Ice Skates

I shivered, wondering where she was. Not that she was late or anything, I was early. I pulled my jacket tighter around me, thanking my lucky stars that it wasn't raining. I perched on the rails, glaring at the group of guys and girls nearby who were glancing curiously at me before walking into the rink. I don't know why I'd decided to come early, it never bothered me, being late. I suppose it was because of the unusual nature of this meeting. I'd met her on the Internet about two years back, and I don't know, she was impossible to just drift away from. True, we'd drifted away from each other before, but in the end we were back together. I shivered again, not from the cold this time but from a hint of nervousness. What if she started talking and I disliked her? What if she changed her mind about me after she met me? I watched a car pull up, three girls getting out, and wondered if one of them was her. It was too dark to tell.

I got out of the car, pulling my jacket on and shivering. My two ditzy blonde friends slid out behind me and we said goodbye to Kathleen, Jen's stepmother, before she drove away. "It's too dark to tell if he's here," Jen complained, snuggling into her sheepskin-lined jacket. Melody nodded a little, "Maybe we should go up near the ticket booth and wait? He could be there already…" I nodded in agreement, shoving my hands into her pockets for extra warmth, my eye catching that of a dark-haired guy dressed all in black, perched on the railing looking cold and slightly miserable. "I think he's here already…"My heart beat slightly faster. Could this be the one from the Internet, the sweet, caring, funny, intelligent musician I'd first talked to two years back?

I swallowed hard as one of the girls who got out of the car said something to her friends and walked towards me. I noticed the way she walked first, slowly, deliberately, almost like she was a predator and I was her prey. It was still too dark for me to see her face properly. Her friends, both blondes I noticed, started giggling girlishly behind her and I sighed, rolling my eyes slightly. She reached me and tilted her head slightly to the left, biting her bottom lip out of nervousness I guessed. It was still too dark to see her face because of where she stood. I glanced at her casually before asking, "Can I help you?"

My God. That voice… It made me weak at the knees. I thought it was him when I got out of the car but now I was certain. Regaining my composure I smiled slightly, stepping forward into the light, my voice sounding unnatural to my ears, "Yes, I believe we have a rendezvous planned for..."I checked my watch jokingly, "Well what do you know, it's now." His eyes swept over me once from head to toe and he grinned, "I suppose we have, been a long time coming though." I giggled ever so slightly and Jen and Melody swept up to us. "It's him? Should we go buy the tickets now?" Melody's voice in my ear startled me and I nodded, pulling myself together. They grinned a bit, nodded slightly at him and walked ahead of us towards the ticket booth.

My God. I couldn't believe it. I didn't recognise her at first because she'd stopped updating her pictures, but it was her all right. Her voice sounded slightly different, but then again thousands of miles will do that. Her friends seemed to keep their distance, which was good because I can't stand giggling groups of girls. She seemed rather nervous when she knew it was me, but she quickly regained her composure, which I admired. If anything, she needs to know how to pull herself together, because I'm not all that easy a person to deal with, on the Internet, or in person, but I suppose she'd dealt with my moodiness for two years, so why stop now?

I could feel myself blushing as we walked in together and all the regulars who knew me by name started staring. He slipped his hand into mine, giving it a gentle squeeze and, slightly comforted by that, I led him towards the boots area. "Size six for me." He fidgeted, "Size nine for me." Jen and Melody nodded, indicating that we should sit and they would wait in the long line to get the boots. We sat side-by-side, knees barely touching and I shivered slightly, half from cold and half from nervousness. I still couldn't believe it was him beside me. It seemed more like a dream than anything else.

I watched the other two in the line. I could feel her shaking slightly, although I wasn't sure if it was from cold. It wasn't any warmer inside than out, but it was more pleasant in here, with no sudden icy wind chilling you to the bone. I leant back against the wall, my shoulder brushing against hers accidentally as I did, and she leant back also, her eyes meeting mine. I noticed at that moment, they weren't a plain blue or grey as I had suspected. They were more a cloudy bluish greyish green, with an amber ring around the pupil.

I met his eyes for a brief second, a slight smile crossing my lips as I noticed the hint of blue in the brown. Jen and Melody returned with the boots and I noticed his look of apprehension. "Watch me," I instructed, before pulling on my extra socks and lacing the boots up tightly. After I had finished one, he nodded and carefully did the same to his boots. Jen struggled with hers and Melody giggled, waving us on, "I'll help her, you two get on the ice." I shrugged a bit and grinned as he took my hand, his own slightly shaking, and we made our way through the sea of people to the ice.

I'd told her I couldn't skate and she promised she'd help me. She got out onto the ice and skated around once before returning to me. "Warm-up," she explained and I nodded, holding both her hands tightly in mine as she helped me onto the ice. She let go of one as I gained my balance and we skated around, close to the rails a few times. "Are you ready to go out into the middle?"

He nodded and I grinned, tugging him gently behind me to stand in the middle of the rink. He wobbled slightly on his skates and I managed to keep him upright, amidst giggles. He grinned sheepishly at me and I smiled back. "You've done really well, it took me three sessions to get off the rails. Then again, I have no coordination, or very little." I laughed and he chuckled, "Well, you're teaching me now, which is pretty impressive."

