“Well, here we are.” I grin broadly, flashing the tiniest bit of fang so hopefully this surly teen doesn’t ruin what I’m hoping is yet another in a long line of romantic moments between Daphne and me.
The disillusioned youth groans, takes my cash, and hands us two paper wristbands. “Sizes?”
“Eight please!” Daphne pipes up from behind me.
“Twenty-two.”
Daphne looks up at me, mouth agape. “Oh my god.” She gazes down at my bare feet. “I mean, I knew they were big, but damn, that’s huge”
“Same size as Shaq, but smaller than Ted’s,” I chuckle, grabbing both pairs of skates that the minotaur hands me. He pops the headphones back in his ears and turns his back to me as soon as he possibly can.
“I guess Ted is really putting thebigin foot isn’t he?” She laughs before screwing up her brow. “Oh wait, would he be putting the foot in big—”
“I got you.” I take her hand and lead her over to the bench while she tries to figure out which is more important in the foot vs. big scenario.
It’s only once I get the worn skates on and try to stand do I realize that I’m actually as bad as I remember. My ankles wobble, and my feet, unaccustomed to shoes of any size, burn with the feeling of being constricted inside the leather boot. But even though I look like a newborn giraffe, I still offer to help Daphne up.
Much to my surprise, she stands not only quickly but gracefully.
“I take those fit alright?” I nod down to her own skates.
“Yeah, perfect actually…they feel really good!” She wiggles her ankles back and forth, testing the flexibility.
I wobble all the way to the rink, and as soon as I step through the gate and my blade hits the ice, I go down hard. My shoulder, then my cheek, slam into the freezing surface just as my hand thankfully lets go of hers.
I’m dazed, but I feel her mitten-covered palm stroking over my head as I come to.
“…Andri! Are you okay?”
“Physically? Yeah,” I groan as I roll to my back. “My pride?” I force my eyes open only to see the most beautiful woman in the world fretting over me. “Shattered,” I whisper as I crack a smile. I start to sit up, but she pushes down on my chest. I still, even though she couldn’t keep me down by her strength alone.
“Stay there! You might be hurt.” She stands, and skates off the ice in a way that has her looking like she’s done it all her life. When she returns, the annoyed minotaur trails behind her, a small flashlight in hand.
He kneels down next to me and rattles off some questions.
“Do you know where you are? Do you have a headache or feel dizzy?” he asks before shining the tiny flashlight directly in my eyes.
“I’m fine,” I grumble before sitting up.
He shines the flashlight directly in my eyes for a few seconds before stuffing it in the pocket of his oversized jeans.
“His pupils seem to be working fine, I think he’s okay? Just be more careful out here, damn.” He turns and walks slowly off the ice.
“Wow, what great customer service.” I get to my knees.
“Maybe he’s just having a bad day.”
She swivels around on her skates and offers me her arm, which I take to rise unsteadily to my feet. Somehow, strapping these damn knives to my feet has let my legs magically morph into two noodles unable to support my bodyweight.
“You really do see the good in everyone, don’t you?” I arch a brow as I wobble into standing.
“I don’t hear any complaining when I see the good in you,” she laughs.
And that laugh hits me square in the sternum. It’s so stupidly precious that I forget for a moment that I’m off-balance, her smile righting every part of me. When I look at her now, and I mean really look, she seems so genuinely happy. Her cheeks flushed from the cold, and sparkling flurries of snow kissing stray strands of hair that stick out from under my hat. She’s glowing. And there’s this realization that, for as much as I’m head over heels for this sweet creature, some of the light behind her eyes might just be something I kindled. That maybe our future together doesn’t feel so murky anymore.
She squeezes my fingers, dragging me along the ice as she does this little hop-glide move on her skates. It’s something that looks straight out of Disney on Ice. “Come on, we’ll go slower this time!”
Slow. Sure. Except she takes off with this ridiculous natural ease, and I’m dragged behind her like some kid who won’t let go of the Poma Lift.
