｡𖦹°‧ 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐧' 𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐫𝐥 ⭑°‧꩜ .ᐟ

( 45. 'the final scoop' )

THE AIR WAS warm and thick with the scent of freshly cut grass and blooming flowers as walker and ari strolled down the familiar sidewalk toward their favorite ice cream shop. the sky above them was painted in soft streaks of pink and orange, a beautiful sunset above them.

walker swung their joined hands slightly, his thumb absentmindedly tracing small circles against her skin —an unconscious habit at this point, as familiar as breathing. ariella noticed—she always noticed—and it made something warm bubble in her chest.

she glanced up at him, watching the way the last slivers of daylight hit his face, highlighting the soft curve of his jaw, the slight crinkle around his eyes when he squinted against the sun. He looked... peaceful. happy.

and so, of course, she had to annoy her boyfriend.

"alright, serious question," she said.

walker chuckled. "no ari."

ariella gasped dramatically, her free hand flying to her chest. "you don't even know what i'm gonna ask!"

walker smirked. "i dont have to, i just know you."

ariella rolled her eyes, but a grin tugged at her lips anyway. "no, really. this is life-or-death important, walkie, i promise."

he raised an eyebrow. "ok what is it."

ariella took a deep, exaggerated breath, as if preparing herself for something monumental. "if you had to give up ice cream forever, but in exchange, you could have unlimited fries for life—would you do it?"

walker blinked, his brow furrowing like she had just spoken in another language. "ariella... what the hell?"

she burst out laughing. "come on, just answer."

"unlimited fries for life..." he mused, dragging out the moment. "or never having ice cream again..."

"yup."

walker let out an exaggerated sigh, as if the weight of the universe rested on this single choice.

"nah," he finally said. "ice cream's too important."

ariella blinked, her jaw dropping in mock surprise. "really? you love fries."

"i do love fries. but—imagine never coming here again." he nodded toward the glowing neon sign of their tiny, beloved ice cream shop in the distance. "no more late-night ice cream runs. no more making fun of me for always picking the same thing. no more—"

"no more me getting ice cream all over my hands because i'm too busy talking and forget to eat it?" ariella finished with a grin.

walker laughed. "exactly."

"okay, rude."

"rude but accurate," he pointed out.

she playfully elbowed him in the side, and he laughed again, shaking his head. after a moment, his voice softened, his fingers tightening slightly around hers. "some things are worth keeping, you know?"

ariella felt something shift in the air between them, something quiet but heavy, something important. she didn't say anything right away—just looked at him for a second longer than usual before squeezing his hand back.

the ice cream shop was only a few steps away now, its soft glow shining onto the sidewalk. the familiar bell jingled as they walked inside. the shop was exactly the same as it always was—slightly too bright fluorescent lights, sticky floors, the faint hum of an old freezer in the corner. there were a few other customers—a family with two little kids arguing over sprinkles, an older couple sharing a sundae at the corner table, and a teenager behind the counter scrolling on her phone until she noticed them and straightened up.

it was all so normal. so routine.

and yet—ariella couldn't shake the feeling that something was different tonight.

they stood in line, scanning the menu even though they both knew exactly what they were going to order.

she leaned her head on walker's shoulder, letting out a content sigh. "alright, walkie. What do you want?"

Walker didn't answer right away.

His hand in hers tightened—just a little, just enough for Ariella to notice.

and when he finally spoke, it wasn't about ice cream at all.

walker hesitated—not in a nervous way, but like he was deciding something. then, as easily as if he were talking about the weather, he said, "i love you."

ariella blinked.

for a second, she thought she'd misheard him. the words seemed to hang in the air, louder than the buzzing sign, louder than the soft chatter of the other customers, louder than the soft whir of the ice cream machines.

her heart stuttered in her chest, and for the first time all night, she had absolutely no idea what to say.

she hadn't expected it. but somehow... it felt right. because, really, wasn't this them?

the late-night ice cream runs. the teasing. the stolen hoodies. the way he always walked on the side closest to the street. the way she always stole his fries when he wasn't looking. the way they could talk about everything and nothing at the same time.

of course, this was when he'd say it.

ariella swallowed, trying to fight the ridiculous grin threatening to take over her face.

