It's been two whole days since Caleb broke up with her. It had been more than forty hours of Brooke laying in bed, watching her favorite show friends, while eating her comfort food, also known as vanilla ice cream.

Currently, she is wrapped up in her warm winter jacket and wool scarf. After a long talk with her parents yesterday, she promised them to finally leave the house again. Little do they know, she isn't exactly doing it for the reasons they hoped, but because she ran out of her ice cream.

Her black, leather boots disappear in the thick layer of snow as she moves her way up to the local supermarket.

It's busy outside today. Brooke can't help, but notice all the smiling faces around her. Little kids having a snowball fight with their parents. A group of adults laughing together. Then there are the two teenagers, the two who drag her attention the most. They're cuddling on a bench while the girl is smiling about something the boy just said. A light shade of pink is found on her cheeks. The boy removes a strand of her hair out of her face and then places a soft kiss on her cheek.

Only a couple of days ago, Brooke would've found the sight of the lovebirds adorable. Today it makes her heart shatter. Only a couple of days ago it was her sitting on the bench kissing her lover. Today she is alone, not knowing if things will ever go back to how they used to be.

When she finally arrives at the supermarket, she immediately walks to the back, where the ice cream is placed. It only takes her a second to find her favorite, vanilla ice cream. As her hand reaches for the last cup, she hears someone clear their throat behind her.

"I'm sorry, but I really need that vanilla ice cream." She hears the voice say. It doesn't stop Brooke from grabbing the cup though. "Sorry, me too. It is kind of an emergency." With those words she turns around, to find a very familiar brunette boy standing behind her.

"Duncan?" She asks surprisedly. It takes a couple of seconds for the words to come out of his mouth. In the meantime, his confused and surprised expression is already saying enough. "Brooke?" She quickly nods. Both teenagers smile at each other as Duncan spreads his muscled arms. Brooke accepts his gesture and meets him in a sweet hug.

Duncan and Brooke used to be very close, in fact, they were best friends. They met each other during their first day of high school and immediately became inseparable. But around the end of tenth grade, when Brooke got into a relationship with Caleb, it all changed. Her focus was now on her boyfriend, instead of her best friend, so over time they slowly lost contact.

"Long time no see." She says as she lets go. The boy nods. "Yeah, how have you been?" Brooke shrugs while tapping her right foot on the ground. "I'm a little all over the place at the moment, have felt better before." She says, not even making an effort to lie to him. "What about you?" Duncan bites the inside of his cheek as he nods. "Yeah, same. That's why I came to get the ice cream." He says while he points to the cup in her hand.

"So you're using it as comfort food?" She asks. "Yeah, I guess you could call it that." Brooke hesitates for a second but then hands the cup to her long-lost friend. "But didn't you say you needed it for an emergency?" Duncan asks confused. "Well, it was supposed to be my comfort food as well, but I guess you can have it. I've already had tones at home."

"We can share." He suggests. "I feel like I could use some company while eating this anyway." He says as he lifts the cup of ice cream. A smile forms on Brooke her face. "I'd like that."

After they got the ice cream, which Duncan insisted on paying for, they walked to the park to sit around one of the picnic tables. Not caring if they will look weird for eating ice cream outside while it's snowing.

"So, tell me. Why are you so in need of this delicious ice cream?" Brooke asks him as she hands him the wooden spoon that was included in the cup, after taking a bite herself.

"My parents are in a divorce." It hurts Brooke to hear those words come out of his mouth. It still feels like yesterday when she got the same news from her parents.

"I'm so sorry to hear that Dunc. I know we haven't talked to each other in forever, but please know you can always come to me for help. I know what you're going through and you shouldn't go through it alone." Duncan thanks her with a smile as he returns the spoon to her.

"And what is your reason?" He now asks. She lets out a deep breath. "Caleb broke up with me." A pity expression forms on his face. Brooke sucks on her bottom lip as she nods.

"Remember when you used to tell me everything happens for a reason?" The teenage girl asks. Duncan nods. "Do you still believe that now your parents are getting divorced?"

It requires a few seconds for Duncan to respond. "A couple of minutes ago, I didn't. But I now realize that if my parents didn't get divorced and Caleb didn't break up with you, I wouldn't be sitting here, eating ice cream with my old best friend. So I guess, maybe it isn't as bad after all."The teenagers look at each other smiling."You're right. Maybe it isn't as bad after all."

With those words, two breakups and one cup of vanilla ice cream, a broken friendship was reformed.

©-httpsham

2020, december 26