaat? I wasn't talking about..."

She was staring at me harshly though. She clearly wasn't going to believe me anyway.

"Technically it doesn't." I reply to her last question.. "...look this summer has been crazy. We've grown really close, and I really don't know if I could spend any more time with you as, well, just friends."

"What do you mean by that?" She leaned her elbow against the table now.

"I mean, it drives me crazy! ...oh, never mind."

She sits up more now. "Common, tell me!" she persists. "What drives you crazy?"

"You..." I mutter. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you really confuse me sometimes Vega."

"And, how am I supposed to take that, exactly?" she asks.

I ignore her though, and continue. "I just don't know what to think." I sigh. "I don't know what I want! That, or I'm just not willing to admit what I-"

"I really don't have time for this." Tori states, cutting me off.

She stood and tossed the remains of her ice cream in the trash, then paused in front of me. "You've kept me waiting all week, so just... ask me out already!"

A-ask...

"I've made it more than obvious I want you. Now I need an answer. I can't wait another summer for this!"

She was acting like she was annoyed! But, she wanted an answer. How could I not feel confused.

"You gonna say something, or should I go?"

...

She rolls her eyes, then turns around. "Whatever. I'll-"

"Yes."

My heart was pounding, and I felt more out of breath than when my air tank ran out. She froze in her place, which now I realize is what I wanted. I didn't want her to go anywhere.

"Yes what." she breaths, standing completely still.

"Yes... I'll..." my entire body tenses. "I'll go out with you."

She spun around now and had tears in her eyes. "Really?" she sniffles, and starts closer to me. "I mean... is this really what you want?"

I stand, take hold of her hands, and shut my eyes. "I think so." I smile. "Actually, I think it's what I need. ...I need you Tori."

She inhaled deeply at the words, and I pull her closer. I looked up at her now, and she was no longer crying.

I store into her eyes. They shone brightly with a deep passion for her desires, or maybe it was just my own eyes reflecting. There was a deep connection between us either way that lead me to believe we'd both needed this.

Having to part our ways was hard, but not impossible. I knew in a matter of days I would see her again, and this time around there were no secrets.