"say it again," she murmured.

walker's expression softened, his hand brushing against hers. "ariella madison i love you."

ariella exhaled, warmth blooming in her chest. then, without thinking—without hesitating—she leaned up and kissed him. it was quick, soft, but enough.

when she pulled away, she smiled. "i love you too."

walker let out a breath, like he'd been holding it for weeks. his grin widened, and for a moment, the world outside the shop faded into nothing. it was just them—just this.

then the couple infront of them moved, and ariella pulled back with a quiet laugh, cheeks burning.

"so," she said, nudging him playfully, "what do you want, walkie?"

walker chuckled, shaking his head as he answered.

"our usual."

ariella turned back to the cashier, "can i get chocolate and vanilla swirled into a waffle bowl?"

the cashier—absolutely oblivious to the life-altering moment that had just unfolded—nodded and scribbled the order down.

and just like that, they grabbed their ice cream just like always—and stepped back into the warm summer night. the small town buzzed softly in the distance, but for walker and ariella, the world felt quiet.

just them. just this.

their fingers were still linked, swinging between them in that lazy, familiar rhythm as they strolled aimlessly down the street. ariella's ice cream dripped slightly down the side of the waffle bowl but she didn't seem to notice. or maybe she didn't care.

walker noticed, though.

"you're doing it again," he teased, his voice a soft murmur in the warm air.

ariella blinked, pulling her gaze away from the distant streetlights to glance at him. "doing what?"

he nodded toward her cone, a smirk tugging at his lips. "letting it melt. you always talk or think too much and forget to eat it."

she looked down at the sticky trail running down her hand and let out a dramatic sigh. "it's not my fault i have important things to say, walkie."

"like whether id give up ice cream for fries?"

"exactly."

walker chuckled, shaking his head as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled napkin. without a word, he gently took her wrist and wiped the melted ice cream from her hand, his touch slow and soft.

ariella's heart did that stupid thing again—that ridiculous, fluttery thing it did every time walker did something small but thoughtful. the kind of thing that didn't seem big, but still managed to make her chest feel too tight.

he didn't even notice the effect he had on her. he never did.

"you carry napkins now?" she teased, hoping her voice didn't betray the fact that her pulse was racing. "since when are you so responsible?"

walker shrugged, still focused on cleaning up her hand. "since i started dating someone who can't eat ice cream like a normal person."

"i was talking."

"you always talk."

ariella gasped. "i am offended. youre the one who always listens"

"are you, though?"

"yes!" She pointed her half-melted cone at him. "deeply. irreparably. i am hurttt, my shaylaa"

walker grinned down at the girl. "good thing i love you anyway."

and just like that—those words were back.

so casual. so easy. like he'd been saying them for years.

ariella's heart stumbled over itself again. she tried to play it cool.

"you can't just say that whenever you want now," she mumbled, her voice quieter than before.

walker's smile softened. "why not?"

"because!" she stuttered for a second, not really sure why. "it's—it's a big deal."

"it was a big deal." his thumb brushed a final smudge of ice cream from her palm before letting her hand go. "now it's just the truth."

ariella didn't respond right away.

instead, she took a bite of her ice cream—mostly to give herself something to do other than melt under the weight of his words.

they kept walking, the silence not awkward but full—like there were a thousand unspoken things still hanging between them.

finally, Ariella spoke, her voice soft. "so..." she started, "where do we go from here?"

walker glanced at her. "what do you mean?"

"i mean—this." she gestured vaguely between them. "us. we said it. the big 'i love you' thing. so... what now?"

walker was quiet for a moment, like he was actually thinking about her question. then—"we finish our ice cream."

ariella snorted. "i'm serious."

