A chance encounter

Chapter 5

We got out of the car and I led the way to the one of the shops on the street. "Before you ask: yes we are going shopping, yes this is the only shop we're going to and don't worry, the next stop will be a better one."

All she said was, "Hmm alright." keeping her thoughts to herself - torturing me in the process.

"What are you thinking?" I asked. I usually try to figure it out by observing body language but for some reason I couldn't read hers.

"Why so curious?" she chimed, obviously trying to play with me.

Before I could answer one of the tailors in the shop walked up to us and asked what it was we were looking for.

"Nothing for me, but this young lady needs a new coat - preferably long and either black or grey." [Y/N] was probably going to argue, saying that this shop it too expensive etc, so I interrupted her before she could "while you sort that out, where can I go to sort out the payment?" The tailor directed me to the cashier and began asking [Y/N] questions about her preference in style. I waited for roughly thirty minutes before she came back out in her new coat. It fit her perfectly.

"You did an excellent job, thank you." I expressed. We left the shop and got back in the car, on our way to the next location.

"I would have bought one eventually, you know" I couldn't describe her behaviour as anything other than bashful - I found it incredibly charming "but thank you, I really appreciate it."

I couldn't stop myself from smiling at her, "You are more than welcome. It really suits you."

It was fifteen minute journey this time. As soon as we walked up to the building she laughed, "Is this why you got me a coat?"

"It's certainly one of the reasons. Have you been ice-skating before?"

"I've been a few time when I was younger but not nearly enough to keep myself upright the entire time." She laughed at herself, likely because she saw glimpses of her past experiences.

"Then this is going to be more fun than I'd originally planned." We walked in, changed our shoes for skates and walked to the rink. I went first so I could help her onto the ice.

I held out my hand and she was hesitated, "I won't let you fall. You can trust me." It wasn't until I'd said the words out loud, that I realised just how much I wanted her to trust me. As if she knew exactly how I was feeling, she took my hand and stepped onto the ice. She wobbled a little but to keep my word I steadied her and didn't let her topple over.

"Aren't ice-rinks usually jam packed with people? Where's everyone else?"

"The owner owed me a favour, so he closed it for a couple hours - allowing us to be able to skate in peace. If you don't like the music playing in the background, I can have that changed as well." I explained, "but stop trying to stall, you'll be fine"

"Damn, you saw through my plan" she said with a smirk.

"Come on scaredy-cat." I then proceeded to teach her how to skate. Truth be told, she was doing pretty well - a fast learner it seems. Every second that we were on the ice together, I could feel her trust in me increasing, which in turn excited me. I admit that I've spent most of my adulthood trying to get others to trust me just so that I could use that trust against them, to harm them and to watch them get crushed by whatever forces available to me. But with her, I felt completely different. I felt compelled to get her trust and to keep it. I never want her to stop trusting me. I know these feelings are absurd, I just can't stop them.

We had finished the two hours I had booked for the rink and were walking out of the building when she said something that completely took me aback.