Chapter 4: CHAPTER 3

"Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice."- Wayne Dyer.

Third person's POV

Camilla was so much in a hurry to get to the ice cream parlor, she couldn't help but pull her friend along. She couldn't wait to get hold of her favorite ice cream, a chocolate-flavored one for that matter.

After a few minutes, they finally find themselves in front of the ice cream parlor. Camilla couldn't help but let out a squeal before rushing in, leaving Ashley to trail behind.

Upon entering, she took her first few steps but suddenly came to a halt as she bumped into someone, her forehead coming in contact with a chest, as a flicker of pain made its way to her head, a whimper involuntarily escaped her lips.

"Ouch," she says simultaneously as the person she bumped into yells, "What the heck?" loud enough for her hearing.

Swiftly yet gingerly she raises her head to the masculine sound that made its way to her ears. Her chocolate brown eyes connect with a pair of hazel ones, and time stalls. She knew those orbs, not like she'd ever gotten the chance to stare into them this long—only from afar— but there was a sense of familiarity dancing in her chest as she stared into them. For seconds, she got lost in the cold hazel orbs that stared down at her in annoyance and indifference.

She snaps back to reality, "U-u-h-m, sorry." Camilla stutters as recognition mares her feature, Cole Kerington had to be the person she mistakenly bumped into. He's rumored to be mean yet she never took much thought into it.

Cole's frown deepens, "Whatever." he snaps and with a pissed look he storms off.

"Oops!!.." she shrugged yet a frown was evident on her face, she might have been slightly hurt by his snap "...guess he's not as nice as his face seems, so rude," she muttered and rolled her eyes, frown not dissipating.

Ashley emerges from behind, right after Cole leaves, "What happened here?" she asks with furrowed brows seeing as Cam has her lips tight in a frown.

"I bumped into Cole, that's what happened." Cam shrugged and Ashley looked back in the direction Cole went.

"You bumped into Cole? As in Kensington?"

"Yeah, That's what I said."

"I saw him just now, no wonder he looked furious," Ashley mumbles to herself.

After having their ice cream Camilla and Ashley exit the parlour. On their way out, they talked about random stuff as they giggled. They were so engrossed in their conversation that they walked past Grayson and his friends yet they didn't realize it. Grayson and his friends actually came to the parlor for an ice cream that Cole's little brother wouldn't stop whining about.

As Grayson walked alongside his friends, he was stopped by the sound of giggling beside him. He lifts his head from his phone only to sight two girls pass by him. The giggles could be heard from them both, but the one that stood out was the laugh escaping the ginger-haired who held hands with the brunette. Slowly, yet involuntarily his lips tugged into a small smile, a liken to her giggle.

"What flavor did he ask for, remind me again?" Pierson's voice cuts through his reverie.

"Hazelnut," Cole answers as they enter the parlor.

"Right!" Pierson responds.

"I think I'm going to do some ice cream shopping today," Grayson says.

"Why?" Cole asks.

"For Cade, of course, your little brother is a handful, man, I wouldn't want to  have problems with him for not having ice cream whenever he visits."

"I know right, he gets on my nerves most of the time." Cole frowns.

"He's just a kid." Pierson chips in.

"Exactly, that's the only reason I'm this patient with him. I can't wait for him to grow up already so he can start taking care of himself."

"Haha, with time." Pierson chuckles.

"I bet you were much more annoying and whiny as a kid than he is now." Grayson muses.

"Of course not." Cole chuckles.

"Oh, but it is.." Pierson hits Cole's shoulder laughing and Grayson joins him too.

After ice cream shopping, Pierson drives Cole home while Grayson drives home by himself.

Once he gets home he stocks the fridge with all the different flavors of ice cream he got. Out of the many flavors, he picks up one tube of vanilla ice cream and heads for his room.

He plops on his bed, takes the lid of ice cream off, scoops a fair amount, and places it in his mouth. A smile graces his lips at its taste, his thoughts suddenly wander off to the girl at the ice cream parlor. She looked somewhat familiar yet he couldn't quite place a finger on it. Maybe from school? he thought. Or from his neighborhood? probably, he thought.

————

The remaining days of the week went by faster than anticipated, Ashley found herself busy with reading, the school's library was enormous with lots of books to be read. The weekend was finally here, a Friday night as a start.

Some weekends were for relaxation—and this weekend wasn't going to be any different— since all work and no play makes one boring, Ashley and Cam agreed on a sleepover, a movie night would suffice. They both had gone home right after school to prepare for the sleepover.

Ashley had taken a nap immediately after she reached home, her bed was alluring enough and she couldn't quite resist. She woke up after several hours of napping,  picking up her phone that was entangled with the sheets she decided to visit Instagram, it's been forever since she went there. She scrolls through posts, liking random pictures she came across.

Ping!

A text notification pops up on her phone.

"Hey! I'm here"- Cam.

"I'm in my room, come up"- Ashley.

Not long after, the door to Ashley's door opens and Cam steps in. In her palms were two big tubes of chocolate ice cream for their movie night.

"Dinner's ready," Mrs. Canton enters the room and informs "Come downstairs in five minutes."

"Okay." both of them chorus.

"Come downstairs with Dylan, inform him." Mrs. Canton orders.

"Okay, mum," Ashley replies.

"I'll go call Dylan," Cam stretches her hands towards Ashley "Take this and put it in the fridge, we don't want it melting."

Ashley takes the tubes of ice cream from her hands and heads downstairs. She put the tubes in the freezer and headed for the dining table that was set. After a minute, Cam heads downstairs with Dylan who has a bored look on his face. Cam had disturbed the living daylight out of him till he left what he was doing behind, playing video games. He had no other option than to come downstairs with her, for dinner, she wasn't having it any other way. Besides Dylan was famished and it wasn't in his plans to skip dinner, he doesn't skip food. It was even in the good books that he obliged.

Cam takes her seat beside Ashley and Dylan takes his opposite. Mr. Canton joins not long after.

——

"Wait a minute!!, the popcorns, I'm going to get it from the kitchen." Ashley points out after they were set to watch the movie.

"Yeah, sure. After all, what's a movie night without popcorn? It's like taking a shower without using shampoo ...." Cam grins ".. remember the ice creams too."

"Whatever!!" Ashley rolls her eyes "A helping hand would suffice."

"No can do, it's your house and I'm your guest so you ought to serve me." Cam flashes her a grin.

"I'll get you back."

"Go on." Cam waves her off.

In five minutes time, Ashley was back with the popcorn and ice cream.

"Now we can get started," she says.

"Of course," Cam replies and they oblige.

Halfway through the movie, the male lead character gathers the courage to tell the female lead character how he feels about her. Cam and Ashley were almost at the brink of tears, crocodile.

They both awwwed when the soon-to-be couple hugged and kissed, in the rain.

"That's so romantic, and cute." Ashley giggles.

"How I wish it was me." Cam daydreamed in excitement.

"Haha, we all wish but not everyone finds the love we so much desire, you know that right?" Ashley reasons after a while of thinking.

"Ash, seriously, what's up with the negativity?" Cam furrows her brows in wonder.

"What I just said, believe it or not, it's the fact," Ashley mutters and shrugs.

"Well, something I know for sure is that you will definitely find love. Everyone finds love, it's just that those who ain't ready don't see love even when it stares them in the face. Love is about preparation, allow yourself to be loved, that's all. When you feel love approaching, just embrace it. Accept the fact that you also deserve love."  Cam says smiling.

"Woooow.." Ashley claps "...love expert, didn't know you gave love advice for free."

"Well..." she flicks her hair "I do."

******

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So......

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