After we finished breakfast and had a long argument on who should pay the bill. I insisted I should and he insisted he should. He won, minor setback that I didn't have any money on me. He needn't know that. Anyway, after all that we headed to the skating rink.
"I thought we were going skateboarding." I whine. This was not what I signed up for.
"I said skating. I never said anything about skateboarding." He explains.
"Well this is a sport for kids below ten. Do I look like I'm below ten to you?" I ask, crossing my arms over my chest and stomping my feet.
"Well, actually-" He starts but I cut him off.
"Don't answer that question. I know that you, like everyone else is going to say I don't look seventeen. Well haven't you heard? Don't judge a book by its cover? I may not look seventeen but I feel it." I huff and then turn to the fierce sexy guy behind the counter asking him. "Do I look seventeen to you?"
"Not seventeen, maybe thirteen." He shrugs casually and moves on to attend the customer on the other side of the counter.
"Well I'm seventeen. For my sake could you say that I look seventeen to the guy who's heading over here right now?" I plead.
"Sure." He agrees. "Hey mate, she looks seventeen." He says pointing at me. The only problem being, he wasn't talking to Ashton, he was talking to some old balding guy who was staring at me like I was insane.
Once the old man left. "I was talking about this guy not someone old enough to be my dad." I say pointing at Ashton, who was looking at the exchange between us with confusion.
"Okay. Mate, your girlfriend looks seventeen. Stop picking on her or she'll leave you pretty soon and then I'll sweep her off her feet." He says to Ashton cleaning a shoe.
I roll my eyes. The guy was talking about sweeping me off my feet, how charming. But who cleans a shoe while saying something so nice?
"She isn't my girlfriend. She's yours for the sweeping." He winks to the guy behind the counter, as he hands him a pair of skates. "And next time you talk about sweeping a girl off her feet, don't act so nonchalant."
"A size five please." I request.
"So you're single?" He asks handing me a pair of skates as he takes my shoe.
"Yup." I agree as I try on my skates sitting on the counter. I hop off and add, "But I don't like the sweet ones."
I catch up to Ashton. "Thanks for abandoning me."
"The word you're looking for is mutiny." He smirks.
I scrunch my nose up in disgust. "Don't smirk, you remind me of Ryan. Thinking of Ryan, I wonder who kidnapped him and why they didn't take me. And did you hear the guy behind the counter? I look seventeen." I say as I stick my tongue out at him.
"Yeah I heard that. I wasn't talking about how old you look, maybe that too, but I was speaking about how you don't behave seventeen either." He says as he whizzes past me, choosing to ignore my comment on me not being kidnapped.
"I don't know how to skate, so stop mutinizing me." I yell, he was already at the other end of the skate rink.
He continues skating casually as I stand rooted to my spot as people whizz past me. Once he reaches me, he whispers, "I thought even ten year olds could do this. And mutinizing?"
"Well I'm five at heart so I don't know. How do you think words are added to the dictionary? Brilliant people like me invent them." I huff.
He stops skating and smirks at me. "You just contradicted your previous statement."
I look at him in confusion, when it dawns on me. I push him aside, he doesn't budge instead I fall flat on my butt. He stands laughing at me. He then gives me his hand which I diligently choose to ignore and push myself up, failing to rise and succeeding to fall again. After a few attempts I give up and look up at Ashton with my puppy dog eyes and pout. He looks at me in amusement, shakes his head and proceeds to give me his hand.
"Next time don't ridicule skating." He says as he takes my hand.
"Well look around you, they are all kids." I say sweeping my hand around the rink.
"I see one kid in the entire rink." He deadpans.
"Really? They all look like kids to me." I state as I skate away from him. Remember what people tell you about learn from your mistakes? Well I did nothing of the sort because I fell flat on my butt, again.
"This time I'm not helping you up." Ashton says as he skates away backwards, sticking his tongue out at me. He bangs into the kid and falls down.
"Ha! Serves you right for abandoning me." I laugh, as a guy comes and gives me his hand.
"Thanks." I say as I try to skate again. Falling, again.
"Do you want help?" The guy who helped me up asks.
"Yes please." I reply, putting my ego aside. Actually, my ego would only get hurt if Ashton helps me. I have a pride to protect.
He takes a hold of my right hand and leads me as he instructs me to drag one feet after the other. I don't do it as elegantly as him in fact, I was shuffling around in one spot.
"No don't do it like that, push your feet forward and put your body weight to it." He instructs.
"I got it." I shout in glee as I do as he instructed.
"So, guy who helped me up how did you learn how to skate?" I ask.
"My dad used to bring me here when I was a kid." He says, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "He's busy with work these days so he can't come here anymore."
"Remember that he's working really hard to get you the comforts he never had and to make sure you get the best of everything." I say, remembering what mum used to tell me when I complained as dad started coming home late.
"I guess but I miss him." He says as he guides me around the rink.
"You'll find yourself valuing your dad more because now the moments to cherish are limited." I smile down at him and he smiles back.
"Ready to go on your own?" He asks, loosening his grip on my hand.
I tighten my hold on him. "Never in a million years. Guy who helped me up, you can't do this to me."
"Are you going to keep calling me that? I have a name. It's-" I put my hand up, cutting him short.
"Names cause familiarity and I don't want to feel bad for not meeting someone I'm familiar with so if we meet again, tell me then."
"You're weird." He says.
"It's called unique." I state.
