60 Flavors Of Ice-Cream

Chapter 1 - Kind of a Prologue

"It's not that I'm complaining, but couldn't we go to a more popular island? I've never heard of Andros before. I mean, I've always wanted to visit Greece but why to an island which is almost unknown?" I ask my parents, tapping my fingers on the plastic surface of the small table. We're in a small ship we took from Athens' port, Raphina and head towards the second bigger island of the Cyclades group. Andros.

The air conditioning is on full, creating a rather cold atmosphere inside, so I stretch the sleeves of my hoodie to cover my fingers completely.

"Honey, Mr. and Mrs. Athanasopoulos have invited us here to spend the month at their home island. When the month is over we can continue with a cruise to the rest of the islands. We have talked about this before. We're going to have a great time, I promise," sighs my mum, resting the book she's been reading for the half past hour on her knees to look at me.

"I miss my vinyl collection," I whisper and turn the volume on my headphones down.

"I've told you a thousand times already, Amber, wherever we would go you still couldn't carry with you all those vinyls," interferes my dad, smiling sadly at me.

I've only managed to take three vinyls with me and although I know that I won't be able to listen to them I still want them for company. And I also have my guitar. I really shouldn't be complaining. After all these years, I'm finally visiting Greece. I've been intrigued from its gorgeous beaches since I was six. And finally my dream comes true. So, shut up dear Amber and enjoy your month.

"I want ice cream when we arrive."

"You're lucky that both of us want some," my dad winks and continues to read his newspaper.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, in a couple of minutes we will reach Gavrio port. Please take your-", the monotonous voice sounds from the speakers, scaring the shit out of my mum and leaving my dad silent.

"Edna, dear, your scream is more piercing than a car's honk, and that says a lot," he sighs and gets his coat, folding his newspaper at the same time, motioning to me to go the same.

"I'm so sorry, it just scared me so much. She has a creepy voice, don't you think?" she turns to me, pointing at the speakers.

"Don't worry mum, we're fine. Now, get your bag quickly, because people are already standing up. We're here," I confront her, peeking out of the window to see a bunch of small white houses climbed up a hill. Nice.

"Come on. This way," dad leads us down to the garage where the car is.

As we get down the stairs I prepare myself for the awful smell and the unbelievable moisture that seems to stick on your skin like a fish. True story. I slightly pull down my blue wash jean shorts to cover more of my skin and prevent the horrible moist from sticking to my upper thighs.

We reach the car in silence, get inside and wait till the officer waves us to start going. After 5 or so minutes of driving slowly through the garage we finally get outside to be blinded be the glaring sunlight. How cliche. And then small white houses just like the ones I saw earlier welcome us into Andros. Gavrio to be exact.

Mum tells me to look for a red jeep close to the parking but to me all cars look the same. Dad actually finds Mr. and Mrs. Athanasopoulos so there's little left for me to do. More like nothing. I keep watching the scenery from my window, leaving my parents to greet their friends. A lean tall boy is standing besides them, looking straight at his phone, only glancing at my dad and nodding before he turns his attention back to his phone. Guess what. I'm 99% sure that he is the son of the Athanasopoulos family with whom I'm going to have to spend my July with. Joy.

I step outside of the car, planning to go near the sea to watch the ship departure, but then a short girl, looking about 4 or 5, bumps into me. I catch her from her shoulders to prevent her from falling, steadying her, before a guy around my age or a little older takes her hand and smiles at me as if saying thank you.

"Την κυνηγάμε εδώ και κανα δεκάλεπτο με τον κολλητό μου και όλο μας ξεφεύγει το μαιμουδάκι. Ευχαριστώ που την έπιασες. Δεν θα άντεχα να κάνω τον Τζακ για δεύτερη φορά μέσα στη μέρα," he says while ruffling his brownish hair. I, of course, can't understand a word if what he's just said and when he notices my tilted head, he slaps his forehead and adds, "English?"

"American, yeah. What did you just say?" I smile nervously, biting my lower lip.

"Thanks for saving her. I couldn't stand imitating Jack for the second time in one day. Too much, believe me," he smiles.

"Titanic Jack?"

"Got me. Where you'll be staying, no-name-girl?" He asks, lifting the little girl in his arms, and securing her a little unorthodoxly on his shoulder. Like a sack full of potatoes, to be exact.

"The name's Amber. And Dad said we'll be staying at Baychy, Baochu, Bachey. I don't know, something like that," I reply, doing my best to try and remember what us the name of the town we I'll be staying.

"Could it be Batsi?" He asks raising his eyebrow.

"Yeah, it's probably something like that," I agree, hugging my body with my arms.

"Great! Do you like ice-cream, Amber?" He asks, a huge grin finding its way to his face.

"Love it."

"I'll see you there, then," he says, handing me a small white card and then going away after grinning at me once again.

I look at the card on my hand. On its shiny surface there is a drawing of an ice cream cone and next to it, written in calligraphic letters the word "Gelaterie". I guess I'm going to meet the no-name-boy, again.

_____________•_____________

So, guys, new story. I'm from Andros, too so I want to give you a tour of this gorgeous island based on a summer love story. Hope you enjoyed it!!!

"Την κυνηγάμε εδώ και κανα δεκάλεπτο με τον κολλητό μου και όλο μας ξεφεύγει το μαιμουδάκι. Ευχαριστώ που την έπιασες. Δεν θα άντεχα να κάνω τον Τζακ για δεύτερη φορά μέσα στη μέρα," -> "We have been chasing her for a good ten minutes or so but she keeps running away, the little monkey. Thank you for catching her. I couldn't imitate Jack for the second time in one day".