Finding My Way

Ice Cream Fixes (Almost) Everything

Y/N's POV

I kept walking when I heard Chase's mom call from the front door asking what was wrong. I kept walking right past my parents house, not daring to look up at it or to look back. I keep walking for miles, not paying attention to where I'm going or my surroundings. My feet continue to carry me until I hear someone yelling my name from a car.
"Y/n! Y/n!" I look up, trying to pinpoint the source until my eyes finally land on the navy blue car with its window down.
I meet Jaden's eyes, "what?" My voice is barely above a whisper but he seems to hear me.
"Are you okay?" Worry clouds his face as he searches mine for an answer I'm not sure I can give him.
I look down at my feet and slowly shake my head.
"Hop in," he says and I hear his doors unlock.
I don't put up a fight, I slowly get into his car and click the seatbelt in place.
He doesn't ask any questions or force small talk, he just puts his car in drive and continues driving.
I reach up to touch my face and feel semi-wet tear residue on my cheeks. I quickly rub it away, praying that I don't look like as much of a mess on the outside than I feel like on the inside. I sniffle as quietly as possible, which is not quiet at all once I realize how stuffed up my nose is.
"Sorry, I must look like a complete mess," I finally break the silence.
"Nothing a little ice cream can't fix," he looks over at me and smiles before turning his attention back to the road.
"You mean ice cream actually exists outside of the beach?" I laugh lightly.
"So I've heard," he jokes.

***

We sit down at a metal table in the cold ice cream shop and I shove my spoon down into the middle of the scoop of ice cream, watching as the spoon changes from a lime green to pink.
"Where were you walking to?" Jaden asks before shoveling some ice cream into his mouth.
I twirl my spoon in the cup of ice cream a couple times before finally saying, "I didn't really have a destination, I just needed to get out of the house."
He nods, but doesn't push for more information.
I sigh, taking a few bites of ice cream before volunteering the information.
"Chase and I broke up... again." He was already filled in from the previous fights and breakups we've had, so I didn't feel the need to elaborate.
"What'd he do?" He asks, knowing I usually do the breaking up.
I shake my head slightly, "he broke up with me."
"Oh," he sets his spoon down in his bowl, "oh."
"Don't sound so shocked," I joke.
"I just - why did he break up with you?"
I shrug helplessly, "apparently his fans think the only reason I'm with him is because he's my only option and it's basically a Stockholm syndrome type of thing."
"Why would they think that?"
I shrug again, "he's my first boyfriend? I fell in love with him two years ago and guess I knew he was the one."
"And does he feel the same way?"
"I thought he did. He gave me a promise ring," I hold up my left hand where the emerald sparkles on my ring finger. "And when he went on tour he made me a build-a-bear that had his voice in it saying I love you." Tears sting the back of my eyes and I'm shocked I have anything left to cry out, seeing as I cried for who knows how long after I left Chase's house.
I swirl my spoon in melted remnants of my ice cream, "strawberry ice cream at the beach used to be our thing. The beach used to be our happy place." I quickly rub at my eyes before any more tears can fall.
"Why don't you stay at my place tonight?" Jaden suggests. "We can binge watch movies and eat junk food until we want to throw up."
"I don't want to intrude," I protest half-heartedly.
"Nonsense, it'd be nice to have some company. You'd be surprised at how lonely being independent gets."
"I'd love to."