Sweethearts

The afternoon was warm, the perfect spring afternoon. Gerard sighed and leaned his chin against his hand. Despite the beautiful weather, business was slow. Hardly anyone had even glanced at the shop, too busy heading down to the beach or the ice cream parlor to bother.

“That new ice cream place is killing us,” Frank said as he emerged from the back room, lugging a large box of rock candy in his arms. He set the box down on the counter and rested his elbows on it. “You look bored.”

“It’s ‘cuz I am bored,” Gerard sighed. “We’re usually killing it this time of year.”

“Damn ice cream place,” Frank muttered. “I had big plans this summer, too. Probably won’t be able to afford them.”

“What kind of plans did you have?” Gerard asked curiously.

“Just trying to woo someone.”

“Really? Someone finally caught your attention?”

Frank cocked an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. I just haven’t seen you date anyone in the, what? Five…six years we’ve known each other.”

“There’s a reason for that,” he muttered, shaking his head and picking the box back up. Gerard watched him, noticing how much Frank had filled out recently. Frank had always been small and thin, but over the last few months his shoulders had broadened, his face shed it’s layer of baby fat, and his facial hair was finally coming in consistently across his jaw. Gerard envied him – his own body was still chubby and his facial hair was always thin and patchy. Even worse was the fact that Gerard had adult facial features which, combined with his chubby body, made him look like some sort of man-child. Frank, lucky as he was, had big, bright eyes and boyish features that would make him look young far into his adult life.

“Did you want to take a picture or just keep staring at me,” Frank chuckled.

“Huh?” Gerard shook his head, pulling himself out of his thoughts.

“You’re staring at me,” Frank repeated.

Gerard felt his cheeks heat up. “No, I wasn’t.”

“Hey, it’s fine.” Frank grinned. “I know I’m pretty damn sexy.”

Before Gerard could think of something witty to say, the bell over the door jingled. He looked up and nearly choked.

“Hey, Kris,” Frank greeted the newcomer.

“Hi,” said Kris, smiling warmly. She looked as beautiful as Gerard had ever seen her, her blonde hair wild and windswept and her face flushed from the sunshine. Her slender body was clothed in a black-and-white striped tank top, pink shorts, and brown flip-flops.

Gerard hastily ran his hands through his messy, black hair, attempting to make it somewhat presentable, but quickly stopped when Kris looked his direction. “Gerard,” she said amicably. “How’s it going?”

“Perfect,” he answered dazedly. He blushed, then continued, “Um…how’s Jason?”

“Oh, he’s alright,” Kris said with a shrug. Gerard fought back a smile – he hated Kris’ boyfriend, Jason, but didn’t want her to know that. “Can I get…wow, you’ve gotten a lot of new stuff since last week.”

As Kris leaned over the glass counter, Gerard glanced up at Frank, who was watching with a peculiar expression on his face. He raised his eyebrows, looked pointedly down to Kris, then back up to Gerard.

What? Gerard mouthed.

Frank rolled his eyes, then looked back at Gerard and nodded at Kris, who was now looking up at the shelf above Gerard’s head. When Gerard just shook his head, Frank sighed, put down the handful of rock candy he’d been putting out, and walked over to lean against the counter.

“So, Kris, what are you doing tomorrow afternoon?” Frank asked.

Eyes widening, Gerard shook his head at Frank, but the motion went ignored.

“Me?” Kris replied, tearing her eyes away from a display of homemade fudge. “I dunno. Nothing, I guess.”

“Gerard really wants to try that ice cream place down the street. Have you tried it yet?”

“Not yet.”

“Well, then, maybe you guys should go together. Not today – we have to do inventory – but how about tomorrow?”

Kris looked at Gerard for a moment, contemplating, then said, “Okay. Sounds good.”

“Great,” said Frank. “He’ll come by your house when he gets off work. Should be around two o’clock.”

“Cool.” She smiled at Gerard, then wandered over to the barrels of old-fashioned candy.

“What are you doing?” Gerard hissed, feeling like he might die of heat stroke at any moment.

“You’ve been drooling over her for six months,” Frank whispered, sounding annoyed. “I knew you’d never ask her out yourself, so I stepped in.”

Kris appeared back at the counter just then, clutching a paper bag full of Caramel Creams and Charleston Chews. Gerard rang them up, dropping the bag onto the counter as he attempted to hand it back to her, then watched her as she walked out of the shop, stopping for at the door to offer them both a small wave.

“I can’t go out with her! She’s gorgeous!!” Gerard exclaimed once the shop door closed.

“So?”

“You don’t understand because you’re beautiful, too,” Gerard said with a sigh. “I’m not.”

The brief smile that had lit up Franks face at being called beautiful twisted into a frown. “What are you talking about?”

“I mean, look at me,” Gerard murmured.

Frank leaned over the counter, fixing his big, green eyes on Gerard, who found himself unable to look anywhere. “I am, Gerard, and I see a guy that anyone would be lucky to have. You’re stunning, Gerard.”

Gerard stared into Franks eyes, unsure of what to say to that. It stunned him that someone like Frank could think of him as anything better than non-offensive. Finally, after grappling for something to say, Gerard managed to get out, “But what am I supposed to wear?”

“A nice shirt and pants,” Frank said. Gerard sensed a silent “duh” at the end of his sentence.

“All I own are t-shirts and noodles,” Gerard admitted.

“Okay. Uh…” Frank thought for a minute, then said, “Okay. I’ll come up after work and check out your closet. If you don’t have anything…appropriate, I’ll bring you something of mine to wear tomorrow morning.”

“That sounds great,” Gerard breathed, relieved. “Can you try and find something in black? It’s supposed to be slimming.”

“You don’t need slimming,” Frank said shortly. Then he turned and walked into the back room.

Gerard spent the rest of the afternoon worrying about his date with Kris.