There are a few things I’ve learned working at Scoops Ahoy:

1: Ice cream is sticky.

2: Children are loud.

3: Dustin Henderson is the world’s worst wingman.

I’m wiping down the counter for the fifth time when I hear rapid footsteps, just before Dustin launches himself against the counter. “Steve!” he huffs, already out of breath as if he ran through the whole mall to get here. “Code Pink! Code Pink! She’s here!”

I sigh, tossing the rag to the side. “Dude, you can’t keep assigning colors to things without telling me what they mean.”

But then I see you.

And suddenly I get it.

Dustin's older sister. The one who works at Starcourt Diner, just across from my own humiliation ritual of a job. The same one who is smart, funny, and pretty in a way that makes it actually astonishing you're related to someone like...

I look back at Dustin, who is now licking my ice cream scooper.

...Yeah. I can't believe you're related to that.

"Dude." I scold, ripping my scoop from his hands with a glare.

He clears his throat before speaking again. "She just got off her shift, which means she's coming over for her traditional after work strawberry milkshake, because she hates the artificial syrup they use at the diner."

Robin walks by, popping a gummy worm into her mouth. "Try not to drool this time, dingus."

"I don't drool," I shoot her a look. "I'm charming, I'm smooth, I-"

"You're sweating."

I blink, wiping my forehead. "It's hot in here." I shrug, disregarding the freezing ice cream container to my left.

Dustin grabs my shoulders and shakes me with a level of force that's surprising for a fourteen year old that just got from science camp. “Listen to me. Today is the day. I haven't spent over a year watching you pine over my sister for nothing. And quite frankly, I'm sick of it."

"You've been dating a girl for three weeks and suddenly think you know relationship advice?" I give him a glare.

He rolls his eyes and gives me a shove. "Go. Be normal. Say literally anything that isn't stupid."

Great pep talk.

I inhale and straighten my ridiculous sailor hat, hoping maybe you have a thing for men in uniform, and turn just as you approach the counter (and Dustin ducks down behind some stacked cups).

"Ahoy!" I greet, cringing at myself, but perk back up a bit when you smile. Shit, that smile. "Welcome aboard Scoops Ahoy. I'll be accompanying you on this ocean of flavor, and-" Dustin lands a harsh kick to my ankle and I wince, before recovering quickly.

"Uh," I clear my throat. "Care for a sample?"