Cheryl knew her son’s nature. “Okay lover boy, calm down.” She said watching the beautiful girl that captured her son’s heart. “Just be careful okay, don’t push her too much.” She said rubbing her son’s back. “You have a tendency of always having things your way…don’t do anything dumb
Peyton looked at his mom. “What’s your definition of dumb?” He asked her slowly.
“Peyton.” Cheryl said in a warning tone. She knew that look in her son’s eyes. Either he was contemplating something, or he had already done something. Most of the incidents usually fell in the latter category. “I’m serious.”
Peyton smiled. “Love you mom.” He said grabbing another strawberry. He turned around to leave the kitchen with the plate of strawberries. “Oh, and mom she’s kind of nervous of having slept over so…I don’t know go do whatever woman stuff you do to make her feel comfortable.” He said.
Cheryl nodded as she watched her son leave the kitchen.
Peyton put the strawberries on the table and grabbed Ice. He kissed her neck and put a strawberry in her mouth. “A strawberry for my strawberry.” He whispered in her ear.
“You’re so cheesy.” Ice grinned happily as she ate her strawberry. Ice turned her head. “Where’s your mom.” She whispered. Peyton heard the nervousness creep back in her voice.
“Kitchen.” He said kissing her neck.
“I should go say hi. Or help…or something.” She said moving away from him.
Peyton shrugged. “If you want.” He said. He tapped her butt as Ice walked out to the kitchen.
Peyton took some more strawberries and sat at the table with Priya and Bam-Bam. “So how about that recital huh?” he asked Priya as he took a piece of bacon.
Priya snatched the bacon right before he could eat it. “You have to wait for Ice to come to the table.” She said, putting the bacon back on the plate. When she said that Bam-Bam who had also reached for some bacon put his back down. “Now we wait for mom and Ice.” She said sitting up straight and looking at her brothers.
“I’m hungry hurry up.” Peyton yelled to the kitchen.
“Yeah me too. Hurry up.” Bam-Bam said echoing his older brother.
Priya sighed. “I have such savage brothers.”
Peyton and Bam-Bam looked at each other mischievously. “Savage brothers huh?” Peyton said getting up from the table. Bam-Bam followed suit. Priya looked at her brothers nervously.
“Stop it.” she said knowing she was about to be ganged up on. “Mom!” she called for her mom.
Peyton reached Priya and wrapped his arm around her neck. “Bam-Bam maybe we should show our dearest sister just how savage we can be.” He said in a playful mood.
“Yeah!” Bam-Bam yelled getting down and tickling Priya’s bare feet. “Tickle tickle tickle.” Bam-Bam sand.
Priya was laughing as she tried to break free.
“Mom! Ice! Help!” she screamed through her laughter.
“Get her Bam-Bam.” Peyton said, encouraging her little brother. Bam-Bam continued to tickle as Peyton held Priya in place.
“Peyton, Bam-Bam please restrain yourselves from tickling your sister to death.” Cheryl said entering the dining room with a plate of pancakes and syrup. Ice followed behind amused with two other plates of pancakes.
“She started it.” Peyton and Bam-Bam said simultaneously.
“Hurry up and eat. You two will be late for school!” Cheryl exclaimed to Ice and Peyton.
Peyton grabbed a piece of bacon and stuffed it in his mouth. He reached for Ice. “You sit next to me.” He said pulling her on his lap.
“I can sit in a chair.” She whispered to him.
Cheryl stared at them with an amused look on her face.
“Your mom’s staring at us.” She whispered lower. She tried to move to sit on the chair, but Peyton held on to her.
“Or you can sit on my lap.” He said kissing her cheek.
Bam-Bam giggled and Priya shook her head.
“Peyton, if Ice wants to sit in a chair let her sit in a chair.” Cheryl said smiling as she cut Bam-Bam’s pancakes.
“Or she can sit on my lap.” He said.
“Or I can sit in a chair.” Ice said struggling to get out of his hold. She sat in the chair next to him and punched his arm.
“Ouch.” Peyton said rubbing his arm. “You’re gonna have to kiss that and make it better.” He whispered. He leaned over and gave her a peck on the lips. Ice bit her lip and smiled at him. Priya watched the interaction between Ice and her older brother and smiled. She reached for a couple strawberries and put them on her plate.
“Ice you should try the blueberry pancakes, I made them.” Priya said.
“Which is exactly why you should stay clear of them.” Peyton joked as he stopped Ice from getting any. Ice elbowed him and took a blueberry pancake. She poured some syrup on it, cut a piece, and took a bite.
Priya watched in anticipation. Ice paused and scrunched up her face. Peyton tried to hold back his laughter. Priya watched in horror as Ice seemed to have trouble swallowing the bite she took.
Ice looked up at Priya’s face and coughed a couple times. Priya was mortified.
Then Ice’s expression changed, and she beamed. “Sike I’m just joking it’s really good.” She said laughing at Priya’s expression.
“Ice!” Priya said happily relieved.
Ice took another bite and everybody else at the table laughed.
