The Cassidy Boys

Chapter Nineteen: Shut up and Dance

Chapter Nineteen: Shut Up and Dance

     Streetlamps are stretched out like Christmas lights along the street in front of us, and they cast a yellow glow over the road. The leftover light falls into the empty parking lot we're sitting in, and highlights the chipped white paint that outlines the parking spaces.

     Xavier's sneaker bounces up and down on the dashboard as he shovels another large spoonful of ice cream into his mouth. His face scrunches up a second later as he feels the effects of that cold spoonful.

     Let's just say I'm now a form of booty call, but instead of any booty being given, I'm stuck going with Xavier to get whatever food he's craving. Ice cream was his drug of choice today, and it also happens to be the first time I've seen him since school finally let out for holiday break.

     Xavier refused to listen to Christmas music since the holiday has already passed, so the radio continues to leak current pop tunes. I shiver in response to my own big spoonful of ice cream even though the heat in Xavier's car is still on full blast. It feels like we're in our own little bubble. Not only protected from the visible frost dancing around outside, but also from the darkness that would completely blanket us if there were no streetlamps.

     "Why are you shaking your head?" Xavier asks.

     I continue to mix the ice cream around in my cup. "It's the coldest day so far this winter, and we're sitting here eating ice cream."

     "Cookies and cream ice cream," Xavier corrects with his mouth full of the frozen desert. He points his spoon in my direction after he swallows. "I still can't believe we like the same flavor."

     I shrug. "Me either."

     A few songs later, Xavier's scraping the bottom of his cup along to the new beat pumping out of the radio. The beat is too catchy to ignore, and I find myself turning the volume up a little bit higher.

     "This is a cool beat," I say my thoughts out loud.

     Xavier snorts as he shifts upright in his seat. "But the lyrics suck."

     I listen to one sentence before laughing in agreement. "True." I shove another spoonful of ice cream into my mouth. "But the beat still makes me wanna dance."

     "Bust a move right in place?" Xavier karate chops a hand out before tossing his now empty ice cream cup onto the dashboard.

     "Basically." The word is covered in both a mouthful of ice cream as well as a mouthful of chuckles.

     I shut up a second later and finish my ice cream while the song plays. Xavier's door slams shut, and I assume he's throwing out his ice cream cup. However, Xavier's cup is still on the dashboard while he remains standing in front of the car hood.

     Xavier stares back at me through the windshield as if he expects me to follow. I snort at the thought and begin scraping the bottom of my now empty ice cream cup.

     I cringe the second the passenger door swings open, and the cold air rushes through. I gasp when my ice cream cup is stolen from my fingers. And I yell the second Xavier reaches over me, and turns the radio up to its maximum volume.

     Then Xavier leaves, and I'm forced to follow. Not only so I don't get permanent ear damage, but also so the beat of the new song playing will stop echoing the beat inside my chest.

     "Why?" is the only question I ask the second I step out of the car, and it's the only question tumbling around my head.

     Why did I finish my ice cream? Why did Xavier turn the music up so high? Why is it so freaking cold outside?