" Is the pole looking good?... I bet it is,"
Someone said from my right. My senses were back after seeing a cup of ice cream planted in front of us. It has two flavors stacked into each other, yellow and brown. I can it's chocolate? And... mango.
" Ice cream, cheese, and chocolate," he said, eating his cup.
I nodded at him: but I was just playing with the spoon, moving it up and down on the cup, enjoying playing with the ice cream with its teeny spoon and cute cup.
The sun blaze like a deadly spike, and this ice cream is perfect to ease the high temperature I'm feeling, especially since we'll stay here probably for an hour or two for our next class to start.
" What are you thinking and not telling?" his chair moved backward when he leaned his back on it.
" I'm not... I mean, I don't have anything to tell, " I said, giving a spoonful amount in my mouth as I crossed my foot together.
" You keep staring into nothing since three hours ago, and it's just nothing? "
My head shakes at him. Silence enveloped us, and I could feel his gaze on me every minute he fed himself. I don't know what he plans in life. I'm contented with the ice cream he bought me.
" Stop it," I said while my eyes were on the cup.
" What? I'm innocent,"
" Innocent? What a big joke, " I said in doubt.
He went silent for a bit since he was busy with what he was eating, " You can talk it out... to me, come on, spill the ice cream,"
I turned at him from what he said with a creased forehead, " Isn't it supposed to be the beans? "
" We don't have beans, but there's ice cream," he clarified.
" That's stupid, " I whispered to myself.
" I know," he said, which only two of us could hear.
I'm digging the ice cream until I reach the bottom of it. I usually save every conversation before it crashes down: it would be awkward. But for the first time in years, I want to go mute and think, watch the students pass by, the wind rustle, and play with the branches above us.
" Do you know you're similarity with the ice cream?" he asks, breaking the silence.
" Hmm?"
" Cold,"
" Corny, thanks,"
After that, I bashed him by applying the ice cream to his face like some facial cream.
" Cheese is delicious," he said, licking what was close to his mouth, " You just thanked me, and now you're fighting me? Child abuse,"
" F.Y.I, you're not a child anymore. You're already 18, and it's just ice cream,"
" Turning 19," he corrected.
"Yeah, and I could sue you for child abuse since I'm only 17,"
" Yeah, 17 and... small,"
I still heard his last word to me, so I immediately locked him inside my arms, stumbling him to death.
" Stop! Sorry!..." he said, tapping my arm around his neck," Sue, small but terrible, don't you like it? " he was running out of breath while saying those.
He managed to call dismissed from my embrace, no matter how tight I made it. I think he used the method of twisting one arm because I almost feel it happening.
He even managed to laugh at me while already catching his breath. When I looked back at the path, Pete passed by in front of us.
Mark would have called him when he was about to raise his hand, but I immediately lowered it in asking him.
" Do you have water?" I said, pretending a cough.
" Yeah," he sank his head on the table to his bag on the floor while Pete and my eyes met, but I immediately gazed away after I felt a cold substance stick on my skin, " I haven't opened it yet,"
" L.Q?"
" What are you even saying?" I asked after having some water.
" Is that what are you thinking and not telling?"
" Nothing, I swear. I don't even know who are you talking about,"
" You saw him,"
" Who?"
" Pete? He--L.Q," he was cut off by his own, but he said something else that I didn't hear.
I shrugged my shoulders at him and went back on my own business.
He saw us. I felt his heavy stare watching us made him stop even before our eyes met. And he left without saying a word.
" WHAT ARE WE EVEN gonna do in the grocery? " MARK ASKED, following me around the hallway.
We were still huddled with people just to pass and reach the stairs, " Going to purchase what I need? What else do you think is done in the supermarket? Huh? " I asked, " You can not come you're just being like a dog,"
" Sorry?"
I tried to look behind him when I suddenly bumped someone into my shoulder.
My attention went to him, and I constantly apologized. I already expected that since numerous students were passing by, going up and down the stairs.
" Sorry, Sor--Sorry, "
Our eyes locked on each for a few seconds before I said the last apology, leaving him with a grim smile.
" Sue, wait!" Mark chased me after he was left on the stairs, " Don't tell me you didn't see him,"
" That's Peter, I know, so?"
" Aren't you going to wait for him?"
" For what? He's busy or maybe he's tired he told me that,"
We got all that I needed in the supermarket. Thank goodness it was over soon.
I don't think I want to experience another grocery shopping with Mark on this. It was embarrassing to be with him. He looked like a child when I let him push the cart. He almost rode inside as he rode on the wheel while it was running down the aisle.
I let the people look at his childish personality while I hide, looking for the things I need. I just act like I don't know who am I with.
" You should have taken the cart home. It's like your first time in here,"
" Third time,"
" Third time? You can still count it? Are you that rich and don't even have to go to the supermarket? "
He gave me a shrug of his shoulders and then opened the car door in the front seat since I was already carrying two bags in both of my arms. I let it sit on my lap until I let him stop at Mama's house.
" This isn't your house," he said, clicking the joystick.
" I know. Do you want to go inside and say Hi?"
" Who even lives there?"
A sigh let out of me, " Come on, I will introduce you too. Maybe you haven't experienced going to another house," I said, opening my door.
But he was the one who closed it when I was about to kick the door close.
" I have experience, going to your house, my cousin, my grandmother, my grandfather on my father's side--"
" Ok, shut up," I stop him from counting all of it with his fingers.
