Dear DoubleO

Ice Cream and Essays

 Etho chewed on the end of his pen as he stared at the blank paper in front of him. He had never liked essays, or English class for that matter. He was supposed to be writing a 2 page essay in letter format to a famous author he looked up to. The letter wasn't actually meant to be sent of course, it was just to be graded and discarded as all his English assignments were. So in other words: Etho thought it was pointless.

The assignment should have been a relatively easy task, there were just two problems. The first problem is that he didn't look up to any authors because he thought reading, like English class, was extremely boring. And the second problem was that he just couldn't focus on his essay... at least not when he could focus on the far more interesting boy sitting on the other side of the class by the name of BDoubleO.

Noticing he was zoning out, He hurriedly busied himself with packing up for the day. English was his last class and he was ready to get the heck out of the prison known as public high school. Etho unzipped his backpack and shoved the empty essay paper inside, discarding his pencil in the side pouch. There was no use trying to force himself to write the essay, not right now at least. So he'd leave it sitting in his backpack. He decided that it was a problem for future Etho. A few moments later the bell would ring anyway so why start now?

Right on schedule, the bell sounded and a flood of students darted out of the English room and into the hallways. Etho was about to follow them when a familiar face stopped him. Bdubs.

"Hey Etho! Keralis, Beef, Grian, and I are going out to get ice cream! You wanna tag along?" Etho thought about it for a moment before replying.

"I could go for some sugar."

"I knew you'd come!" Bdubs beamed. Etho smiled beneath his mask.

"Alright, lets go! I was supposed to meet the guys in the parking lot 4 minutes ago!" Bdubs suddenly grabbed Etho's hand and pulled him out into the busy halls. Etho could feel his face heating up. Bdubs was holding his hand... Bdubs was holding his hand! Now was not the time to panic. Etho was silently grateful that he was wearing his mask or he was sure someone would've noticed his tomato red face.

Once they were outside of the crowded halls and in the parking lot, Bdubs dropped Etho's hand in favor of running over to the group to hug Keralis. Keralis had graduated a year before the rest of them, but it wasn't rare for him to hang out with them. Still, Bdubs hugged him as if he hadn't seen him in years every time they were together, without fail. Etho was silently annoyed at how cold his hand was now that Bdubs was gone but it wasn't like Bdubs meant to purposely hold his hand. They were just friends after all, Bdubs was just a touchy person. Etho sighed, he secretly wished the contact was a little more than just classic Bdubs behavior. Eventually, he made his way over to the group and joined in the light conversation as they all headed off to Beef's old, worn out mini van. They all piled in, Bdubs and Grian fighting for the aux cord.

The car ride was short but eventful nonetheless. Grian had unbuckled Keralis's seatbelt at least three separate times, just to annoy him. Beef almost hit a mailbox while yelling at Keralis and Bdubs to stop singing Let it Go at the top of their lungs. And Etho? He just sat in the middle of it all wondering how the heck a man as introverted as he was made friends with people so extroverted like they were. Finally, Beef parked the car in the small parking lot in front of 'Stress's Sweet Sundaes' (the best ice cream shop in town) and they all toppled out of the car.

The small parlor was a hot spot for Etho and Co. because it truly was the best ice cream parlor  they could find. All other ice cream seemed mediocre and dull compared to Stress's homemade sundaes. Plus, the parlor was comfy.

The shop had a vintage look to it, with pressed flowers framed on the walls, a corner of pink beanbags, small booths for guests to enjoy treats at, and calming beige wallpaper. Baby blue curtains adorned the windows and stools were lined up next to the counter. It was a great place to hangout with friends, but it was also a great place to make friends such as the one and only StressMonster herself.

Etho and Stress had been friends long before the shop opened but when it had, Etho made sure to bring all his friends in for ice cream. Ever since then, Stress had made friends with all of them and constantly invited them over for tea or to have game and movie nights. The ice cream shop was just an excuse for people to come see her more often, but she still took pride in her quaint little business.

"Etho! So nice to see you love! I can't say the same for you though Grian, you still owe me $5 for beating you at Jenga last Thursday." Stress teased.

"HEY! It was rigged anyway!" Stress just chuckled at the pouting avian and turned her attention to the others.

"So, what can I get started for ya boys?" Etho spoke up first.

"Chocolate ice cream, cherries, and strawberry drizzle."

"I coulda guessed that. What about you Dubs? Mint chocolate chip like usual?" Bdubs smiled and gave a thumbs up and then turned back to mock Grian about losing Jenga.

"I'll take Rocky road." Beef spoke confidently.

"Alright! K?" Keralis studied the case of flavors in front of him very carefully.

"Hmmmm.... Butter Pecan please?" Beef retorted calling butter pecan an old man ice cream flavor but Keralis shushed him, content with his pick. Stress wrote down all of the orders on a little pocket-sized notepad. She then spoke up.

"And I take it Grian will want Vanillia?" Everyone nodded in unison, except for Grian and Bdubs who were still bantering about the game night loss.

"Alright take a seat, I'll bring these to ya momentarily!"

The group went to sit down at a small booth. Grian and Bdubs had finally stopped talking leaving them all in peaceful bliss waiting for their ice cream. Beef broke the silence first.

"So Etho, Grian, mr Double0 here was telling me you guys have a fun new English assignment?"

"Fun? I think you mean fun-ominally boring." Etho whispered. Grian cackled.

"Oh shuddup! It's not that bad! I think writing a note to someone who will never see it is fun! You can insult them and they'll never know!" Bdubs huffed. Grian perked up at this idea, Keralis just sighed.

"Oh the words I'd say if I could write a note to Iskall that he'd never see." Grian joked.

The group broke back into chill conversation with laughs here and there, but all Etho could focus on is how Bdubs's hand had somehow found its way back into his.

'Just friends Etho, just friends. You'll never be anything more, you're not good enough for him. He pities you. You're...'

"ETHOOO! HELLOOO?" Etho jumped backwards in shock, accidentally tumbling out of the booth. The group burst out laughing.

"Sorry didn't mean to scare ya! You zoned out so long that the ice cream's here!" Bdubs choked out between laughs. Stress stood over top of him, tray of ice cream cups in hand, looking rather concerned but still giggling.

"Love, next time you zone out in my store, do it in the beanbag corner. Don't want you accidentally getting a concussion." Face red, embarrassed as heck, and being laughed at by his friends. Etho wasn't feeling too ok. You know what? No. Etho didn't feel ok at all. So with that he stood up, grabbed his ice cream, thanked Stress, Set some money on the table, and ran straight out the door before anyone could get a word in.

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First chapter done :) I hope ya'll will enjoy this maybe.  If not well its fun to write! Ya'll think the ice cream flavors are kinda what they'd order? Grian picks vanillia cuz everyone likes chocolate and he wants to be different. Opinions on the best ice cream flavor?