Extending Our Hearts

XVII. One Scoop of Jealousy

Extending Our Hearts

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I OPEN the door for Ella who walks in with her face completely covered by her hair. I trail behind her as she goes to look at the flavours of ice cream by the counter.

I send the cashier, Joey, a smile. She's a nice girl I used to be physics partners with back in year ten. 

"Hey Theodore," She grins at me. "How are you doing- god I haven't seen you in like a year!"

I can't help but grin back at her, her smile's infectious. "I'm doing good, still in this bore of a town. How're you and Benji?"

"Oh, we don't talk anymore," she waves her hand in dismissal. "He was too much of an ass for me to handle."

Crap.

She and the soccer captain used to date.

"How long?" I ask her.

She rolls her eyes before answering, "A week."

I raise an eyebrow at her and she holds a finger up. "We're not getting back together- anyway! What'd you like?"

I don't miss the plead in her voice to change the subject and look back at Ella who's staring at Joey with a frown. 

"Have you taken a pick yet?" I whisper in her ear and she snaps back to look at me before looking at Joey.

"One scoop of Strawberry Pecan in medium cup, please," She says and stands on her tippy toes so Joey can actually see her.

Joey grins at her and turns to look at me, "You going to introduce me to this gorgeous girl over here or do I have to slap it out of you?"

I sigh, "Ella this is Joey, Joey meet Ella."

I motion between them and Ella waves a hand at her in greeting.

"Just friends?" Joey probes.

My eyes widen and I nod, "Yeah, friends."

I see Ella also nodding in my peripheral vision and Joey snickers.

"Hey Einstein," Joey says referring to our old nicknames for each other. "Do you want anything or-"

"You know damn well what I order Jo," I cut her off and shake my head.

She rolls her eyes, "Three years and no change in taste, I'm disappointed."

I turn to look at Ella taking small bites of her ice cream and she gives me a small smile.

"Alright!" Joey exclaims. "There you go Theo. Ella, why don't you go take a seat while Theodore over here pays."

She nods in response and goes to sit in a booth.

"Are you two a thing or no? She kept looking at me like I was stealing her man," Joey whispers to me while I hand her the five dollar bill.

I shake my head, "We barely know each other."

"Barely know each other and she's currently shooting imaginary bullets at my head from her seat!" She says as she grabs the change from the register.

I huff, "I'm only here to cheer her up."

She raises an eyebrow before she grins mischievously at me.

She hands me my change and leans in to give me a kiss on the cheek, causing me to raise an eyebrow at her to which she responds with a wink.

"We have to catch up soon, call me Theo!" She exclaims before turning around into the kitchen at the back.

I nod and walk to the booth Ella's sat at.

I put down my chocolate swirl ice cream cup on the table and grin at her, "You already look much better, ice cream truly is the remedy isn't it?"

I take a bite and wait for her response which is only a nod.

"So how do you and Jo know each other?" She asks and avoids my gaze.

I notice her cheeks get a reddish tint.

She's jealous.

Joey was sort of right then?

I smirk at her, "Joey is an ex classmate of mine, we used to be in the same physics class."

"You guys date?" Ella pushes.

I push the spoon into the ice cream before leaning back in my seat, arms crossed.

"We're here to talk about you," I point.

She clears her throat, "Well, I feel a lot better talking about me with someone who I know of at least their relationship status."

I grin at her, time to be the mischievous little fucker Joey wants me to be.

"You're jealous," I state.

I don't miss the shock in her eyes and she chokes on the spoonful of ice cream she just swallowed. 

"Am not," she retorts with a shake of a head.

I hum, "Sure you're not."

"I am not jealous of you and Jo over there!" she says and points another spoonful of ice cream at me.

"Then why do you want to know about my relationship status out of everything?" I continue.

Ella huffs and her cheeks turn a much darker shade of red, "Forget it."

I don't reply as she angrily stuffs her mouth full of ice cream.

I have to say.

Angry and jealous Ella is much cuter than normal Ella.

"I'm single," I wink at her. "And very ready to mingle."

I smirk at her sliding down the chair in an effort to hide the blush on her face.

"Can we talk about me now?" She pleads.

I sit up straight, taking my ice cream spoon in my hand. "That's why we're here, munchkin."