She was so sweet about taking me into the middle of the ice, she didn't put any pressure on, just merely asked. Of course, I couldn't back down, so out in the middle we were, alone. Her friends had disappeared somewhere, or weren't on the ice yet and I frowned slightly. The DJ's voice boomed out overhead, "And now, we have a request for a couples' song. This goes out to…Leo and Mira." I glanced at her and she looked back at me shyly. Taking her hand again I smiled, "Well, my lady, care to skate with me?"

I took his hand and we skated around, glancing at each other when we thought the other wasn't looking. The song was quite different to the ones that preceded it I realised, and it was a good choice made by Melody and Jen. I made a mental note to congratulate them on that. I had a sudden urge to start singing and I giggled when Leo sang along, "You're an exception to the rule. You're of an unthought rarity. You're all I ever wanted. Southern girl, could you want me?" He squeezed my hand and grinned back at me. As the song ended we glided to a stop in the middle of the rink and the DJ's voice rang out again, "Now, the couple this song is dedicated to, you know what you should do."

I grinned a bit, pulling her towards me, my hand resting lightly on her hip as I tilted her head upwards with my other hand and leant in, kissing her softly. One of her hands slid up to rest gently on the back of my neck and the other rested on my forearm. I grinned, feeling extremely pleased with myself and she giggled, looking slightly pinker than before. A cheer broke out from the side of the rink and we turned, not as of yet moving our hands, to see her friends standing there with most of the skaters on that side of the rink, cheering wildly.

"Again! Again!" Jen and Melody chanted and I glanced up at him as he gently slid his hand to the small of my back, pulling me closer, leaning down a little. I leant up slightly, my lips catching his and he shivered involuntarily. The crowd went wild, and I slowly pulled away, my eyes not leaving his. "Well, did you make the first kiss special enough?" He smirked a little, "Yeah, kissing in the middle of an ice-rink with two of your friends and countless strangers looking on is special." I giggled and the DJ's voice yet again boomed over the loudspeakers, announcing the next song.

I never imagined it to be like this. Her friends, Jen who I knew, and Melody, left us to our own devices but watched from a safe distance and only when she was sure not to catch them looking. At first she was still a bit shy, but after a few minutes, she was the girl I knew over the phone and the Internet, the girl who I'd fallen for over the course of a few years. We leant against the railing in the far corner of the rink and chatted quietly. I found out who she was staying with and she found out where I was staying, coincidentally not too far off and also with my relatives. She seemed to be more pleased than she appeared, a faint pink in her cheeks still. I took her hand in mine, squeezing it gently and she smiled softly at me.

He squeezed my hand so gently it was as if he thought it was as fragile as glass. "I was wondering, if you'd like to meet my family while I'm here with them…" he began and I could see he was nervous. I smiled a little and he grinned sheepishly, "No pressure of course, it's just a suggestion, because they'd really like to meet you. Especially my mum, she thinks you're a good influence on me." I had to giggle at that and he grinned, "So will you?" I nodded, still laughing and he bear hugged me. I bear hugged him back and we grinned foolishly at each other, "When do you want me to meet your mum?" He shrugged a bit, "As soon as possible perhaps? I could come and get you and accompany you to my aunt's if you're nervous about going by yourself."

She looked so grateful when I offered and nodded, squeezing my hand, "That would be great. Then, if you wanted, you could meet my mum too. I told her a few things about you." I grinned, squeezing her hand back, "I'd like to meet your mum, sort out a few things so that she doesn't tease you about not having a boyfriend." She let go of my hand but before I could move an inch she had flung her arms up around my neck. I held her close to me, my lips level with her forehead, the height difference great, even in skates. Her scent was sweet, and soft, not strong like anything my mother used, or my aunt. She was different, a comfort as opposed to the bane of my existence. I could be anything and she would still love me unconditionally. I closed my eyes for a moment, her arms still around me.

I breathed shallowly, my head against his chest, my arms around his neck, and for once in my life I felt complete. Usually I felt like I was missing something but I wasn't exactly sure what. An old song lyric floated into my head and before I could stop myself I started singing softly under my breath. "For once I can say 'This is mine, you can't take it!' As long as I got love I know I can make it." He laughed softly, opening his eyes, awakened from his silent reverie. I smiled up at him and he stroked my hair softly, his thumb grazing my jaw gently.

What I saw in her eyes, I couldn't describe enough. Where there was once a tempest, now all I saw was myself, and how she loved me. I bent slightly and kissed her on the forehead, my lips barely brushing her skin. When I met her eyes again, a tear escaped from the corner of one and trailed slowly down her cheek, a silver drop against her fair skin, before coming to rest at the corner of her lips. I bent down slowly and kissed it away, not at all surprised when she kissed me back, and all the lights went out except for the spotlight on us. Suddenly, my ears became aware of the roar of the crowd and I pulled away laughing, sweeping her off her feet.