"Okay, I'm letting go now but I'll be there right behind you. To catch you if you fall." To catch you if you fall. The words echo in my head as I think of the time Harry told me that.
"I don't like letting go." I say with a quiver in my voice.
"Hey, look at me." Guy who helped me up says. "Sometimes we have to let go to move on, to attain our goals. Because if something is holding us back, it will either drag or slow us down. So just take a deep breath and and let go." The guy who helped me up has no idea he made a lot of sense in my life. I hug him and close my eyes, conjuring the pain, the fears and the tears I shed. Once it all came back to me, I took a deep breath and let go. Of the pain, holding on the good times, the memories both good and bad, accepting his death, realizing he taught me a lot, he got me put of my shell, he taught me to be free and he taught me to spread smiles. He taught me a lot of things but most importantly he taught me to be selfless. I open my eyes and start skating.
"I'm doing it Guy who helped me up. I'm skating on my own. I let go." I say as I skate forward with him beside me.
"So if you don't want to know my name it's fine but what do I call you?" He asks.
"Girl whom I helped up." I reply.
"I think I'll call you 'Girl whom I helped' cause I helped you to skate too." And a lot of other things, I add in my head.
"I think that's a perfect name." I say excitedly as I clap my hands together.
"I got to go. I'm already late for my piano classes but I hope to get your name. So no goodbyes, just an until next time." He says as he skates away.
"Until next time." I shout after him. Meeting strangers is so much fun. I then decide to look for Ashton, I didn't see him one bit while I was learning to skate.
You know the feeling of letting go? It's a feeling that makes you feel lighter and more accepting. I wasn't letting go of the memories we had, I was letting go of holding on to the pain and sorrow. He will always be a huge part of me. Forever.
"Ashton!" I shout as I spot him outside the ring at the juice bar, hitting it off with some girl. Might as well give him some space. I skate around the rink talking to random strangers.
I met an old couple who were here to reminisce their first date fifty years back. I didn't know this skating rink dated to way back then. It was nice to hear the story about how they met and how their first date went.
"I met Haley at the fair that was in town for a week. Her mother used to work with the animal show, we used to have it back then. Her blazing red hair and fiery attitude got me hooked the first day." The old man said.
"Oh George. I hated you the very minute I met you. You know sweet pie, he entered the arena with three girls and he was flirting with me. I already had a nasty temper and the fact that I was attracted to him made me even more angry." She laughed and George laughed along with her.
"I pursued her the entire week and finally she agreed to a date, she was leaving the next day. I brought her here for our first date, she loved it until a girl came and started kissing me. So Haley here turned as red as her hair, threw her raspberry soda at the two of us. And instead of leaving like any normal person, she grabbed the mike of the band that was playing and made an announcement that I was getting engaged to her." He smiled at the memory.
"This was a very small town back then and everyone knew each other. Some how his father got to know before the congratulation song was over. He gave George his mother's engagement ring to give to me. The old man was happy his son was finally settling down." She winked at me.
"Her mother wasn't once she found out the next day. She came and slapped me across my face and threw a fit. When it was time for them to leave Haley here took the engagement ring and threw it at me, telling me that she didn't want a sympathy ring and that she never really like me. At that time I didn't feel anything but the minute her caravan pulled away, I felt a part of me go."
"I was fuming in the van, yes I hated him but he could have tried atleast a little to convince me." She added.
"I called around and found that their troop was two towns over. I went there and convinced her mother to convince her for an arranged marriage, begging her to not mention that it was me. After a lot of convincing she agreed." He said looking at Haley with so much love in his eyes.
"I was devastated. Mother was the one who told me to spread my wings and discover myself before getting pregnant or married. She was telling to me to marry a complete stranger, we fought so much that night. But I didn't have a choice, she was a strong headed woman and if she sets her mind to something she would not budge. I asked her if I could meet my betrothed before the wedding, but she wouldn't have it. I seriously considered running away but she had me under lock and key."
"You should have seen her face as she was walking up the aisle. It was a big red puffed up face, there were so many emotions I couldn't decipher most of them but anger was the most prominent. She spent our wedding night breaking everything she could find and not letting me come near her. I spent days trying to woo her, when finally she decided that-" he is cut short by Haley going into fits of coughs. He stops skating and takes her to the bench, I follow them to make sure she's fine. I saw blood on her handkerchief and told George that I'll arrange for an ambulance. I took off my skates and ran to the counter, the fierce sexy guy was replaced by a girl. I asked for my belongings and dialed for an ambulance as I put on my shoes. Once I made the call, I sent a text to Ashton.
I'm heading to the hospital. There is nothing to worry about.
A few seconds later I get a message from him.
What happened? Sorry for abandoning you. Got caught up with something. -A
I know, I saw you. Nothing serious, I'm just helping out someone I met in the rink. I close my phone and head to the old couple who was being lead to the ambulance. I declare myself family and get into the ambulance.
"You didn't have to come with us." George says.
"Oh I don't mind. Besides, once everything settles down I would love to know the rest of what happened." I smile, taking his hand to offer him comfort.
Old couples in love made me happy. It constantly restored my faith in love.
Hey humans and other creatures of the universe. I'm not going to make this long. Did you like George and Haley? Aren't they the cutest? And don't hate Ashton for ditching Malia. I would have ditched her, she was so stubborn. I'm thinking of writing a story on Haley and George but then the suspense would be gone. Let me know if you like the idea
Who else loves seeing old couples together? I absolutely love it.
Toodles.
Love and Starbucks.
Don't be a bore.
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