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Chapter Fourteen
Avery
We arrived at the SkatingRibbon at Maggie Daley Park about forty minutes later. I was smiling from ear to ear, looking around. It was right in the city, surrounded by tall buildings. The rink snaked around the park in a twisty way. It was a trail, not a circular rink. If I remembered, some parts were uphill too. It would be a nice workout.
"Oh, I remember the Rink Cafe," I said.
It was a red food truck. Well, food truck wasn't the right term, as they mostly sold drinks. There were tables and benches in front of it, and quite a few people were sitting down, mostly teenagers but some adults too. I imagined that in the earlier hours, parents with young kids were also milling around.
We'd rented skates at the entrance in the park and were now walking awkwardly in them. At least I was. Sam seemed as confident as ever.
"When's the last time you skated?" I asked.
"With you."
My stomach squeezed. "I haven't been since then either," I admitted, adjusting my beanie. I'd put it on because I didn't want to risk my ears freezing off while I was skating. I loved that the rink was outdoors, though; we had a fantastic view of our surroundings.
"I thought this was like riding a bike, but I'm not quite so sure anymore," I said as we stepped onto the ice. My legs were a bit wobbly.
"Still trust me?" Sam asked.
"Yeah."
"I'll guide you at first, and then we'll see if you can do it on your own."
"Thanks."
He held out his hands and stood in front of me, grinning. Butterflies erupted in my stomach when I put my hands in his, even though we were both wearing gloves. He started moving backward, gliding effortlessly, pulling me with him.
"Hey, this isn't fair. You can skate backward, and I barely remember how to stand straight."
"It'll only take a few minutes," he said encouragingly, looking over his shoulder every now and again to make sure he wasn't bumping into anyone.
He was right; it was becoming easier by the second. I looked around, having forgotten how surreal it felt to skate between the skyscrapers. There were lots of speakers throughout the skating rink, playing all sorts of fun tunes.
After a few minutes, I told Sam, "You can let go now. I think I'm fine on my own."
He let go of one hand first and then the other.
"Yeah, I can do this," I exclaimed triumphantly, using my hands to keep my balance by moving them by my sides like I would do if I were jogging.