We had stepped foot on her doorstep, so I gave the door three knocks, and then I saw Mama's smile greeted first after swinging the door open.
" Sue!" she let out a hug between us even though the bags are blocking.
" Is this your grandmother?" Mark whispered to my ears as soon as Mama let go of me from her embrace.
I didn't answer him because I was going to introduce him, "Mama, this is--"
I was cut off when she stepped out to hug him by calling him by another name.
" Peterson!"
" Mama, that is not Peter," I said, pulling them apart.
Mark's looked awkward while he was in an embrace with her. He doesn't know if he should place or wrap his arm around her.
" Who is this? Your other friend that's other than Peterson?"
" Yes, Mama, this is Mark. Mark, this is Mama, can be my grandmother, but we're not blood-related,"
" Oh, so sorry,"
" That's alright, Mam,"
" You can also call me Mama,"
I think I gave her another favorite than me. She pulled him inside her house without even remembering me. I was left on the porch with bags in my arms while they had already made their way inside.
While Mark kept looking behind, calling me to go with them, I remained still for a few minutes, watching Mama enjoying having him.
" I always dreamt of having a son, " I heard Mama talking with him as I walked past them into the living room.
I make my way inside the kitchen and place all of it on top of the counter. I take all of them out one by one before starting to grab the other equipment I need.
" Mama, where's your measuring cup?" I asked while checking every cabinet.
I didn't receive an answer, instead, she found it and gave it to me.
Once she found it, she placed it beside the bowl, " I thought you were not coming today. Classes have already started, right?"
" Yes, Mama, it's already the 2nd or 3rd week of class? But I promise I will always find time to hang out with you,"
" Your friend is a friendly young man, you've chosen great friends, but I would like to meet Peterson, he must be nice too like Marky?"
" Mama, it's just Mark,"
I was already crashing the Grahams when I corrected her with his name.
" It's just the same,"
I felt awkward on the outside, but my brain laughed at what he called Mark, " I knew you'll like him, Mama. Don't worry, I'll introduce you to Peter too, " if we're already okay.
I added the butter and sugar to place them in the pan afterward while Mama mashed the cream cheese. She let me mix it with the sour cream with lots of sugar, drops of vanilla, and a cup of flour with eggs that I beat one at a time based on Mama.
I'm going to try making cheesecake since it's her birthday soon, and she promises she will teach me how to bake one. It's one of her specialties, and I badly want to learn.
" Do you know my secret recipe for baking?" she asked while watching me pour the mixture into the pan.
" Nothing or maybe love?" it didn't take me a while to raise a response.
" Why do you think it's love?"
" Am I wrong? I just... guess it since it's the common reason of almost everyone,"
" No, no, you're right. " she shakes his head at me, " But, why do you think it's love? Just... give me a guess,"
That made me stop from patting the mixture in the pan as I tried looking up the ceiling to think of an answer until I got one, but I wasn't sure, " Because... you love baking, and you pour your love into baking," that's the only answer I can give right now, it made me feel like I partook in a recitation.
" Correct, " she said, considering my answer, " But if you're in love or feeling it, you're also pouring it into what you're doing that gives you a splendid outcome,"
A smile is what I showed as a reaction to Mama's answer. I somehow get her point, maybe she's feeling love for her children and for her husband that had already passed away, but that doesn't end their love there.
We went back to the living room where we left him, and he was watching this basketball match just to keep himself busy. He feels at home. I sat next to him as I dropped two glasses on the table while Mama stayed outside to start knitting.
" Juice?" I offered Mark.
" Is she going to stay there?" he asked, watching her since the time Mama was walking all through the backyard.
We can still see her from the living room since the door that leads to the backyard is just a glass sliding door, and the curtain was not blocking it, and she's just right behind the sofa but feet away.
" Yeah, she also likes knitting beside baking,"
I watched it with him even though I'm not a big fan, but I already watched a match with Pete every time I stayed at their house, he always watched basketball matches.
" You're just watching basketball you didn't help her in the kitchen," I whispered at him.
" What does she say about me?" he whispered back with his eyes on the T.V.
" You're not friendly as she expected me to be, and I should have chosen different friends,"
He turns his poker face at me, " You're joking,"
" No, she said it," I said, raising my right hand.
" Even if I ask her?"
" She wouldn't even listen to you,"
" Really?"
We sounded like a child arguing. We stared at each other with the same squinted eyes and poker faces. Until I heard the timer ring in the kitchen.
I pulled him into the kitchen as I ran there and showed him the cheesecake we made.
" See, perfect," I said, mixed with impudence, pulling the toothpick with no pieces of cake stuck in it, " We're just gonna let it cool, and then place the blueberry, and we have a blueberry cheesecake," I said, leaving it in the rack.
" I should have two slices on it,"
" Did you do anything to help?"
I went to the backyard and tell Mama about the cake while she was still doing the same thing, knitting.
" Mama! The cake is ready the blueberry jam is what it all needed,"
" That's great. Are you heading home already?"
I look at Mark at the same time he looks at me. We both don't know what to answer.
I gave him a look to answer for us since I would say 'I'll stay', and I have nothing to do at our house for tonight, but he isn't living pretty near our neighborhood.
" We're staying for another hour, I think," he answered.
He get back to the sofa while I was walking, checking my social media. And come across a picture that was already 5 years ago.
[Sunset]