Since The Day I Saw You

Chapter 9

Isabelle's P.O.V 

I sat staring at my phone with my jaw opened wide. My mom was trying to get my attention, but my brain could barely register anything. When I finally began to regain brain activity, I heard my mom calling to my dad upstairs, "Tom, our daughter is broken!" I slowly responded to my mother without taking my eyes off the messaged I had just received, "No I'm not." Which, was all my brain could seem to muster out. I slowly got up out of my chair and ran upstairs to conference call the girls.

"Hun, where are you going? You have your first work shift in an hour." My mom yelled up as I ran to my room. "I know, I don't have to leave for another thirty minutes!" I yelled back and closed my bedroom door. I quickly called Anna and added in the rest of the girls once she picked up. Once everyone was on I didn't wait another second.

 "Nate asked me out. Well at least I think it was a date, I mean does it count as a date when they ask you to come to their place and go horseback riding? He never came right out and said date, now I'm wondering if it even is one?-" Taylor quickly cut me off, "Whoa can you start from the very beginning?" I sighed and started again. "Nate texted me out of nowhere and said Hey Is, want to come over and go horseback riding tomorrow?" All the girls shouted in approval. 

"Please tell me you said yes," Liz said. "Of course, she did," Anna said. "Well, I actually haven't responded yet, because I am still unsure if its a date or not," I said sighing into the phone and flopping onto my bed. "When Brayden first asked me out I was unsure if it was a date because he just asked me to come over and watch movies. It wasn't until I flat out asked if it was." Natasha spoke up. I forgot she was on the phone. 

"Natasha has a point, especially if Nate is getting tips from Brayden," Anna said. "Besides, who cares if its a date or not. He still asked you to hang out alone." Liz added. "I guess you guys are right, but I still can't believe it. What does someone even wear horseback riding?" I asked. Soon we all got into a big discussion about what I would wear tomorrow and before I knew it, it was time for me to leave and start my first shift at the ice cream store.

***

I decided to ride my bike over to the ice cream shop since it was only a thirty-minute ride. Ten minutes into my bike ride I regretted my decision, due to the fact I had started to sweat. Thankfully, I had worn deodorant. I arrived to find the ice cream shop unusually empty since today was especially hot, it was odd that the beachgoers weren't taking a break from the heat and getting ice cream.

I peered through the front door window and could see Elena behind the counter reading a cheesy romance novel that I had seen my mom read once. Elena looked up as the bell rang, as I walked through the door. "Hello, sweetheart, as you can see it's going to be an easy first day today." She said and stood up as she led me to the backroom. "Where is everyone, it's usually pretty busy around noon?" I asked as she walked into what I assumed was the break room. "Oh, the red flag is up today, the lifeguard said it's not safe to swim. Something about riptides." She waved her hands nonchalantly. "Anyway, here is the break room, you can take your breaks in here and put your lunch in the fridge. You can leave your stuff in here, don't worry it will be safe." I nodded and put my stuff into a locker placed in the back corner of the break room.

Elena began giving me a quick tour of the backroom and freezer and went about explaining my duties. "There's not really much you need to do. Just refill the ice cream as it empties, serve customers, and make sure everything is clean. That also includes the customer washrooms." I nodded my head in response. After teaching me how the cash register worked and how to properly scope ice cream she gave me a list of things to do before the six o'clock rush came in. "Hopefully, this will keep you busy until then. I'm going to do some paperwork in the back room. If you need anything just holler and I will come right out to help you." "Okay," I said and with that, she left me alone. To be honest I was surprised Elena had faith in me right away that I could efficiently serve customers on my own.