thin ice // mitch marner

CHAPTER 41

"Natalie!" Ema exclaimed, her husband by her side. Her youngest daughter was behind them, but her son had bolted right off at the sight of me.

I felt like I was frozen in place, my eyes so wide they might pop out of their sockets. Ema awkwardly looked at where Auston once was, then sharing a look with Brian.

I peeled my eyes off the scene to look back at Mitch. I felt speechless. He came to my rescue, though, moving to stand beside me.

"I'll take that from you." Mitch said, holding his hands out to take the plate of food Ema had in her hands.

"Why did he just run off like that?" Brian asks Ema, looking hesitantly back in the direction of his house.

"I have no idea, he was fine before." Ema shrugged. She looked worried. "I can go talk to him?"

"I think I should go talk to him." I cut in. Ema looked at me now, confused. "We had a bit of an, uh.... argument."

"Is everything okay?" Ema asked, clear concern in her voice.

I gave her a small smile. "I guess I should find out." I say quietly, moving past them and out the door.

The walk to Auston's house had always felt so short, since he lived just next door. Today, it felt extremely long. My feet were dragging underneath me, a clear indicator of how reluctant I was to do this. I didn't want to see him. I didn't want to be upset right now. I didn't want to have to hear him yell at me, and cuss me out. The only reason I was going there was for our families.

I didn't knock before I opened his front door. "Auston?" I called gently, taking off my shoes and waiting to hear where he was. No answer. I took a peek in the living room and saw nobody there. He wasn't in the kitchen, either.

I climbed the stairs and paused at the top. I looked at Auston's closed door, remembering the countless memories we'd made there all that time ago. But things were different now. Back when I was 8, I thought he could never hate me. I thought we would be best friends forever. I'm not too sure now.

I walk over to his door and knock. "Can I come in?" I asked softly, scared to hear his response—but he never answered. After a few seconds, I opened the door myself.

He was sitting on his bed, his eyes immediately shooting up to my face. I stood sound at his door, not knowing what to say.

"I thought you would get the hint." He says, his voice monotone.

"What?" I asked, not daring to move.

"Get out, seriously." He said. He looked so fed up with me. In all honesty, I would be too.

"Why can't we just talk?" I beg of him.

"I don't wanna hear it." He says curtly. This would be way harder than I thought.

"What if you talk, and I listen?" I offer. I didn't want to leave without solving anything, because that would mean we'd have to do this all again another time.

His eyes trailed away. "I don't want to talk yet." He said after, his eyes not meeting mine.

"Can you just come to dinner then? My family would appreciate that." I ask him.

"Our families don't care." He scoffs, crossing his arms. This'd be harder than I imagined.

I sat down on the edge of his bed, and he watched me very carefully. Neither of us talked, I was looking at the floor and I could feel his eyes still on mine.

"I didn't want to keep this from you for so long." I say, finally breaking the silence and looking at him.

"Bullshit."