Peyton put his arm around her neck and kissed her again. “See I told you, welcome to the Stone family.” He whispered happily.
“Ice, Ice I helped make the bacon.” Bam-Bam said happily. Ice smiled and took a piece of bacon.
“Putting the bacon on the plate doesn’t constitute you making them you little brat.” Peyton said pouring himself and Ice a glass of apple juice.
“Yes, it does.” Bam-Bam said undeterred.
Ice turned to Peyton. “And what did you do negative Nancy?” she asked playfully.
Peyton took a bite of his chocolate pancakes. “Me?” he asked.
Ice nodded smiling.
Peyton grinned and smirked at her. “I made sure you came to the table hungry.” He said. “I bet after all that exercise you must be starved.” He said casually.
Ice’s mouth dropped open at she hit Peyton’s arm. “Peyton.” She said hitting his arm again not knowing what else to do.
“Peyton.” Cheryl said giving him a look. She shook her head, but her eyes showed that she was clearly amused.
Peyton chuckled. “I’m done, I’m done.”
Cheryl gave Ice an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry you have to witness his horrible table manners.” She shook her head. “But Peyton stop playing around you’re gonna be late for school! Don’t make Ice late for school.”
“Uuuugghhh Fine!”
**
Monday at 12:09 p.m.
Ice took a slurp of her raspberry lemonade smoothie and smiled at Maddie. “So, news around town is that you acquired a new boyfriend while I was out for the week.”
Maddie rolled her eyes and looked at Jo. “By news around time I guess you mean Jo.” She shook her head. “Always blowing things out of proportion.”
Joanna cocked her head at Maddie. “Shit, ain’t nobody blowing anything out of proportion. You have the hots for nerd boy.” She smirked. “First it as the free entrance to the Carnival with shit loads of tickets. Than it was a study date. And the yesterday, I’m sorry Maddie, did you or did you not make out in his car?”
Ice grinned. “Oh scandalous! But you two look cute together.”
Jo snapped her head over to Ice. “Oh I know you’re not talking about scandalous.” She made it a show of looking her up and down slowly.
Maddie smirked. “Same outfit you were wearing at the hospital.”
“Came in Peyton’s car this morning.”
“I told you my car got towed. It was such a stupid accident. Like what the hell is wrong with people?” Ice groaned.
“Iceria sw
eetheart, did you sleep at home last night?” Jo teased wiggling her eyebrows.
Ice looked back and forth at her two best friends before putting the straw back in her mouth and innocently slurping up her smoothie.
“Told you.” Jo grinned proudly.
“Well I’ll be damned.” Maddie crossed her arms and grin. “Honestly Jo and I have nothing on you. Absolutely nothing on you.”
“So, you actually slept over his house?” Jo whispered intrigued. “Like his mama there, his sister and brother and all that shit.”
Ice nodded and covered her cheeks. Her eyes wide and sparkly.
“He’s good isn’t he?” Maddie whispered.
“I bet he’s good.” Jo probed. “Come on tell us.”
“No!”
“We want details.” Jo demanded.
“All the details.”
“Oh my God, no!” Ice shook her head trying to shield her face from the entire school cafeteria.
“We always give you details!” Maddie nudged her. “Spill it. Location and don’t say the bed.”
Ice looked down and popped a fry in her mouth. “Bathtub.” She whispered.
“FUCKING BITCH!” Jo exclaimed loudly pulling Ice into a frantic hug. “This ho! This ho right here!” She clapped like a proud mom.
“Stop it! Oh, my gawd stop it!” Ice grabbed Jo’s hands in embarrassment as a couple kids turned to stare at their table.
“Well, well, well…” Maddie smirked. “Look who’s grown.” She wiggled her eyebrows.
“You two stop it.” Ice hissed pushing them as they laughed. “Stop it right now.” She tried not to laugh along with them.
Ice felt hands wrap around her from behind and she almost jumped out of her skin.
Peyton laughed. “What are you three talking about?”
Jo wiggled her eyebrows at him, and Maddie licked her lip sensually.
“They’re the worst.” Ice scolded as she reached out and pushed her friends. “Nothing, nothing at all.” She leaned into his embrace.
“So…. what are you three sexy ladies up to?” Tyrone asked as he sat down next to Jo. He leaned in for a kiss and Jo covered his mouth with her hand.
“Not interested.” She said pushing him away.
Peyton snickered. Ice turned her head slightly so he could plant a soft kiss on her lips. He then sat down next to her.
“Fucking showoff.” Tyrone shook his head at Peyton.
“Show off?” Peyton said feigning shock. “Oh no, show off would be this.” Peyton said. He then proceeded to lean over the table and kiss Jo on the cheek.
“Maddie you too?” he asked.
Maddie nodded and Peyton kissed her left cheek.
He then turned to Ice. “Sorry babe, all out of kisses.” He said patting her shoulder.
Ice released an exaggerated sigh. “Oh man, my lost I guess.”
