MELANIE
“A
RE YOU OKAY?” ABIGAIL ASKED MELANIE, who nervously fiddled with the bangles on her wrist. They sat in the car outside of the Ice Topic Skating Rink, a city away from Weston.
"I'm fine," Melanie said, though it was a complete utter lie, and Abigail knew that as well from the look she gave her, but instead, Abigail kept her mouth shut this time. At least her friend knew when not to push her because right now, Melanie was a ball of nerves, and the reason why was because of the person inside of that skating rink now— Noah Walker.
"When did you both plan this again?" Melanie asked Abigail as she pulled down the sun visor and looked at herself in the mirror. She tugged on her blue knitted cap that had flattened her hair underneath. When she realized she was checking herself out in the mirror, she quickly closed the sun visor. What did it matter what she looked like? "And why did I have to come?"
"I already told you this morning. Before we had gone to get your new car when lover boy was at your apartment, I talked to him about how I wanted to learn how to ice skate, and he said he would teach me."
"But what does that have to do with me?" Melanie asked, annoyed.
Abigail gave her a look. "Would you really want me to go ice skating with Noah alone?"
Melanie swallowed thickly as she shrugged. "What would it matter to me? You're talking like I own Noah or something. If he wants to teach you how to ice skate, that has nothing to do with me."
Abigail turned off her engine and pulled off her seatbelt before fully turning in her seat to face Melanie. "Is there something you're not telling me? Because you're acting very strange. Aren't you and Noah friends?"
That was thing Melanie didn't really want to explain because she did not know how to define her relationship with Noah. After that tutoring session, she'd been walking on eggshells around Noah, unsure of what to say and how to act. With every part of her, she wished she could go back. She wished she could create a time machine and never kiss Noah, but she also knew that was impossible. Because no matter how desperately she wanted to return to the way they were before, more and more, she was starting to realize how impossible it was just to be friends with Noah. Everything was awkward between them now, and she didn't know what to do. She also didn't know what to do with those feelings she locked up that kept spilling out on their own.
"We're friends," Melanie told Abigail, not because she was lying to her, but because she was determined to be friends with Noah again. She was determined to go back to the way they had been before at all costs. She would overcome this like she had managed to do with everything else in her life before. Well, except for love, but that was a different story because she wasn't in love with Noah Walker. She just liked him a little more than she was supposed to.
"If you say so," Abigail said in a tone that said she didn't believe Melanie.
They both got out of the car together and headed inside the building. Luckily, it wasn't packed, and they could easily spot Noah talking to a woman behind the counter. Of course, he was his charming self as usual as the woman smiled and giggled. Noah just flirted with everyone in sight. He would flirt with a dog if he could.
"No need to look so jealous over a friend," Abigail said, laughing as she pinched Melanie's cheek, and Melanie slapped her hand away.
"I'm not jealous," Melanie said, annoyed with herself for being annoyed. As they walked over to them, Melanie couldn't help but wonder why they had come all the way to this ice-skating rink when there was one closer in Weston that they could have easily gone to.
"If you say so," Abigail said again, and Melanie was this close to slapping her.
"Hey, Noah." Abigail greeted him with a huge smile. Noah turned his attention from the woman behind the counter to them. He shot Abigail his signature grin before his gaze dropped on Melanie, and Melanie immediately froze. His eyes took in every inch of her, and Melanie felt her heart race, but when his eyes locked onto her own, it nearly burst. He needed to stop looking at her like that. Like she was dinner, and he wanted to eat her right here.
"Hey, Abi," Noah said as he pulled her into a short hug. Melanie waited for her hug, but to her surprise, Noah only gave her a friendly shoulder clap and a mild nod.
"Hey, Mel," he said, and Melanie found herself speechless and the only thing she could was nod back. What was that? Why did he give Abigail a hug but not her? Was he doing it to annoy her? Or was he doing what she asked for— distance.
"Okay," Abigail said slowly, noticing the awkward interaction between them with a curious stare. "Who's your friend?"
"This is Jemma. She's the daughter of the owner here. Jemma, these are my friends, Abigail and Melanie."
"Noah was just telling me all about you guys," Jemma said with a huge smile. She had vibrant curly hair that was pulled into a messy top bun. Her hazel eyes sparkled with excitement, and Melanie had to admit she was a bit put off by her enthusiasm.
"I wonder what he had to say about us," Abigail said, giving Melanie a look. And Melanie wondered the same herself. What did he say about her? Did he tell Jemma that she was his professor?
Jemma opened her mouth to speak, but Noah quickly cut her off.
"Uh, what about those skates?" Noah asked pointedly, and now Melanie was very curious about what he had said about her.
"Oh, yeah. I totally forgot," Jemma said and turned to them. "What sizes are you both?"
Melanie and Abigail rattled off their shoe sizes, and Jemma headed to the back, rummaging around for a bit before she returned with their skates. It seemed that Noah had brought his own pair.
"Have fun and be careful!" Jemma called after them as they walked to the bench next to the skating rink. Melanie plopped down next to Abigail as they both removed their shoes.
"You're not going to let me fall out there, are you?" Abigail asked Noah pensively.
