Chapter 9: It's You

When their eyes met, Dash's jaw dropped and he felt a small drum-like feeling inside his chest.

It's her.

He saw the 'angel' again. The lady whose eyes are smiling the first time they met are now puffy and watery. Her nose is reddish from crying and the cold.

Dash thought that she's still beautiful even when she cries.

"It's you."

"It's you."

They said in chorus, Cara shyly averted her eyes away. At that, Dash smiled to himself. How can she be that cute?

Dash cleared his throat "Come, let's sit. You must be tired." He then led her to a bench for both of them to sit.

They were quiet for a while when he spoke "Wait here, okay? I'll be back in two." The girl looked at him and nodded slightly.

Not more than two minutes later, he came back with two vanilla ice creams in his hands. He handed one to her "When you're sad, ice cream is always the answer." He smiled.

Cara was not the type to accept things from strangers, but his smile was warm enough to make her take the dessert from him and he was not a total stranger after all "Thank you." she said.

They were both quietly eating while looking at the river when Dash broke the silence "You know when I was a kid, there was a time when I was so down because I had a fight with my friends. My older brother came to me and gave me ice cream and said 'This always helps. Don't worry, you'll eventually make up with your friends soon.' he sat next to me, ate ice cream with me and after that, I did feel a lot better." he paused for a moment to eat and then he looked at her "I realized that it's his company that's making me feel better, the ice cream was just a bonus."

Cara suddenly felt light at his words. She thought that he was right, him being by her side really makes her feel a lot better. He does not feel like a stranger at all. It's like she had known him for a long time.

After they finished eating they decided to walk, there was silence again but it was not awkward, it was a comfortable one.

"I guess I'll be going this way. Thank you for earlier." She pointed to the left when they halted at the end of the path they were walking.

"My way is here." Dash pointed on the right "So-" he began saying as he puts his hands in his pockets "I guess, I'll see you around? I hope the next time I see you, you won't be crying in my arms anymore." 

He was teasing her and she laughed, lightly hitting his arm "That's more like it. Smile often, okay?"

Cara blushed as she took a step towards the left side. "Thank you again, I owe you one. I'll be going then." She smiled and waved at him. She turned around and walked a few steps before she heard him call.

"Joy!"

She turned to him again, confused as to the name he shouted.

"Uh- Sorry, I wanted to call you but I don't know your name and 'Joy' was the first word I could think of." Dash smiled coyly while scratching his head.

"Caroline Bliss Finley." she chuckled. "But you can call me Cara."