Buzzed Hearts

17: extra whipped cream

"ICE CREAM?" Elle asks. Her cheeks are flushed and there's a healthy sheen across her face. Across everyone's face, really, as they walk under the setting sun.

"I'm full but we could share a sundae." Roma looks around the group. Camila notices that she's smiling more around them. A successful integration.

"Hell no, I'm getting my own," Jeremy says, rubbing his stomach. Laurent bumps his shoulder, a reminder of the physique they have to keep up for varsity soccer. "Fuck off Laurent, I'm going to have a six course meal and watch Manchester United tonight."

"You don't even like Manchester," Laurent says in disbelief.

"I just know you like Arsenal." Jeremy shrugs. "Or how about Chelsea? Would you rather I watch Chelsea?"

"I see how it is," Laurent says.

As she observes, Camila kind of likes it. His normal indolent demeanor is replaced with a fiery mouth and the gray in half of his eye mimics the clouds above. So they get their orders, Roma and Elle sharing a large bowl, Jeremy with his own milkshake, and Laurent opting for a small scoop of sorbet instead.

"How is it?" Camila asks, opting to eat anything cold in case it upsets her stomach.

Instead of answering her, his lids (a really nice feature that Camila's oddly fascinated with) flick down and he shaves a bit off the top and offers it to her. She hesitates but he motions with a tip of his chin so Camila wraps her fingers around his wrist and directs it towards her.

"How is it?" he shoots the question back to her.

It's a light fragrance in her mouth and she's grateful that Roma and Elle are too busy putting whipped cream on each other's noses to notice their interaction. The taste of lime lingers in her mouth as she licks her lips.

"Good," she says softly.

Laurent's eyes crinkle and he joins the face-painting when Roma swipes a finger against his cheek. A laugh bubbles out of Camila and she ducks her head to avoid Jeremy's handful.