It's hot, hotter than it should ever be for the middle of September in New York City. Still, Mitch insists on sitting outside on the balcony. Staying cooped up indoors was never his sort of thing, but this heat is killing him. The red white and blue Popsicle pressed between his lips is the only thing keeping him cool.
Mitch unbuttons the top few buttons of his shirt and lets it fall open. He sits lazily slumped in his chair, sketchbook in his lap and slurps at the blue portion that had started to drip. Slowly he drags his tongue up the base of the Popsicle until he reaches the tip.
His lips are red and swollen from the cold of the frozen treat, and he sucks his bottom lip between his teeth to relieve himself of some of the biting cold. Setting his pencil down he runs his fingers through his hair and shakes his head, sweaty and messed up he'd given up all hope that his hair would be anything but.
The popsicle is taken in again, his lips wrapped around the middle of the white part before pulling it out slowly. He doesn't care whether Jerome bought these as a joke or not, he loves the taste.
All good things must end, however, and as Mitch licks off the last remaining juice from the popsicle stick he catches some movement out of the corner of his eye.
Standing just beyond the sliding glass door, inside the tower, Ashley, Jerome and Sky all stood staring, as if mesmerized. Ashley gives Jerome a wink, Sky licks his lips subconsciously and Jerome says something that to Mitch looked like the word 'dibs'.
Mitch laughs waves his popsicle stick at them, "you guys wanna hear a joke?"