I yelped slightly as he swept me easily off my feet and he grinned, skating easily towards the edge with me, to where Jen and Melody were waiting for us to get our skates off. He set me down gently at the edge and bowed slightly, "My lady." I curtseyed, playing along, "Kind sir." We laughed and, pushed by Melody and Jen, we sat down and took off our skates, returning them to the booth.

I always liked her sense of humour. Especially when she curtseyed. It was hilarious to see the onlookers' expressions. She was good-natured about it, but hey, it's no fun unless you make a fool of yourself at some point. Outside, it was warmer than the rink and we sat perched on the rails while Melody and Jen wandered further down to keep a lookout for Jen' stepmother who was coming to pick them up, and my aunt, who was coming to pick me up. "Well, skating was fun I have to admit."

I giggled, "It certainly was. We'll have to do it again sometime, perhaps when I make a trip down to Melbourne in the not too distant future?" He grinned, "Yes, you should come and stay with me. My mum won't object, not after meeting you, seeing as you're the epitome of who every parent wants their sons to date." He chuckled and I blushed, "Yes, but I'm not on the market am I?" I smiled sweetly and he laughed loudly, pulling me closer to him, "Certainly not. I'm not willing to share."

I pressed my forehead against the side of hers, thinking idly how odd a pair we must look – a lanky dark-haired boy all in black and a fragile pale girl in blue. I chuckled softly and she shivered slightly as my breath chilled her ear. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a scrap of paper and a pen, tearing the scrap in half and handing one to her after I wrote my aunt's number on one. She grinned, took the other one out of my hand, her fingertips barely brushing my hand, giving me the urge to shiver. She wrote a mobile number and a few home numbers, "The home numbers are my aunt's and my grandmother's, and the mobile is mine and my mum's." I grinned, pocketing it and held her close again, my face buried in her hair.

I clung to him, burying my face into his jacket, taking a deep breath. I reflected on how it might look to Kathleen if she were to drive up, but brushed the thought away because Jen and Melody were keeping a lookout. A sharp voice called out "Leonardo!" and I almost fell off the rail, as did he. He turned, a little startled and waved at the woman in the car beside us. "Hey Mum." He turned to me, grinning sheepishly, "Just be your sweet little self." We got up and I followed him over to the car.

Curse my mother! She showed up early. I made my way to the car, Mira behind me, and stopped at the unwound window. "Mum, this is Mira." I took a step back so that Mira could be seen, and my mum's face softened, a rare sight to see. She leant forward, a friendly smile on her face, "Hello Mira, Leo has told me so much about you." Mira had the modesty to blush, which seemed to please my mum. "I hope it was all good things then, Mrs. Prospero?" My mum nodded, still smiling, "You must come and meet the family properly soon. Sometime this week perhaps?" Mira nodded eagerly and I turned towards her, my back to my mum.

He leant down and kissed me hard on the lips, winking as he pulled back. He whispered softly in my ear, "I love you", and got into the car speaking so his mother could hear him, "Bye Mira, and thanks for a great night. I'll try and call you, or I'll hear from you soon?" I nodded, slightly dumfounded before finding my tongue, "Alright Leo, I'll talk to you soon at any rate. Goodbye Mrs. Prospero." His mum nodded and they pulled away. He glanced back out the window and I mouthed the words "I love you" back at him. When they'd driven out of sight I sighed and perched back up on the railing as Jen and Melody ran towards me. "Well? Is he your fairytale prince?" Melody was dying of curiosity and I nodded, sighing. "We're seeing each other again this week." Jen chuckled, "He's better than Alex by far." She looked up and waved as Kathleen pulled in, honking the horn at us.

"Well Leonardo, she is a very nice young lady. So polite and well-mannered. She would be a very good influence on you." I snorted slightly, not having the heart to tell my mum that under the sweet exterior Mira was as hard as steel. My mum frowned and said nothing more and I sighed a little. I still couldn't believe I'd met her. It was almost like I'd dreamed it all, it was a little too ethereal to be true, although tomorrow I would think differently of course. I felt the paper crinkle in my jacket pocket and smiled to myself. Tonight would remain in my memory forever, the first meeting of two love-struck teenagers from different cities. I fidgeted slightly, checking my watch, surprised by how late it was. Time had flown or as they say in Latin "Tempus fugit et nos fugimus in illus – Time flies and we fly with it." I wondered what kind of Spanish inquisition she would be getting off her friends on the way home and leant my head against the windowpane, watching as the rain started falling.

Kathleen spoke, shocking me out of my floating daydream, "So Mira, did you meet Prince Charming?" I nodded, grinning stupidly and she sighed, "Ah young love. Oh to be young again." Jen snorted and I went back to looking out the window, reliving what had just happened, and half-listening, letting their conversation wash over me. I still couldn't believe that it had finally happened, that I'd finally met him. He was everything I'd expected, and more. I sighed softly, resting my cheek against the cold window. Soon, I'd see him again, and we'd sort it all out. I had a feeling that no one would ever be able to replace him in my mind. An old song came to mind and without thinking I sang quietly, "There just ain't no one else who can bring out the love in me. So many guys I've tried, they've tried to get to my eyes, but he's the only one I see…"