Sweet Tooth Melody
Brown eyes swept idly over the book lying on the table, lazily taking in the words of some invasion or another that had failed because some idiot thought they could survive winter in the mountains. A soft sigh left Emma's lips as she finally closed the book, giving up on studying for the moment, her eyes flicking over to Mihn, Melody. The girl had just transferred into her class a few weeks ago, but had quickly risen to one of the top ten in their grade level school wide.
Emma and Kyo were the second and first on that list respectively, but they didn't really need to study all that much to stay up there. They would usually have review sessions with the other Heirs and Heiresses, each taking on teaching their families specialty for anyone who needed it.
Melody had wanted to study though, so now she was sat across from the girl, eyes avidly taking in what the textbook had to say. Despite the fact that Emma had really wanted to do anything but study, she'd made it a considerable way through, reaching almost halfway through the book in her skimming. The other was not nearly as far though, so it would take a while.
Maybe she could go hang out with Cat.
Melody's book slammed closed, gaining her attention as she looked up to the girl's face once more. She was smiling, though it looked like she could use a break.
"I forgot why I don't like history." Melody said in false cheerfulness.
"Why's that?" Emma asked, placing her chin in her hand as her elbow rested on the table, the other hand coming to lay on her upper arm.
"It's boring." Melody deadpanned, and Emma bit her lip to keep from laughing. She stood from her chair and started packing her things and gathering the books.
"In that case, why don't we go for ice cream? My treat." Emma said, pulling her bag onto her shoulder.
"Sounds perfect." Melody said grinning.
"Right." Emma sent a quick text to Cat asking if she wanted to tag along, but the girl replied that the team were still practicing. They'd been doing that a lot recently, her cousin would leave early in the morning and wouldn't return until the sun was just barely visible over the horizon.
That was why she was hanging out with the new girl today, instead of her cousin or long standing best friend. Cat and Karl were always busy now. She shot another quick text to Riff though, who's response was much more promising.
RiffTheVillian: Of course! I'd never miss the chance for a sweet treat and an opportunity to annoy Kitty-Cat
Emma frowned at the screen. Karl must have been messing with her phone again if his name was back to that.
Emie: Cat's not coming, I'm bringing Melody.
RiffTheVillian: Still Ice-cream. Who's Melody?
Emie: Remember when I told you guys there was a new girl in my class? That's her!
"Who are you texting?" Melody asked, looking over at her phone as she powered it off again.
"My friend Riff. He's gonna meet us there too." Emma said, sliding the device into her pocket.
"Is he cute?" Melody asked, teasingly. Emma glanced at her and nearly laughed at the face she was making. It was like Cat anytime she mentioned her ever elusive crush.
"Well some girls would say that, but he's got eyes for my cousin, so at least he's not in poor taste." Emma commented, linking her arm with Melody's. The girl was very friendly, and had done the same to her a number of times when they were walking the halls of the school. "But make no mistake, he does love to torment my best friend, Cat. If ever you hear him mention a Kitty-Cat, that'll be her."
"Noted." Melody said, looking forward and pulling them into a skip. Emma was happy to oblige, it had been so terribly long since she'd been able to skip around to places.
They arrived at the small ice-cream shop a few moments later, it wasn't that far from the library or where Riff lived next to a small bakery, so they found the blonde waiting outside the shop for them. He'd be noticeable anywhere, with his blonde hair that he'd dyed at the tips. He was letting it grow out more now.
"Riff!" Emma called, pulling Melody's attention to the boy.
"Oooohhh, he is cute." She said, sizing the boy up. "Not exactly my type, but cute."
Emma looked at Melody incredulously, taking in her deep brown hair, that held bounce curls at the end, falling just past her shoulders. She was a bit paler than herself, and her eyes were a soft Hazel. "What's your type then?"
Melody smiled brightly. "That, my dear, is a secret."
She wasn't quite sure she liked that answer, but bit back a remark and pulled Melody over to her now waving friend. They grabbed a seat over in the corner, where they would still be able to look outside, and the booth that they'd taken could be filled in if anyone else decided to join them. Riff took the middle of the booth as Emma set her bag on one of the ends, taking a moment to riffle through and pull her wallet out.
