After helping me back on my feet, Thad’s hands latched firmly on my hips as he guided me forward, encouraging me to take little steps. I’d be lying if I said that this didn’t turn me on. His guidance distracted me more than it helped, but I eventually got the hang of it and slowly inched my way across the ice without his support.
“Okay. It took me over a half hour to move a few feet.” I started to feel embarrassed. “I swear, I’m not this uncoordinated. Take me to a pool and you’ll drown trying to catch me,” I added. This time I winked.
“You’re fine. And I’m sure you could outswim me,” he replied, trying to comfort my bruised ego.
He supervised me for a few more minutes so I wouldn’t fall, then sped off, flying over the surface of the ice. He began to skate backward, circling me before he added a few small jumps, which made my head twitch, almost losing my balance.
“You know how to jump?” I asked.
“Uhh, a little. I take figure skating lessons. It helps with my hockey.” He put his arms out, swooshing backward.
“Oh. Really?”
“Yeah. Figure skaters train for strength and flexibility on the ice, not just speed. Which really benefits hockey. At least that’s what my coach tells me.”
“That’s interesting.” I really was interested. He didn’t look like the type of person who’d try figure skating.AmI stereotyping again?“You really like being on the ice, don’t you?”
“I do.” He smiled, showing his perfect teeth. He then charged forward and swiftly passed me, nearly knocking me over. When I say nearly, I mean that he was several feet from me. I almost fell over on my own accord in fear of him approaching me at such a speed.
“Hey, can I ask you something?” I whispered as he grabbed on to me again.
He helped me back to the bench where I could finally remove the skates from my fatigued feet. My legs began feeling like jelly and I didn’t think I would last any longer on the ice.
“Do you know Dana? From our grade?” I asked.
He squinted. “Um. Yeah, I think I do. Why?”
“Nothing really. She’s a friend of mine and she doesn’t seem to like you much. I haven’t told her anything about you. I remember her making a comment once when you passed us in the cafeteria.” I lied about the second half, but I needed to know. And I didn’t want to tell him the whole story. There had to be something between the two of them.
He looked confused.Shit. I shouldn’t have said anything.
“Does she have an older brother?” Thad asked. “He just graduated, right?”
“Yes. She does. But he graduated last year.” I straightened to meet his eyes.
“We got into a fight once last year,” he said. “I think he went to the hospital because of his nose,” he added. “Why?”
“Oh. Um. No reason. I didn’t understand why she disliked you so much when neither of us knew you.” I tried to assure him there was nothing more to my inquiry. But now I was intrigued. Why had they fought? Thad didn’t seem like the fighting type. I mean yes he was in hockey, but he carried himself the way anyone who wanted to be left alone carried themselves.
“I really enjoyed this,” I declared before he had the chance to ask why I mentioned Dana.
“Cool. Maybe we can do it again. Except, without you falling.” He tried holding in a laugh.
I put on my shoes and tried to return his old pair of skates, but he shook his head and waved. “Hold on to them for next time. I don’t need them.”
Wow. Maybe he does like me,I thought as I watched him enter the locker rooms.
I went outside and waited on a bench near the entrance as he changed and gathered his things. It was a perfect day out—hot but not scalding. And the light overcast still blocked the intensity of the sun, though it was dissipating. I wasn’t sure what he had planned for the day. After my embarrassing attempt in the rink, I wanted to ask him if he’d join me for a swim to redeem myself.
What’s taking him so long?I leaned over to peek through the glass doors. There had been no sign of him for nearly twenty minutes. After a few more minutes, I checked again and saw four figures approaching in the distance. Two girls and a guy were walking toward the doors with Thad. I definitely recognized one of them, who was in the same grade as us and was probably one of his closest friends. Heather, the girl with the obnoxious laugh.
As they neared the door, Thad had this hard look of worry on his face. I fixed myself to an upright position, then took a deep breath. I was nervous. I had never spoken to any of these people before, and he was probably going to introduce them to me. I hoped.
Thad held the door open for his friends, staring at the few cars in the parking lot. He looked conflicted that his friends were there.I get it. At this point, I think I’d be awkward as well.Two of his friends moved forward as if they hadn’t noticed I was there. Except for Heather, who side-eyed me. She looked me up and down, then stared forward as if she had something far more important to do. Thad followed them into the parking lot.
I thought he would turn back to me once they were out of sight—Iwantedhim to turn back. I wanted to see his face. He could have even sent me a text explaining that he couldn’t speak. But he didn’t. He continued to his car, started the ignition, and followed them out of the lot.
My jaw dropped and my stomach sank. How could he do this? How could he leave me there like that?Dana was right. You are an ass.