WANTING YOU

Flavors

Astrid's POV

And so, I've began my first afternoon job at a local ice-cream pallor that was approximately thirty minutes away from home.

I was too apprehensive about finding and starting a job, and having to keep it a secret from my mother, that I was oblivious to research this pallor was a 'weekend hot spot' for highschool students. The highschool students.

~

On Saturday, I was serving two cones to a customer when a group of highschoolers walked in. I quickly scanned the crowd for familiar but callous faces and met none. Sighing with relief, I smiled and went about with my task but that smile flattened when I returned from my lunch break and met Trent waiting by the counter.

His eyes lit up with mischief when he noticed me and watched like a hawk as I tied my apron around my waist.

"Are you going to attend to me or take your precious time?" Trent rudely asked as I approached the counter from the opposite side.

"Hi, and welcome to Sweet Tooth Pallor," I greeted as I should every customer.

"Yeah, whatever," Trent said.

"How can I be of assistance?" I asked through gritted and angry teeth.

"What flavors of ice-cream you have?"

'ALL THE FLAVORS ARE LISTED ON THE ICE-CREAM FLAVOR BOARD RIGHT ABOVE MY HEAD! YOU SAW IT! I KNOW YOU SAW IT SO WHY DO YOU INSIST ON MAKING MY LIFE SO DAMN DIFFICULT!' I mentally yowled at him.

I exhaled softly, adjusted my glasses and turned in the direction of the flavor board above my head.

And with lightning speed of my tongue, I read "Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry, Mint Chocolate Chip, Butter Pecan, Cookies And Cream, Rocky Road, Coffee, Pistachio, Cake Batter, Salted Caramel, Butterscotch, Cherry Vanilla, Strawberry Cheesecake, Strawberry Ripple, Maple and Rum Raisin," I finished and turned back in his direction with a corky smile that was brighter than his.

Trent looked impressed. His tense demeanor shifted away and his smile appeared to be more genuine than fake.

"What flavor would you like?" I asked.

"Two Rum Raisins," he answered.

"Would you like that on cones or in cups."

"Cups. Five dollars and fifty cents, right?"

"Yes. You're to pay the cashier. I'm the server," I informed.

He raised an eyebrow at me, paid the cashier then collected his cups before walking over to a table where he sat down with someone who wasn't Annalise.

'Who is the other girl?' I asked myself, 'Trouble in paradise indeed. Keri wasn't kidding.'

No wonder he wasn't his mean and usual obnoxious self. He was probably trying to paint himself in a kind picture for his new girlfriend.

I found myself edging closer to have a better look at the girl while I pretended to clean up some spill around the tubs of ice-cream.

She was pretty. Her long wavy hair was waist length and jet-black in color. Her eyes were bright blue and appeared to sparkle when she smiles. The tight armless dress she wore shaped and showoff her curves and honey tone skin. Trent looked captivated and in order to get his undivided attention, a girl would have to be beautiful. Mesmerizing.

I watched as she fed him a spoonful of ice-cream and rolled my eyes. They both had the same flavor! How stupid can these girls be over him?

I stepped a bit closer to eavesdrop on their conversation and almost gagged when I heard her providing details on the many ways she wishes to please him. I peeped the hovering of her right foot on his crouch underneath the table and she smiled in satisfaction to see him on edge.

Shaking my head, I attended to another customer then froze in place when the doors were pushed in and Annalise, along with her best friend, stalked into the pallor. Her eyes found mine and..I don't know why I did it but I looked at Trent's table and Annalise's eyes followed.

Like a raging bull, Annalise stormed over to them and yanked Trent's date out of her chair with brute strength before slamming her against the wall. Annalise's hand snatched the girl by the throat and her nails pierced into her skin.

"Annalise! What the hell are you doing? You need to let her go!" Trent intervened but Annalise's hold only tightened.

"You're sitting here, toying with MY BOYFRIEND! Eating ice-cream and talking your s**t to him!" Annalise screamed at her then smacked her in the face with her other hand. The girl squealed and made attempts to free herself but Annalise wasn't letting up until Trent broke the hold.

I watched in horror as the girl cowered to the floor, gasping for the air Annalise cut short from her lungs. Tears welled up in her eyes as she wiped her fingers at her neck and spotted blood.

"THAT WAS OUT OF LINE AND UNNECESSARY!" Trent's voice rose.

"Unnecessary? You're on a date with someone else and have the audacity to tell me that that was unnecessary?"

"She's just a friend!"

"In case you didn't notice, I DON'T CARE!" Annalise shouted then she spun on the other girl, "I swear, if I see you anywhere near my boyfriend again, I'll do you far worse. Now pick yourself up like the princess you are pretending to be and get the hell out of here before my friend jumps at you too!"

The girl didn't hesitate. She picked herself up quickly, grabbed the tissues I handed her and ran out of the pallor.

Trent raked his fingers through his hair and flushed with embarrassment. Annalise attempted to smooth him over but he refused her touches. He then walked out of the pallor and Annalise tailed behind. She eyed me dangerously, as usual, as she walked through the doors.

~

"What a day," I said when I crossed the threshold of my home that evening.

"Hi. How was the group study?" Mom asked when she spotted me.

"Educational," I answered.

"You know, I wish you wouldn't have lied to me about you finding a job."

"How did you find out?"

"You forgot your books. How do you study without your books, especially your history book. So I took the liberty in delivering them to you at Keri's. Only when I got there, I found out you were absent and it took everything in me to not come to your job and pull you out of there!"

"Mom, I'm only trying to help."

"And what did I say about that, huh?"

"That I should focus on my studies and college."

"Exactly."

"But you're struggling to make ends meet right now, mom."

"And you think you can do a better job than me, is that it?"

"No. I would never compete with you. I cannot compete with you. You're my mom. I'm just trying to assist with the expenses where I can," I explained, "I didn't mean to keep this from you."

"Astrid, having a job is going to get in the way of your studies and your grades. You have an average to maintain and you cannot let that slip."

"I've taken that into consideration, mom, but the manager is understandable. I don't have to work every afternoon or every weekend but she'll pay me regardless. And I'm given time to do my assignments. I can manage this. Don't take this away from me," I pleaded.

A sympathic expression came to her face followed by a brief smile.

"Okay. But if your grade slips, even the slightest..."

"It wouldn't. Thank you so much mom."

"You're welcome. Now go get ready for dinner. I've made your least favorite."

"Oh no."

"That's what you get for going behind my back."

I laughed lightly and we embraced and prepared to have our dinner. Fish soup.

What would be even fishier?

Monday.