“I’m not out of kisses.” Tyrone said. He leaned over and kissed Ice’s cheek.
“Hope you enjoyed it because that’s the last time your lips will ever touch her.” Peyton said.
Everybody at the table chuckled.
“What’s up with you guys?” Maddie asked taking a bite of her potbelly sandwich.
“What do you mean?” Peyton and Tyrone asked simultaneously.
Ice, Jo and Maddie looked at the boys back and forth.
“That’s what I mean.” Maddie said.
Tyron did a fake cough. “So, Maddie wassup with you and Ryan?” Tyrone asked innocently.
Forgetting her manners Maddie’s mouth dropped open and revealed some of her food. She quickly closed her mouth and chewed some more. She shrugged without responding.
Peyton leaned forward. “He’s a cool kid, plus he likes you. He told us.” He said sneakily.
Maddie was alerted. “He did?” she said happily.
Peyton and Tyrone nodded with goofy grins on their face.
Ice stared at her boyfriend and Tyrone, they did look like they were up to something.
“Oh look, speak of the devil.” Peyton said looking past Maddie’s shoulder. Peyton took out his phone and looked at it.
He laid it down on the table.
“Ryan, my main man. Over here.” Tyrone said waving his hand at Ryan. The three girls turned to look at Ryan, who was making his way over nervously while slurping chocolate milk through a straw.
“Wow could he get any geekier?” Jo said.
“Jo.” Maddie warned her.
Jo smiled. “I meant that in a good way.” She said reassuringly. “You know like Shia LeBoeuf.”
“Yeah, he’s sexy.” Ice smiled. Maddie nodded eagerly.
Peyton who was looking at his phone again, turned to Ice. “Excuse me?” He arched an eyebrow.
“Of course, you’re sexier.” She patted his arm.
“Humph.” Peyton said narrowing his eyes at her.
Tyrone snickered.
“Hi guys.” Ryan said smiling. He pulled on his suspenders. He beamed down at Maddie and sat down next to her. Ryan nodded at everybody at the table and then settled on Ice.
“Oh, Iceria are you feeling better?” He asked pushing up his glasses. “Oh, and I heard about your dad. Is he okay?”
Ice nodded and smiled. “Hi Ryan, yeah I’m fine, and my dad’s doing great too.”
“Oh good.” Ryan said sticking out his hands for her to shake.
Puzzled Ice shook his hand. He was always strange. But so cute.
“I think the last time we had class together was in 8th grade English.” He said still shaking her hand and pushing up his glasses with the other.
Ice laughed. “Yeah Ms. Truman…she was crazy.”
Peyton looked from Ryan to Ice. He reached over, dislodged their handshake, and smiled at Ryan. “That’s enough, shaking hands with my girlfriend.”
Ryan looked alarmed. “Oh, I didn’t…I didn’t mean anything by it…I apologize…I…we were classmates…I…”
“He’s just joking.” Ice said giving him a warm smile to calm him down.
Ryan relaxed a little.
“No, I’m not.” Peyton muttered and Ice nudged him hard with her elbow.
“So, Ryan, you wanna fuck Maddie?” Jo asked sweetly.
Ryan turned a dark shade of pink. He turned to Maddie and blushed even more.
Tyrone groaned. “Baby, you don’t ask stuff like that.” He said shaking his head and giving Ryan an apologetic shrug.
“He does, doesn’t he?” Jo asked not giving up.
The group turned to look at Ryan.
Ryan proceeded to cough, and Tyrone reached over and patted his back.
“You don’t have to answer that.” Maddie said shyly smiling at Ryan reassuringly. She turned her head and glared at Jo.
Jo simple smiled back sweetly.
Peyton glanced at his phone the same time Tyrone glanced at his. They then looked up at each other.
Peyton got up abruptly. “We’ll be back.” He said. Tyrone got up too and they made their way through the crowded auditorium and disappeared out of sight.
“Okay are we just gonna sit here and act like that wasn’t awkward?” Jo asked staring at the crowd.
“They’re up to something.” Ice whispered curiously.
“Do you know what they’re doing Ryan?” Maddie asked.
Ryan looked and shook his head apologetically.
“Ahem! Ahem!” the PA announcer said loudly. The whole cafeteria stopped their movements and looked up to where the sound was coming from. “Aight now that I have you dimwit’s attention, now for a very cool announcement.”
“What the hell?” Jo said quietly.
“As you ladies and gents know prom is on Saturday.” The announcer groaned. The cafeteria went up in an uproar. “As per tradition, you can only ask the week of, for your lover’s hand in prom!”
Ryan pushed up his glasses and shot a glance at Maddie.
“Don’t forget the theme of forbidden love…whatever the fuc—I mean whatever in the world that means.”
The announcer rustled some papers over the intercom. “Yeah don’t forget to blackmail somebody for a date and get your tickets and blah…blah..blah.”
“Is he supposed to make us want to go to prom?” Maddie asked.
Ryan glanced at her again and pulled the collar of his shirt. “Are you going?” he asked.
Ice: Part I Page 43