"Melody?" She asked, flipping it in the air as she smiled at the other girl. "What flavor?"
"Chocolate, with a little bit of chocolate sauce and sprinkles on it."
"Cone?"
"No thanks." Melody concluded, waving the idea off. Emma nodded and started walking to the front.
"Aren't you gonna ask what I-" Riff started, but Emma cut him off.
"Two scoops of rainbow sherbert, a light dusting of sprinkles and three scoops of skittles." Emma listed, not even pausing, but glancing back with a smirk at her friend, who pouted in his seat.
"The usual dear?" The kind old lady at the front asked, and Emma shone her award winning smile.
"For me and Riff, yeah. Can you replace the strawberry with a bowl of Chocolate, and some chocolate sauce and sprinkles?"
"Of course child."
"Thank you Miss Martha." Emma said, handing over the right amount of cash.
She was handed a tray with three bowls on it a moment later, and took it with a polite nod, gliding back to her table.
"So." Emma started, scooping up a bit of her Vanilla ice-cream. "Where are you from?"
"Beijing, actually." Melody supplied. "It's a bit like Shang-hai, a lot of people there too."
"Well this is China." Riff commented, chuckling at one of the two. "So, you go to school with our Little Emie here?"
"Our?" Melody asked, taking a bite of her own sweet, sugary, frozen treat.
"Him and Cat like to think they're my parents." Emma said, putting another bite into her mouth and swishing it around as it melted in her mouth. She missed ice cream runs… her and Riff needed to start doing it more often, whether Cat came or not.
"Oh." Melody said, nodding. "Well yeah, I'm in class with her."
"Melody's in our grades top 10." Emma added, savoring the way the vanilla slid down her throat in a sweet but freezing pleasure. One that, if the way the cold ran all the way to her stomach, showed that she needed to start drinking more.
Oh well.
"Really now?" Riff asked, sizing the girl up. "You're a smart one then? I don't think I'll ever get to the top of my class with Cat hanging about all the time."
"Not to mention the fact that you're still dead set on getting my cousin to go to the dance with you so you don't study."
"Shut up." Riff mumbled darkly, leaning back in his chair.
"Your cousin…" Melody asked, eyeing Riff strangely. Emma stopped, eyes narrowing in question as her brows drew together. What on earth was that look for…? The answer popped into her head when Melody's weary eyes focused back on her.
"Maria!" Emma almost shouted. "My cousin Maria, not Karl."
Melody sighed in relief, the look leaving her face as Emma started laughing out loud. Riff's face flushed with embarrassment as he caught what she was saying.
"I'm not gay, yikes."
"Well you can't blame her." Emma commented, pointing her spoon at the man. "You would make the perfect Gay best friend, if I was the main star of this show."
"Hold on, I think this is a plot-twist." Riff said. "The gay guy friend is actually straight, wow!"
"Hold onto your hats folks, this one's a doozy."
Laughter rang through the shop, and Emma, for once that week, didn't feel so alone. With Cat and Karl both preoccupied, it was nice to get out with her other friends like this.
Maybe she'd call Kousei, Tsubaki, and Watari and see if they could come down this weekend. They could have some real fun then, screw all the wackadoo's who thought practice was more important than ice cream and movie marathons.
"You guys wanna have a sleepover at my house this weekend?" She asked, once they'd all calmed a bit.
"Which house dear?" Riff asked. Emma pretended to think for a moment before looking him in the eye and smiling.
"Andy's."
"Then I'll be there."
"Great."
"Well I guess I'm in." Melody said, leaning back. "But I don't know where that is so you'll have to enlighten me."
"You got it." Riff and Emma said at the same time, finishing off their ice-cream and standing to stretch. As they left the shop, Emma caught sight of a small book in the display of a window, an ornate journal that she couldn't help but admire.
And hey, it was high time Emma did something for herself, so she walked right into that shop and up to the register, and finally did just that. This journal wouldn't be used for jotting down plans, or putting down something or another that Karl wanted her to remember. It wouldn't be used for making a note of all the things her parents wanted her to do or all the people Cat wanted her to meet. She wouldn't put dates of events in that and she wouldn't put appointments.
She'd use that book as her own journal, for whatever she found she wanted.
And so it was.