How I Played the Playboy

Chapter 13

"Sorry," Anthony apologizes for the 700th time today.

"Look, it's fine. I'm not mad or anything." I reply. I wasn't able to catch up with Anthony at school, so I decided to call him once I got home.

"I'll make it up to you - I promise."

"You don't have to make up anything--"

"I'm coming over to your house. Be ready in five minutes." He says and hangs up.

Five minutes later, I'm in Anthony's car, driving off to who-knows-where. It doesn't take long before we stop at a frozen lake.

"Anthony?" I begin to question.

"I know, it doesn't look like much, but trust me. My dad used to take me here when I was younger."

I gave him a puzzled look in response. He hops out the car and motions for me to follow. He pulls out a duffel bag from the trunk and heads towards the lake. Once he reaches the lake, he pulls out a pair of ice skates.

"Oh... I don't..."

"C'mon, please?" He pouts.

"I... I'll fall..."

"I'll help you."

"What if the skates don't fit?"

"They should."

"Besides, it might be too warm. We'll fall under the ice."

"I promise you, we won't."

I bite my cheek and look away.

"Please?" He asks again.

"Fine." I give in.

He laces up his skates and immediately heads onto the ice. I turn away and attempt at lacing up the pair of skates he's gotten for me. To my surprise, they fit quite nicely.

"Anthony! Wait up!" I turn towards the lake.

He's gone. He's not there.

I slowly edge close to the lake hoping that what has happened isn't what I think has happened.

No, no, please, no. This can't be happening - he promised.

Panic floods into my head and I start to breathe heavily.

No, no, no.

He's fallen under.

"Anthony!" I shout. I see his hand shoot up from the ice, his head barely out of the water, gasping desperately for air.

I run across the lake to reach him, holding out my hand for him to reach me. My instincts told me to jump in an save him, but another part of me screamed for me not to. He grasped onto my hand and I pulled him out of the water.

"Anthony?" I ask him, once I have brought him to safety.

"Hey," he croaks, weakly.

"You're freezing."

"No shit." he coughs.

I unzip his wet coat and toss it aside then wrap my arms around him, to keep him warm.

"C-Courtney?"

"Hm?"

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to prevent you from catching hypothermia."

"What?"

"Nevermind..."

I help him up and we make our way to the car. I turn the heat up as much as possible and start driving to my house. Anthony begins to doze off next to me.