"so am i." He smiled. "we finish our ice cream, i take you home, say hi to your mom, and blake and then... we just keep going."

she frowned. "that's your master plan?"

"yeah." his voice was soft but sure. "because i don't think love is some big thing you figure out all at once. i think it's just... a million little moments like this." he interlocked his hands with hers "it's ice cream runs and bad jokes and wiping your hand off when you forget to eat fast enough. it's... just us."

ariella's chest ached in the best way.

ariella glanced at him, watching as he took a thoughtful bite of his cone. "you know," she said suddenly, "you kinda ruined this ice cream trip forever."

walker raised an eyebrow. "how?"

"because now, every time we come here, i'm gonna think about this moment." She gestured vaguely between them. "you know, the moment where you confessed your undying, eternal, timeless , ageless, enduring , lasting , immortal, everlasting, perpetual, perennial, ongoing , continuing, love for little old me in the middle of the line."

walker smirked. "you say that like it's a bad thing."

ariella rolled her eyes. "it's kind of a bad thing! like, what if we fight one day? and i want to come get ice cream to feel better? and then i step inside, and suddenly, im just thinking about you all over again?"

walker grinned. "sounds like a you problem."

"oh my god. i hate men"

"i mean, i could've waited to say it, but i knew you'd rather hear it now."

ariella narrowed her eyes at him. "and how do you know that?"

he shrugged, taking another bite of ice cream. "because i know you."

ariella opened her mouth to argue—but then stopped.

because, well... he wasn't wrong.

instead, she just shook her head, a smile tugging at her lips. "unbelievable."

walker bumped his shoulder against hers. "admit it, though. best ice cream run ever."

she exhaled, looking up at the night sky, then back at him. she smiled as they continued to walk towards her house, the night getting closer and closer to ending. 

when they reached ariella's front steps, the porch light flickered, casting a golden glow over the the modern house.

they stood there for a moment, the quiet of the night settling around them.

ariella rocked back on her heels, chewing her bottom lip like she was thinking about something.

walker tilted his head. "what?"

she glanced at him, a small smile playing at her lips. "wanna have a sleepover?"

walker blinked. "huh?"

ariella laughed softly. "i'm serious. stay over. we can watch a movie or something—or just... i don't know. i just don't want tonight to be over yet."

walker opened his mouth, then closed it again, his brain clearly trying to catch up. "of course i want to have a sleepover at my gfs house, i just have to ask my mom first. "

ariella grinned. "okay, let's call her."

walker's eyebrows shot up. "wait, now?"

"yes, now."

walker chuckled, pulling his phone from his pocket. "youre very demanding."

"and yet, here you are—still holding my hand."

and he couldn't argue with that.

with a small shake of his head, walker unlocked his phone and hit his mom's contact. the phone rang twice before she picked up.

"hey, mom."

ariella leaned in slightly, resting her head on his shoulder so she could hear the conversation. walker shot her a playful look, but he didn't pull away.

his mom's voice was light on the other end. "walker? everything okay?"

"yeah," he said. "uh, i'm at ariella's... and she was wondering if i could sleep over tonight. like—nothing weird, just hanging out, watching a movie—"

there was a pause. then: "put ariella on the phone."

walker blinked. "what? why?"

ariella was already giggling, and walker reluctantly handed her the phone. "dont steal my mom," he muttered.

ariella pressed the phone to her ear. "hi, mrs scobell!"

his mom's voice instantly warmed. "ariella! hello, sweetheart."

walker groaned softly. "oh my god."

ariella smirked. "i promise i won't let him stay up too late. we're just gonna hang out and watch a movie. pleaseeee"

"oh, of course! it's always a pleasure having you around. next time you come over we haveee to bake, last time the cookies were amazing! oh, and tell walker i said he can stay, tell him i love him and not to do anything stupid." her voice grew a little softer, like she was thinking of something sweet. "and you, too, ariella... i love you, sweetheart."

ariella felt her heart skip a beat. "i love you too, mrs scobellll."

walker, who had been standing next to her, raised an eyebrow in surprise. his mom had never been one to hide her affection for ariella, but this was the first time she'd heard it said out loud.

