Mint Chocolate Chip
This was it. My life was over. I had tried and tried but I never made any progress. All my life I wanted nothing more than to become a chef. Cooking was my passion, but it seemed I wasn’t cut out to be anything more than a fryer at a fast food joint. Climbing the front steps I dreaded telling my boyfriend. He had always supported me in my dream just as I had done for him and his dream of acting. How could I look him in the eyes and tell him I was a failure? And there they were; his green eyes dancing with hopeful curiosity made my gut clench. I had to look away. “So tell me the good news Natalie They made you top chef for sure!” Tom was so enthusiastic and his smile hit me harder than I had predicted it would. I bit my lip. The tears began brimming up from underneath the calm veneer I had put up. “Oh no… I’m so sorry. I thought this time for sure you would get it. Come here,” Tom opened his arms to embrace me and I took the opportunity to bury my face in his chest. He wrapped his arms around me tightly, running his slender fingers through my wavy brunette hair. I took a deep breath, inhaling his scent that seemed to be a brilliant combination of cinnamon and mint, before breaking into sobs. “I-I’m sorry… I’m j-just a big f-failure. I can’t c-cook! Who am I kidding? I should give up. I’m p-pathetic,” Emotion poured out of me. Tom led me to the couch as he continued to hold me. Once we sat down he pulled me away from him. I knew this was it. He would see me as the nothing I truly was. “Pathetic? Are you joking? You are the strongest, bravest, most brilliant woman I have ever known. You have a dream and you put it on hold to help me achieve mine. Do you think I’m going to let you let go of it so easily? You are going to be the best chef in this country, hell, in the world one day. I can’t just sit by and let the world miss out on something as fantastic as that,” Tom’s smile was back. Soft, warm, and loving, just like the look in his eyes. “Here, I had gotten some wine to celebrate but I think I know just the thing for you,” For a moment he disappeared into the kitchen. When he returned he had two spoons in one hand and his other was behind his back. He leaned in and gave me a light kiss on the fore head. I closed my eyes as I began to relax a bit, my body still tremoring slightly from the after effects of crying. When I had opened them again he had sat back beside me, revealing the surprise he held behind him. “Mint chocolate chip ice cream,” A weak smile spread across my face as I said it to myself. He handed me one of the spoons and opened the lid. “Your favorite. I always keep some handy for you,” The thought relieved me in a way. He really did love me. The guilt started rising again as I remembered how I had let him down. I must have looked gloomy again because at that moment Tom dipped his spoon into the ice cream and proceeded to splat a bit of it on my nose. The surprise got to me and I couldn’t help but try to look down at the tip of my nose to see where the ice cream was. Tom began laughing boisterously at the face I must’ve been making. As always his laughter was contagious and soon I was rolling as well. After wiping off my nose I dug into the ice cream happily. How was I lucky enough to be with a man this great; one who brought me ice cream and turned tears into laughter? I nestled myself back against him, one of my arms around him while the other was free to delve into my delectable dish. He gave me a light squeeze as he got himself a spoonful to eat this time. “You know I was just thinking, I never told you what my favorite kind of ice cream was. How did you know?” I asked. “The first time we met, I had knocked your groceries out of your hands accidentally. I helped you re-gather them and the moment I looked in your eyes I knew you were something special. I had just picked up a carton of ice cream at that moment. Mint chocolate chip… A person never forgets the moment when they stumble upon love, no matter the circumstance,” Tom was speaking almost in a whisper in my ear. “You’re too good, you know?” I replied, stuffing another mouthful of ice cream in as a blush spread across my cheeks. “Should I have just said it was a lucky guess?” And there we were laughing again. I hugged him tighter as we slipped into more of a laying position on the couch. A yawn simultaneously escaped us both. Yet we refused to move. We were lost together, enjoying our company and our ice cream. Eyelids grew ever heavier but still we just let ourselves be together, chatting about whatever we fancied as the carton grew shallower. Finally our spoons scraped the bottom. “I can’t believe we ate that whole thing,” I mused aloud. Tom poked my nose yet again with his spoon. “I don’t know what this ‘we’ business is. As I recall you ate the majority,” He stuck his tongue out just a bit as I gave him a half-hearted glare. Knowing his weakness I poked him in his belly button. Soon fits of giggles leapt from him. “Mercy! Uncle! I give! I ate more! Just- EHEHEHE!” Tom being ticklish was one of the most fun things about him at times like this. After a few more seconds I let him go. He took a moment to catch his breath and wipe the laughing tears from his eyes. “I should’ve known you wouldn’t fight fair,” He said through his last few chuckles. I gave him a triumphant smile. “All’s fair in love and war,” I recited the cliché in a bit of a smug tone. I went to get up to throw away the empty carton but Tom pulled me back down. “Just a bit longer I think. If you don’t mind,” With a smile like that how could I refuse? I laid back down with him and before I knew it he was dozing off. Yawning again myself I let myself relax fully. “I love you, Tom,” I said as I drifted away. Even though I could’ve sworn he was asleep I could hear him faintly reply. “I love you too.”
Sumber : http://thfrustration.tumblr.com/one-shots
