Finding Us| ✔️

Chapter 1

  Sarah's jaw practically falls to the floor. "So he's serious about this girl?"

  I nod sadly, pointing to the ice cream shop. "Comfort food?"

  She agrees.

  Sarah is the only one that knows how I feel about Kaden. I met her only last year, but her bubbly personality and appearance made me trust her instantly. Her shoulder-length pink hair was odd to me at first, but now I find comfort in the bright color.

  Her wardrobe consists of mostly overalls, jeans, geeky t-shirts, or book-related sweatshirts. She refuses to wear anything other than her black converse, which I can relate to.

  I find it funny how her eyes change colors, and she basically wears a rainbow everyday. When she's happy, they're green. When she's sad, gray. Brown when she's angry, blue when she's stressed.

  Sarah pushes her glasses up. She gives me a glance, and I see her green eyes. "What're you gonna get?" She asks.

  "Reese's." I say to her and the man behind the counter. Barry knows us by name, and reserves a table for us everyday. Well, we call it our table.

  From the amount of times we've been here, I'm surprised we're not fat. Luckily for me, my metabolism is fast.

  Barry gives me a friendly smile, the skin around his eyes crinkling. He's probably in his late sixties. We've been trying to guess everyday.

  "Sixty five?" I ask him, taking my ice cream cone from his hand.

  He laughs. "Almost."

  I curse under my breath then wait for Sarah. The small ice cream shop is old fashioned, with booths in dire need of repair. The overhead fans barely work, the tiles on the floor are worn, and the hinges on the front door struggle every time someone walks in. But we love it.

  "Sixty eight!"

  Barry puts his hands up in defeat. "You caught me."

  Sarah and I high five, earning us a chuckle from Barry. Shaking his head, he goes into the back room.

  I slide into the booth. My body instantly sinks into the cushion. Sarah sits across from me, happily licking her orange sherbet ice cream.

  "Did you see the trailer for Truth or Dare? Damn! It looks good!" Sarah exclaims, her green eyes twinkling with excitement.

  I smile. "And the new Last Of Us trailer? Ellie is so jacked!"

  "I know!" She practically jumps up and down. "I didn't even recognize her."

  After geeking out over the latest video game trends, we go onto deeper topics.

  "How long have you known him?" Sarah asks gently.

  I sigh like a love-sick teenager. Wait, I am. "Since we were five? Yeah, pretty sure it's five. We were in the same kindergarten class and never left each other's side since."

  As if on cue, Kaden and some other football players walk in. I recognize Preston, Thomas, Brent, and a few others.

  Barry comes out of the back room to greet them. He reties his signature apron around his chubby waist, and offers a smile.

  Unfortunately, Thomas and Brent aren't in the mood to be kind.

  "Hey, grandpa." Thomas sneers. "Get me chocolate, and make it quick."

  Him and Brent laugh cruelly, but Barry just stares. Thomas adds, "Didn't you hear me, old man? I pay your fucking bills."

  Preston and Kaden seem annoyed, but don't bother to stand up for the poor old man.