fandomtownies | Chilly Boulder, Friday Afternoon

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Chilly Boulder, Friday Afternoon

After an hour or so of perusing the bookstore, Sholeh and Evan made their way to Chilly Boulder to finish celebrating Evan's birthday. Sure, it was very cold out today, but the lure of ice cream was too much to deny. Especially with Evan bringing along some of the brownies to add to their sundaes.

Taking a table for three near the window (their combined stack of books got the other chair), Sholeh turned to Evan and asked, "So, enjoying your birthday so far?"

She really, really hoped the answer was yes.

[For the boy, but open!]

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"It's been a much better birthday than I could have even hoped for," Evan replied, putting his spoon down and giving her a warm smile. "I had been kind of planning to spend it the same way you were going to, by myself, you know?"

But getting to go out with Sholeh, whether or not it was actually a date the way Yeul had suggested, had been a definite highlight. And had even helped take the edge off of his waiting for a phone call from his uncle that never did actually happen.

The day wasn't through yet, so there was still hope!

"This was way better."

"Much, much better," Sholeh agreed, swiping a fingerful of whipped cream off her sundae. "I'm really glad we're both book people, you know? I was worried that I would feel bad for just wandering off and leaving you in the stacks sometimes. But you did it, too, and that made me feel lots better!"

Sure, they'd spent time reading the back covers of interesting books aloud to one another and pointing out books they thought the other would like. But they'd also spent an equal amount of time quietly reading and perusing the books on their own.

"See, that's one of the great things about being friends with another library person," Evan chirped, turning a grin toward his stack of books. "Oh! Which reminds me..."

He held up a finger for a moment, and then went rummaging through his pocket for a tiny wrapped box.

"I got you something. I know it's a couple of days late... But I thought you might like it."

"Oh, Evan!" Sholeh said, reaching for the box and then pausing before she could actually reach it. "You know you didn't have to, right? I didn't get you anything!"

She looked genuinely distressed over that. "I was going to try to be sneaky and get you something at the book store, but I didn't see anything that I'd thought you'd like."

At least, not that he then hadn't gotten for himself.

Bookstores were dangerous that way.

"I know I didn't have to," he smiled and shrugged his shoulders, "but you gave me all of those brownies, remember?"

The surviving ones were sitting on the table between them, after all.

"And... well, you're one of the best friends I have. I wanted to."

"Right, but I was giving those brownies away to everyone," Sholeh said, biting her lip. "You deserve something special."

But she couldn't turn down his present, not when he called her one of his best friends. So she took the box and opened it, then gasped as she picked the necklace up and looked at it.

"Oh, Evan, it's perfect!" She beamed at him. "I love it, it's so wonderful!"

Had Evan been fidgeting nervously under the table while she opened that box? Oh, yes. Yes he very much had been.

"You do? Oh, I hoped you would!" He gave her a bright smile, and then picked up his spoon again. The breath he'd been holding? He didn't have to worry about it any more, now! "Really, you don't have to worry about doing anything big for me, Sholeh. This whole day has been fantastic!"

She offered the necklace back to him. "Will you help me put it on?" she asked. "I want to wear it right away!"

Turning around, she lifted her hair out of the way so he could have a clear view of her neck. "I'm really glad you had a good day today, Evan. It makes me happy."

It was probably for the best that her back was to him, since he was kind of blushing a little now that he had realized that he was putting a necklace on a girl. Evan maybe hadn't thought very far beyond the, 'I bet Sholeh will like this!' stage of the gift-giving process.

"What about you?" He reached carefully around her with the necklace, and then brought the clasps together. "It's a little late, but you are having a good belated birthday?"

"I am," she said, blushing a fair bit herself. "Today was amazing. And yesterday, my friend Ulrik gave me a present, too!"

Her first-ever non-familial present, but that seemed weird to say.

"This is one of the best birthdays ever."

Dammit, Ulrik. Being more on the ball than Evan was!

"It's really good to hear that," he decided, making certain that the necklace clasps were secure before leaning back a little. "How's that?"

The necklace, of course. It wasn't... pinching or anything?

He had no idea. It wasn't like he'd ever worn a necklace.

Sholeh tugged the necklace slightly, making sure it was fastened around her neck securely. "It's great!" she said, turning back towards him to show it off. The charm nestled on her chest, shining in the light of the ice cream shop.

"What do you think?" she asked. "How does it look?"

"It looks like it suits you," Evan decided, smiling softly. "See... now, even if you don't have a book in your hand you can have one on you anytime."

"I will. I'll wear it every day," Sholeh said, picking up the charm and examining it once again. "Now I feel doubly bad. I'll have this forever and your brownies will be gone by the time we're done with our sundaes."

"But my brownies remind me of the ones my Ma would sometimes make," Evan replied with a tiny shrug of his shoulders. "And this sundae is the best I've ever had. Just because something is temporary doesn't mean it isn't good."

"I guess that's fair--but expect a lot of baked goods to show up randomly at your door for the next few weeks," Sholeh teased. "You're going to get a lot of temporary goodness."

"Will I get company while I eat, too?" He was half convinced his face was going to break right down the middle if he smiled any more. "We can just... sit and read? And eat your baking."

So, so much food. It was like people were trying to tell him he was too skinny!

Which... well...

THEY WEREN'T FAR OFF, YOUNG MAN!

"I don't know," she teased him. "Depends. Are you going to invite anyone in?"

"There was... maybe one person in particular I had in mind," Evan replied, ducking his head a little as that blush grew a little more obvious. "She's pretty great, actually. I would like to keep her company more often, if I could."

"Oh?" For a moment, Sholeh nearly asked who, then saw his blush and started blushing herself. "Oh. Yeah. That would be...nice, I think. If I, umm, know the girl you're thinking of, I think she'd like that. A, umm, lot."

There were a lot of 'umm's and 'I think's there, but Sholeh hoped he'd understand.

"I think maybe you've met her," Evan confirmed. Her own hesitation was pretty understandable, considering his own blush was going nowhere. "She's smart, she likes books..."

"I'm pretty sure that anyone you want to spend more time with answers to that description," Sholeh told him earnestly. She was peeking out at him through the curtain of her hair, hints of a smile coming through as well. "I mean, I've met you."

"Well... there are only so many that I've eaten ice cream with on my birthday."

Oh, was that a good hint? Maybe that was a good hint!

Oooh, you know what? That was a good hint!

"Well, if I find anyone like that, I'll be sure to pass along the message," Sholeh teased--a little breathlessly. "But just in case I don't see her, would you mind maybe spending time with me instead?"

"I think you would be just as good," Evan decided, leaning forward a bit and smiling at her just a touch bashfully. "Maybe even better. Why, you're already right here."

And she had an adorable smile. And pretty eyes. And...

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