number neighbor / mileven texting au.

forty-three.

*** TRIGGER WARNING! ***

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE;
CRUEL INTENT.

their day was perfect.

the young and in-love couple went to this cool interactive museum that el had been wanting to go to for months, but never did because she didn't want to go alone. 

they went for lunch at some cute, corner bakery she liked where she forced mike into getting her favorite sandwich. he absolutely hated it and was holding a small grudge against his girlfriend for ordering him a sandwich with apples on it. who the hell puts apples on a sandwich?

then, they strolled along the river that stretched through a portion of town, and el bought of a pack of chips to feed to the ducks. eventually, some pedestrian with extensive knowledge on what to feed geese pestered her for it so she made mike finish the chips, claiming she didn't like plain lays.

the only way she could've imagined ending their perfect day-long date was with ice cream, and her wish was his command. the couple was sat in ricky's ice cream hut, a small, family-run shop that usually had more business than they could handle. luckily, the school break made the store less crowded as there wasn't any rush of students eating ice cream as they did their homework.

"so, do you eat ice cream, every day?" mike asked the blushing brunette, referencing the way the lady behind the counter recognized el and already knew her order.

she shrugged, licking her chocolate cone. "are you calling me fat?" she teased.

his eyes gaped just as his mouth did at the conclusion she had jumped to. when she began to giggle, he caught on and realized she was only trying to scare him. "haha, you're so funny," he tried to drain his voice of emotion, but a slight laugh rang through.

"i like to think so," she agreed, oblivious to the smudge of chocolate ice cream beneath her lower lip. he licked his own mint chocolate chip cone with a smug expression. "what?" she quipped, sensing his amusement.

his curls swayed as he shook his head, "nothing."

her lips pursed and tightened her eyes. "i hate you," she sighed with an eye roll.

"yet i love you," he mused, still lapping at his own ice cream. 

her lips blew in exasperation. "you think you're so smooth, mike wheeler. it's going to bite you in the ass," she warned.

he smirked. "god, you love talking about my ass, don't you?"

his assertion elicited his favorite chorus of giggles. she shook her head, ignoring the heat in her cheeks. "dumb ass!" she swore, having quite the naughty tongue today.

"again with my ass? jesus, el. could you stop objectifying me for a moment?" he gasped, faking offense though he was actually reveling in the bright smile he brought to her messy lips. she didn't reply, she only covered her grin with her ice cream. "okay, i'll tell you. c'mere, babe," he beckoned, gesturing her to lean over the small table they were seated at.

"what do you-" she cut herself off when she leaned forward and his thumb swiped the bit of cream from her lip. she gasped, slightly embarrassed. "why didn't you tell me before, you-" again, she cut herself short, knowing she needed to be more careful with her wording.