Not Today, But Someday(15)

“Well, the girl in my story is named Emily, so I guess that’s where Miss Spindler is coming from. Emi’s short for Emily.”

“Ohhh,” I comment, remembering the Knight’s tale. “This is starting to make more sense.”

“So, what, you have to perform for Miss Spindler in private, then? Now if that’s not intentional...”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“The young squire, who’d do anything for love,” she says, her voice suddenly very theatrical. “The cute boy, telling his tale of love to the young, single, lovesick teacher.”

“You’ve got an imagination on you, don’t you?”

“It’s one of my better qualities.” She takes another spoonful of ice cream, but this time she twirls the spoon in her mouth after swallowing, drawing my attention there.

“Did you call me cute?”

“I don’t think so,” she says, her cheeks growing red. She dips her head down toward the table and pulls her coat tighter again.

“And mine isn’t really a story of love,” I tell her, letting her off the hook. “It might have been, but it was interrupted unexpectedly. I don’t know the ending to my story. The god damn Franklin cut me off,” I laugh, and she does, too. “And for the record, I get a pass from my math class to come present for your class that day.”

“So you’ll see me in shining armor...” she mumbles. “Great.”

“That’s a sight,” I tell her. “No offense, but I don’t think you’d be able to stand up straight with full body armor.”

“Then I won’t waste my money. Maybe I could make a cool breastplate of foil and cardboard.”

“That sounds like a better plan.” For the third time, she shivers, and this time pulls a hood over her head.

“You do know it’s below freezing outside, don’t you? I just don’t understand why you chose to come here,” I question her.

“It’s peppermint, though,” she explains, as if it all makes perfect sense, “it has some warming qualities... or something...”

“Really?” I ask her. “Here,” I say, taking off the lid to my latte, “try this.”

“I don’t like coffee.”

“It’s not coffee, it’s–

“I can’t have chocolate,” she adds quickly, pushing the drink back to my side of the table as if it’s offensive to her.

“It’s not hot chocolate, either,” I tell her, looking at her sideways. “It’s a chai tea latte.”

“That sounds disgusting.”

“It’s not. Plus, it will warm you up. Either drink some of this, or I’m taking off my jacket and making you wear it. And all I’ve got on under this is a t-shirt, so you’ll probably feel bad.”

“Probably not,” she says with a straight face. One dimple starts to form though, and she touches my finger with hers as she takes the drink from me. “Oh, my God, that’s good,” she says, drinking more. “Take some ice cream,” she offers, pushing it toward me. “Take it all, please. Because I want this. Can we trade?” She speaks so quickly, and continues drinking at will, so there’s no chance for me to say no. “Please?” she asks, her eyes pleading with me. “I’ll get you a spoon.”

“I don’t want your ice cream, but drink up. I’m tired of hearing your teeth chatter.”

“Thank you,” she says. “If you don’t want ice cream, why’d you come in?”

“I saw you from the street, and I thought I’d stop by.”

“Why?”

“Well, I was at this pizza place,” I start, and she looks at me curiously, “and I think I may have seen your brother. Do you have one?”

“I do. Why do you think that though?”

“His hair was the same color as yours.”

“Lots of people have strawberry-blonde hair,” she says as she rolls her eyes.

“Well, he was also new in town, talked about a sister named Emi, and mentioned his parents were going through a divorce.”

“Was he with a cute dark-haired guy?” she asks.

“No,” I answer her. “I didn’t think he was cute.” She laughs a little.

“So did you actually meet him? My brother, Chris?”

“Not officially,” I explain. “But I was close enough to overhear that your family is looking for you.”

She averts her eyes and drinks some more of the latte.

“I’m not going to ask questions,” I tell her. “It’s none of my business.”

“Thank you,” she says. “I’m not really in the mood to talk about it; nor am I in the mood to go back home.”

“I won’t make you do either. But this place is closing soon, and I’m not going to abandon you until I know you have somewhere to go. Did you drive here?”

“No, I don’t know how to drive.”

“Really?”

“My brother takes me where I need to go. Or I take a bus.”

I nod toward the front window, trying to get her to look outside. The snow has started to fall heavily again, and with the sun down completely, I’m sure the roads and sidewalks will be sheets of ice in no time. I glance at her feet. At least she has boots on.