I took off. I dropped by the apartment, changing into a different shirt, kissed mom good-bye, and hit the sidewalk. When I reached Frank’s Ice Cream, James was waiting for me in a booth out side. He smiled at me when I walked up, and I blushed. I sat down, and he asked me what I wanted. I felt too nervous to eat anything, so I said a vanilla cone. James threw me a horrified look, and I shrugged at him. “Are you really only getting that?, Look at all this stuff on the menu, I mean, come on Lizzy, get something good, like the Cinna Love Swirl, or this new one, Iced Mocha, and Strawberries. You gotta get something other then plain old Vanilla. Be brave.” I rolled my eyes, and ignored him. He grinned at me, and nudged my foot under the table. My face flamed again. At that moment the waiter came, and I still didn’t have my wits about me, and James was ordering. “I’ll take a Cinna Love Swirl, and she’ll get the Mocha Strawberry Hot Shake.” I made motions, and shook my head, still incapable of speech. He ignored me. I closed my eyes, tried to get my self under control. He grinned at me. I shook my head, and asked “What are we working on?” He pulled a book out of his backpack, that said “Math” on the front. “Mission Aborted” was written across the front of the notebook he pulled out next. “Whys it say that?” He shrugged, grinning. “I put it on there, cuz I suck at math, and gave it up” I opened his book, and found a mess of scribbles and odd numbers. I shook my head. “You are sure a bad writer, even Einstein couldn’t read it.” He grinned again, something I wished he wouldn’t do, because every time he did, I lost track of my thoughts. I got to work with him, but I soon learned that if I really want to help him, I’d have to sit next to him, not across. I balked at the thought, me sitting next to him, on one bench, touching. Well, maybe. I glanced at James. His face was screwed up in frustration, and he just looked so cute. Drawing a shaky breath, I stood up, and moved around to his side. He looked up at me in surprise, but I was saved from any explanations by the waiter bring the ice creams. He set them down in front of us, and winked at me. James’ head shot up, and I felt his arm slip around my waist. I flushed crimson for the hundredth time, then the waiter was gone, but his arm was still around my waist. I wanted to lean agast his shoulder, and just be, but I knew there was work to do, so I slid out of his arm, and opened his math textbook, avoiding his eyes.