"alright," his mom continued cheerfully, "i'll talk to you both later. have fun, kids."

ariella smiled, handing the phone back to walker. as walker hung up, he smiled at ariella, his heart swelling. "i told you, my mom loves you."

ariella shook her head, still a little amazed by the exchange. "she really does. it's kind of incredible. two people both from the scobell family said they loved me tonight, im the goat herself"

walker leaned against the doorframe. "she thinks of you like family."

ariella's eyes softened. "I think of her like family too."

she nudged him gently. "awww, she loves me. im so daughter in law material"

walker sighed dramatically. "yeah, well... everyone loves you."

ariella's smile softened. "not everyone."

walker looked at her—really looked at her—and squeezed her hand. "i do."

her breath hitched—like it always did when he said those words.

the air between them changed—just a little. the playful teasing melted into something quieter, heavier. the night seemed softer somehow, the world around them shrinking until it was just them—just this moment. again. 

ariella swallowed, her heart racing. and then—without thinking, without hesitating—she took a small step closer.

"walker," she whispered.

he didn't move away.

didn't blink.

didn't breathe.

his hand found her waist—gentle, like he wasn't sure if he was allowed to touch her like this. but then ariella leaned in, her hand sliding up his chest, fingers curling lightly into the fabric of his t-shirt.

and that was all it took.

walker closed the distance—slowly, carefully.

the kiss was soft at first—tentative, searching—but it didn't stay that way.

because as soon as ariella's other hand slipped up into his hair, tugging him just a little closer, walker's grip on her waist tightened. his lips moved against hers, slow and sweet, tasting like melted ice cream and something undeniably them.

when they finally pulled away—foreheads resting against each other, breaths mingling between them—neither of them said a word for a long moment.

ariella's eyes stayed closed, her lips still tingling. "well," she finally whispered, "that was... something."

walker laughed softly—his nose brushing against hers. "yeah. definitely something."

before ariella could respond, the front door creaked open.

"ari?" came her mom's voice from inside. "are you two coming in, or are you just going to stand there kissing all night?"

ariella's eyes flew open, and her face went completely red. "mom!"

walker let out a low groan. "kill me now. good boyfriend status gone."

her mom was standing in the doorway, arms crossed but smiling like this was the most entertaining thing she'd seen in years. "oh, don't be so dramatic. come inside."

they shuffled in, Walker still bright red as ariella closed the door behind them.

her mom gave Walker a once-over, her smile softening. "it's nice to have you over again, walker. your mom says hi, by the way. we just got off the phone."

walker smiled shyly. "hi, mrs. madison."

as they ariella went up stairs, blakes door was slightly open, and she could hear her talking to someone—likely mason—on the phone. as she stepped inside, blake glanced up from his bed where he was lounging with his phone pressed to his ear.

"hey, what's up?" blake asked, pausing her conversation with mason to give ariella a curious look. she noticed walker just behind her, his hand still gently holding hers.

ariella gave blake a knowing smile, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "just wanted to tell you something important." she walked over to her desk, flipping through some papers to give her a moment of pause. walker followed her, standing by the doorframe, watching her with a slight grin.

blake raised an eyebrow. "oh, really? what's up?" she spoke into the phone, giving mason an apologetic "hold on" gesture, clearly more focused on her sister.

ariella turned to him, a playful glint in her eyes. "walker's sleeping over tonight, DONT DO ANYTHING WIERD" she said, her voice casual but laced with excitement.

blake's eyes widened. "wait—what?" she mouthed, pretending to be surprised, but ariella could see the amusement in her eyes.

she nodded seriously. "yep. just thought id let you know my boyfriends better than yours. anyways,  no late-night snack raids tonight. walker's staying."

blake smirked, turning back to the phone as mason's voice filtered through. "hold on," she said, pressing the phone to her ear. she leaned back against the pillows, making a