Challenge | Adam Banks

FIFTEEN

Delanie contemplated the situation in front of her for a moment before the meaning seeped in. Adam cared enough about this to actually do his research. This wasn't just some stupid bet to him. He planned this. Thoroughly.

There was just one problem. She really hadn't skated since she was nine. There was no way she remembered how.

If that thought had occurred to Adam, he didn't seem to care much about it. As he walked by, he linked his pinky with hers, lightly tugging her towards the bench. He handed her a pair of skates which were clearly Julie's. If the size and color scheme weren't dead giveaways, the "JG" that was sharpied on the heels sold them. Delanie took a seat next to her date, removing her street shoes and slipping her feet into Julie's skates. They were a little snug, but they fit well enough. Then came the first roadblock -- Delanie couldn't for the life of her remember how to lace skates the proper way. Jett had always done it some special hockey player way, and he never slowed down enough to teach her. He always just laced them up for her, picked her up by the armpits, and placed her on the rink.

Delanie frowned as she focused on giving it her best shot. She didn't want to have to ask Adam for help -- how embarrassing would that be? But when the boy had laced his skates in record time, he couldn't help but notice her struggle. He chuckled softly before kneeling in front of her, gently pushing her hands out of the way. Without a word, he laced her skates for her. Delanie just stared as he expertly weaved and tied the laces on her feet. When he was done, he stood up, holding a hand out to her. She took it gratefully. "Thank you," she murmured, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Of course," he answered easily. He hopped over the boards and onto the ice. When he turned back to Delanie, she had an eyebrow raised at him. He laughed at her before reaching over and unlatching one of the boards, swinging it open. He held out a hand, "C'mon."

She eyed his outstretched hand for a moment as genuine nerves set in. She was already teetering on her skates, and she hadn't even hit the ice yet. Adam raised his eyebrows, "Come on, Park. Don't tell me you're scared." She shot him a glare, which earned her yet another soft chuckle. He wiggled his fingers at her, recalling her attention to his outstretched palm. "I've got you," he promised, his gaze soft.

With a sigh, Delanie took his hand, letting him gently coax her onto the rink. As soon as her skates hit the ice, she faltered, causing Adam to tighten his grip on her hand to keep her steady. He looked down at her, adoration in his eyes. "How does Jett Park's little sister not know how to skate?" he joked.

She rolled her eyes, punching his arm. "I used to, okay? I used to be a great skater. But then Jett started to suck as an older brother and I refused to step foot on the ice ever again."

"Yet here you are," Adam mused, skating backwards in front of her.

She sighed, "Yeah. Here I am." She hadn't even thought about that. She had spent her entire life building up this vendetta against all things having to do with hockey, and here she was, spending the evening on her school's ice rink with one of her brother's teammates. Who she used to hate. A lot.

Adam held her hands tightly, skating slowly in front of her. Delanie's cheeks burned as a flash of embarrassment filled her gut. When Adam realized that she wouldn't look him in the eyes, he stopped. "Are you alright?" he asked softly, skating a little closer.

Delanie nodded glumly, "I feel like an idiot." Adam laughed at that, but when he didn't see a playful expression on her face, he tried to disguise it as a cough. She glared at him and he smiled apologetically. She sighed, "I literally feel like a child. I used to be good at this." She fixated her eyes on the ice beneath her feet, her hair falling into her face.