Thorn • Scott Summers

six

The pair walked up to a small ice cream parlor in the food court.
"Frosty's", the neon red sign had read, and they waited in line.

Scott was in front of her, but he let Florence order first. He had been rude to her since they met, but he was always chivalrous. His brother had taught him that.

"I'll have a vanilla cone, please," she said, and the boy behind the counter smiled at her, but Scott didn't like the look of it. The boy looked about their age, with sandy blond hair and blue eyes.

"Plain vanilla? You look like you need something a bit more special," he said to her, and she laughed.

"I'll just take the plain vanilla, It's fine."

"Whatever you desire, darling," the boy said, and he scooped the ice cream for her.
Scott was getting annoyed. He realized what he was feeling wasn't only anger, it was... jealousy.

Before the boy handed the cone to her, he went to the small bins with toppings and spooned out a single cherry, putting it on top of the ice cream.

"Here you go," he handed it to her, and she gave him the money in his free hand. "A cherry on top, for a special cherry like you."

Florence blushed, never having gotten attention like that before. But she didn't take it the way he was saying it- she thought he was just being nice and friendly, trying to give good service.

Scott ordered his ice cream quickly, the employee's attitude changing once he saw Scott. Yet, he was smug.
While Scott was paying, Florence walked away slightly, looking back.
"I'll look for a table," she said, not waiting for a reply.

"Sorry for hitting on your girlfriend, kid. I can't really help it though, I mean, look at her." The boy said as he put the money in the cash register. He whistled, catcalling Florence from afar, and smirked. Scott was fuming, his cheeks getting hot.

"She's not my girlfriend." Scott grumbled, clenching his jaw.

"Really? You haven't reeled in that hot piece of-" Scott grabbed the boys wrist, and he hissed in pain. He pulled the server to him, pulling him over the counter.
"You make one more comment about her, and I'll fucking end you. You hear me?" Scott threatened quietly. The boys eyes widened, not expecting a reaction like that. Scott let go, snatching the change from the server's hand, and walked away angrily. He stuffed it in his pocket and looked around. He found Florence sitting at a table next to some potted plants.

Scott sat down across from her, and she sensed his anger.

"Are you ok?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"That kid," he motioned to the ice cream place, "he's a fucking dick."

"What? The guy that gave us the ice cream? He was being nice to me, what did do?"

"He was being an ass."

"Why, because he was being nice? Is it because he didn't give you a cherry?"

"Florence, shut up. He wasn't being nice. He was flirting with you, and then he said other disgusting shit when you left. He was looking at you like a piece of meat and you didn't even notice."

Florence's face changed. She spoke softer.

"Well... why do you care so much? I thought you hated me."