TBBM XXIII. Ice Cream

"Jap," James sipped on my glass as his was empty. "Here's the plan. You join your trip and I'll crash in your bus."

"We're gonna sit together?" I teased.

He winked.

"Jap, you got drools again."

"I'm not slobbering!" I stood up, in reflex; my voice loud in defense. No. Everyone in the pantry ended up looking at me.

James chuckled wholeheartedly.

#Fail

@~@

+++

I made my way back to the chapel.

It was a fine day. Fine because the weather was nice, a bit cloudy but not raining. I enjoyed taking strolls under the tree-lined alleys of the university. In fact, other than the occasional downpour of caterpillars and maggots in the morning, this walk rivaled those fancy parks in the city centre.

Our University was known for keeping it green. We bagged several awards for it.

"Hicks!" suddenly, the sound of demise threatened my saunter.

It was a fine day. I had James' presence all over me. I didn't want to let Boasty in his silver car ruin it.

"Turn around," he honked the horn at me. "Don't forget that I'm your master. Come. We've something to do."

"Nope. Not coming," I declined.

"Say what?" he scratched his nose bridge again. Why did that always unfortunately look good on him, though?

"My name's not Hicks!," I put two fingers on top of my head, mimicking his favourite insect. I tilted my head and turned around. "I'm Roach!"

"Christ! Hold it! Don't come near me!" he blew his horn twice. "You're disgusting."

"Okay," I made face. He couldn't even say that I looked better. Everybody was saying so, except him. "If I look that bad, then you shouldn't bother me."

I walked away. He quietly drove after me. What? Did he run out of what to say already? For some reasons, I actually wanted to annoy him. Fun, wouldn't it be? I reached the corner where I had to turn right.

"If you make it hard for me like this each time, I'll tell James you like him," he threatened.

"Go! Go and tell him!" I urged. "I never, even once, denied how I felt for him. We'll be married, one day. You'll see."

"What did I tell you, Hicks?" he looked away, wondrously annoyed. "I told you not to dream, nobody will like you."

He said that again. My heart sank. He came out of his car. I lost my appetite to argue with him. He won. He caused me to feel bad again. I stood there, dumbfounded. It wasn't the first time he said that but it hit me hard this time.

"C'mon. You can't be that sensitive, now," he grabbed me by the wrist and walked me to his car. "We're going to the mall. Uhm. I don't know how to buy exhibit materials alone."

I sat there silently. If that was his reason, he could've just asked me nicely. I was trying hard not to cry. I'd been tearing up allot, lately.

"What now? Y-you're just not gonna talk to me?"

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.

I read that proper breathing exercises helped in curtailing bad moods.

The drive went on, rather smoothly. If there was one thing I hated most about Red, other than his inconsiderate nature, it'd be the fact that he never apologised. I'd feel much better if only he'd apologise. I didn't know I cared that much for it, until now.

Grrrr...

Suddenly, my stomach growled. It occured to me that I wasn't really able to focus on my burger earlier. James was too much to handle.

"We can go drive-through," he said, gently.

I almost agreed but, I realised that I left my wallet back home. James had to pay for our meal earlier.

I ignored him.

"Hickey," he exhaled heavily. Then, he hit the stirring wheel with his palm. "You're impossible!"

He spent the whole drive glancing my way.

Was he sorry? He looked like he was. But it didn't matter until he actually voiced it.

We reached the parking lot. He parked neatly into place. He was a racer, after all. He unfastened his seatbelt. But I still wouldn't talk to him. He ran his fingers on the stirring wheel.

He got off the car, shaking his head.

"Let's uhm... eat first," he invited as we went past the mall entrance. "What do you want to have?"

I walked ahead of him, but slowly, ignoring him altogether. I felt bad I wasn't able to report for work today; even worse, I'd miss James later today as he donned on the sacristan outfit. I wanted to see him wear that. It suited him.

"Jopet," Red blocked my way, interrupting my daydreaming. That was the first time Red called me by my name. It sounded as if he called me with dignity for the first time. I got so used to him making fun of me. For once, his face looked sheepish. "Let's stop this."

Just then, a girl from one of the stalls approached us.

"Your order, Sir," she handed him two ice cream cones. Her eyes stared unblinkingly at Red. I watched her pay homage to his physique even as she walked away.

"Jopet," Red called me again, shoving one cone into my hand. "Don't be mad at me, anymore."

Ice cream.