I don't remember falling asleep on the couch but I've woken up laying against Zayn's chest as he sits asleep.
I softly get up, hoping not to wake him, and get ready for the day. It's Sunday and today is my first real date with Zayn I guess.
We went on dates before we were married but they were not very pleasant, especially in the beginning. As time progressed, things got better. Leading up to our wedding was the best we've ever been, but since then it's gone downhill.
"Good morning, babe." Zayn says in a groggy morning voice.
'Babe' is a very normal name for him to call me. It doesn't sound the same as when other people say it to their significant others. It's more like calling someone 'Lad'.
Nevertheless, it's still comforting to hear sometimes.
"Good morning." I smile. "So, where are you taking me today?"
"Well... I was thinking about maybe going ice skating." He mentioned while passing me to put on some coffee.
"But... I don't know how..."
"That's alright. I do and I can show you."
"But wouldn't it be better if—"
"Let's just try it and see how it goes, huh?"
I sigh. "Alright..."
I feel like this will just end in us fighting but, if he insists, I'll give it to him this time.
After breakfast, we got dressed and headed to the outdoor ice rink just in town. We rented out some ice skates and then put them on.
I needed Zayn's help to put them on and tie up the laces properly since I had put them on too loose.
"Too tight?" He asks tightening up my laces.
"Nope."
"Snug?"
I nodded then he smiled and locked them over the grips before tying them up into a bow. Then he repeated it on the other foot. He didn't struggle much at all to put on his own.
Now we're ready to skate.
I've only skated once or twice when I was really little with my Dad. Since then, I haven't bothered trying. Zayn used to play hockey when he was younger so he hasn't yet lost his touch with skating.
He helped me into the ice but I quickly realized what a mistake this was. Since it wasn't an indoor rink, there wasn't a half wall to hold onto, there was just the ice and then sludge. I stood in an uncomfortable stance as I tried to stop myself from sliding forward.
Zayn grabbed onto my arm and helped me regain my footing while he skated backwards. He lead me forward a bit while I held onto him with a death grip.
Once I got my footing, it wasn't too bad.
"There you go. Push off with your other foot... there! See, it isn't so bad!" He smiles while guiding me around the ice.
"Yeah, it's not too bad..." I grin, looking down at my skates against the ice.
"Here, let go a little..." He says, only holding onto my hand instead of my arm.
I struggled to keep my momentum but I was still moving forward with him.
"Kick off with one foot, then the other."
I tried to do as he said but my foot only slipped out from behind me, not giving me much leverage. So, I tried again and I got a little movement.
"We have to turn up here... just push off in the direction you want to go. So use your right foot to push off and direct with your other skate."
We headed, faster than I had thought, towards the turn and I was struggling to manage.
"I can't Z..."
"Come on, just give it a try." He says calmly, though I felt anything but calm.
"I am trying! It's not working!"
"Calm down... just slowly ease your way to the side so we don't end up in the muddy snowbank."
"Zayn, I can't move both my skates and keep up at the same time!" I panic as we near the mud ridden sludgy snowbank.
He tries to move both of us at the same time but it's not working.
"Zayn!"
"I'm trying!"
The ice ends and we tip over into the muddy snow, drenching ourselves in the cold wetness. My jeans are covered in mud and my legs are now wet and freezing. My hands feel like icicles since I had neglected to bring gloves.
Zayn looks over to me and gets up. He's... laughing?
"Oh my gosh... are you... are you okay..." he asks in between laughs.
"No! I'm not! I didn't want to go skating in the first place! I knew it would end up badly!"
"Oh, come on Isa, it's not that bad." He chuckles, helping me to my feet.
"I can feel the mud through my jeans."
"The mud will wash out, it's fine."
"But now I'm cold and wet..." I complain.
"I have a sweater in the car, you'll be fine."
"I just wanna go home."
"Okay, okay... we can go home."
I hated ruining what could have been a fun activity to share but I'm soaking wet and freezing cold. I told him it wouldn't end well.
When we get back to the car, Zayn finds a sweater and some sweat pants in the back of the car and offers them to me. Although it was tricky, I managed to get undressed and dressed in the back of the car. Getting soaking wet jeans off is not a walk in the park.
When I'm dressed in the now warm and dry clothes, I feel better.
"There, does that feel better?" He asks as I emerge from the car in a soaking wet, oversized men's mismatched sweatsuit.
"I look insane." I start to laugh.
"No, I think you look cute. How about we go get some hot chocolate or something before we go home?"
"That sounds nice." I smile, thinking about how cozy I'll be with a nice hot chocolate in my sweater-pawed hands.
Maybe this wasn't such a disaster after all...
...
Zayn saved an otherwise failed date, yay!