Summer with the Crew (#1.5 How I Fell in Love Trilogy)

Sweet Swirly Love

Publishing early cause you guys are awesome! I know ice cream's been the picture twice now, but I assure you there's good reason ;) (there's always a reason to eat ice cream, am I right?) Enjoy the chapter!!! (I'm sure you will hahaha)

"Here you go! Have a great day!" Sophie wished her customers, a little boy and his baby sister. She wiped a little sweat off her forehead, even though the ice cream parlor was relatively cool. 

Sophie had decided to take up Mr. Mill's offer of working at "Cheryl's Sweets," and ice cream parlor a few streets from her house. This was her second day and, in Sophie's opinion, she was doing pretty awesome. Scooping ice cream required more muscle than she'd expected, but in the end it was all worth the free scoop of ice cream at the end of her shift. 

The bell rang cheerfully, bringing in a family of five. Sophie worked to scoop their orders while Mr. Mills worked the cash register. He talked with ease to the customers as he did this, gaining admiration from Sophie, who could neither imagine talking to complete strangers so easily nor work the cash register without dropping at least half the money. 

Sophie was kept busy scooping ice cream for roughly the next hour, until afternoon cravings were mostly satisfied. Mr. Mills looked at the clock. 

"Around five o'clock now. I'm going to take a half hour break. Man the store Sophie." he said, walking briskly away. 

"Oh...kay?" Sophie said to an empty shop. There had to be some law about leaving minors alone to work, Sophie was sure. However, it seemed that either Mr. Mills forgot or didn't care. Probably the former. 

"Ahh." Sophie sighed, sitting down on a stool behind the counter. Standing up all day made her appreciate the little things. 

"Ring-ding!" the bell sounded. Sophie looked up, surprised to see Tam huddle through the door. 

"Hey Tam!" Sophie greeted. Tam jumped, startled blue eyes meeting hers. 

"I didn't know you worked here," Tam said, recovering from his shock. 

"I can tell." Sophie replied, amused. "What can I get for you?" 

"I'll have strawberry shortcake in a cone." Tam glared at her, daring Sophie to comment. 

"Coming right up." 

Sophie gave him his ice cream, Tam paying at the register. 

"Why isn't Linh with you?" 

"I didn't ask her to come." 

"Guilty pleasure?" 

"Maybe." 

Sophie smiled at this. "Well, have a good day!" she said. He waved as he walked out of the shop. 

 She began to tidy up the counters; if the ice cream melted onto the surface it would get all sticky.

"Tam eating strawberry shortcake...what's next? Keefe with a buzz cut?" Sophie muttered.

"FOSTER!" Keefe exploded into the shop. His timing's uncanny, Sophie mused. 

"Yes Mr. Sencen?" 

"ARE YOU ROBBING THE ICE CREAM PARLOR?" he exclaimed. Sophie covered her ears belatedly, gesturing to her pastel apron. 

"I WORK HERE!" she yelled back. 

"Really?" he asked, talking at a normal level. 

"No, you're right, I'm robbing the ice cream parlor; this apron's just a disguise." 

"Wow, Foster's getting sassy!" 

Sophie rolled her eyes. "How'd you even track me down?"