Run with me

Ice cream

Lena POV

"Hurry up!" Olivia is running in front of me. 

"Wait up for me!" She makes an U-turn and runs back to my side. 

"All the tasty ones will be sold out if we are late."

"haha oke oke" Olivia grabs my hand and together we start jogging through the woods. Taking her shortcut to get the ice cream she wants. I am so glad that she is still a kid, otherwise I would have been all sweaty not being able to keep up with her.

Before I knew it the trees were changing into a paved road leading to the Main Street with different small shops on both sides of the street. Slowing down we continue walking towards a white painted store selling ice cream. This town is more vibrant than I imagined. All the stores are open, not all parking spots are taken but there are enough people on the street. Seeing all these trucks they remind me of Austin.

"Olivia, what do you think of Austin?" I should have thought about that more as it came out really roughly.

"I really like him." she starts swinging my hand to the front and back, hopping next to me.  "He is the best uncle ever. When dad isn't around he is always around, especially since mom is gone. And he always lets me do everything. Or almost everything. Don't tell dad though." She is so smart, Austin has won her over by spoiling her and she knows it.

"Deal, I won't."

"He is like my second dad." 

"How would you react if he got a family on his own?" Its weird of me to ask a 14 year old that. But I am worried. Apparently he is single as I kinda got asked out on a date by him. Or was that just my imagination. And if Conan is not around with Austin occupied. Who will care for Olivia?

"They can't have kids." Did she just say they? 

"huh? you got me confused" 

"You should get with him! I would like that" Woow that was a quick turn. Well at least I got approval from the kiddo. This makes me snicker. She is still in the innocent age of saying whatever she thinks.  Still so innocent and sweet for her age.

Walking into the ice cream shop the sound of bells can be heard when we open the door. Such a classic sound. The shop was filled with people around their early twenties. "You were right, they might be actually sold out in this rate" I give an apologetic look to Olivia. Who is lowering herself, trying to look between legs and around hips to see the left over flavours. 

"It gets extra crowded here with the upcoming festival" 

"I can spot Vanilla, Choco Chip, Tangerine, Very Berry?" We are both trying to see through the crowd. Having no idea if there is a line and where it starts. 

We make our way to the glass, almost being pushed up to it by the crowd I have Olivia stand in front of me. 

"Hey Olive whats up?" this young guy who is scooping ice for another order gives a quick look up. 

"Hey Josh. Can we get the usual and.. Lena what flavour would you like?"

"Uhm tangerine?"

"The usual and tangerine, got it. Just give me a sec" 

"Olivia, how much is it gonna be?" Pulling out my wallet.

"Don't worry. He likes me so all the ice creams are free." Her cheeks turn a cherry blossom pink. 

"Here you go ladies, enjoy." I can see a big difference, the orange looking ice cream has a small normal sized ball of ice on the corn. A size that an ice cream store would give if they don't want to disappoint their customer but also try to save enough ice cream for one more corn to make more profit. While her white brownish ice cream was bulging, he put 3 ice scopes and made it into one big one. Drizzled with these small nut stuff. 

"Shall I wait outside for you so you can hang a bit with your friend?" I know when its my cue to disappear. 

"Ah.. sure. I will come out in a sec." 

-----

Sitting outside on the side of a a big concrete flower basket I lick on my ice cream. Through the window I can see her snickering with this Josh. The shop has emptied out a bit since we got there.

Enjoying the breeze I lick the dripping ice cream drops from the cone. The sun is really setting early here. Its my first time being at such a high latitude. With the summer being over, day light becomes less and less. With the glow of the sun I can hear the ringing of the door bells when Olivia steps out of the ice cream shop. 

I can feel that people watch us through the window of the shop, a group of guys. We grab each others hand and start walking. Almost finishing my ice cream I put the whole tip of the cone in my mouth. Munching it down. There is still a big bowl of ice on Olivia's corn when we turn right, walking towards the woods for her short cut home. 

"It looks like everyone who knows you well calls you Olive?"

"Yeah, it started with my mom. now everyone close to me is allowed to call me that. You may call me Olive as well." She looks up at me.

“ I think my dad came up with the name though. He once said something that my mom used to like eating olives so he suggested a name similar to it. Honestly it was a nickname that he had given to my mom first. Now that she is gone I like it even more. It makes me feel even closer to her.”

I feel a bit awkward. "That is really nice , I like your name even more now. Olive." With a really faint voice, sounding so insecure. I am not completely sure if it’s oke for me to call her Olive as her name has such a meaning and with her mom passing and all.

Walking further I can feel the little twigs and soft soil under my shoes. The cracking and ristling sound of leaves and branches as we put one step after another forward. My body relaxes and I can finally enjoy the walk. On the way to the ice cream shop we had been in such a hurry that I wasn’t able to appreciate the woods.

The soft wind that comes through the trees tickles our faces, moving small strands of hair on our head. Rustling of the trees. A sudden shudder coming over my body. 

"You oke?" Olivia asks me as I make one big shuddering movement. 

"Yes, sorry I had to get that out of my system." 

Normally after such a shake of my body I would feel better. However goosebumps form on my arms.  I can now hear the cracking sound of twigs not only coming from our feet but from behind us. The tranquil feeling totally disappears as I feel that we are followed. At the same time that I realise this, Olivia does as well. Her body tenses, squeezing my hand. With almost a whisper she commands me "Run".