Secret Ice Princess

Chapter Three

Indigo's feet ached after her fast paced match with Georgina. Sitting in the locker room she had been locked in no more than 24 hours ago, she rubbed her feet trying to relieve some of the pain. Indigo wished she had done better skating against the more experienced skater but she was proud she had tried. Hopefully having the experience practicing with Georgina could help her later.

But, despite the pain, Indigo couldn't wipe the smile off her face. Her cheeks were beginning to ache from the smile but every time she thought about what was causing it her face lit up once again. Libby had stood on beside the rink through their entire match and cheered for her and the thought alone made a nice warmth fill her abdomen.

Indigo looked up when the heavy door slid open and she tried, unsuccessfully, to wash her face of any emotion. Libby popped her head in. "Hope? Can I talk to you for a sec?" Indigo noticed that Libby's voice wavered and worry surged up her spine. She hesitantly nodded and the smaller girl slipped in the door and sat down on the bench next to her.

"What's up?" Indigo asked cautiously. Libby looked up for her lap and locked her eyes with Indigo's. Indigo did her best to keep the contact but she had the uncontrollable urge to touch the smaller girl and shield her from what was eating at her. Libby stayed silent for a long while, thinking if it was really worth telling Indigo of her discovery. It could change everything, Indigo could never talk to her again and she didn't know if she could emotionally go through that.

Finally she decided to go for it "Um, I just wanted you to know that I know that your real name is Indigo and I know that you go to my school." Libby's voice crackled through the statement. Libby almost winced at how her words came out. She felt she would have broken the news lightly but it was too late now.

Indigo's heart thrummed against her chest. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped, shocked. How has she found out? Libby's head dropped again, and she thought about how stupid she was for telling Indigo she knew. "I swear I won't tell anyone. I-I just thought you would like to know and maybe we could, um, like be friends." Libby's voice came out quiet and strained. Indigo almost didn't hear it.

Indigo looked down at the smaller, red-headed girl. She suddenly felt a knot forming in her throat and tears began pooling in her eyes. Indigo fought back the water droplets but finally gave up. The silence around the two girls was deafening as they sat there. The salty tears began pouring down Indigo's face and she wiped at them viciously.

Libby looked back up at Indigo after hearing a sniffle. "No, no, no, no. No need to cry," Libby whispered, turning to face Indigo. The girl grabbed Indigo's chin and began wiping away tears with the long sleeves of her sweater. Libby's heart pounded in her chest at the close proximity between her and Indigo. Indigo sniffed once again and turned her head away from the green eyed girl.

They sat in silence for a while longer before Indigo broke the silence. "Um, I'm sorry," she said. Libby looked at her confused, brows furrowed. "I-I didn't mean to cry, I just-nobody outside of my family has ever known about," she gestured to herself and her duffle bag, "you know, this." Libby nodded understandingly.

Libby carefully moved her hands away, disappointed at the lack of warmth now on her hands. Indigo blushed as she felt her heart thrum faster in her chest and her stomach knot. Was this what it was like to finally have a friend? Indigo smiled at the thought, she liked it.

The girls sat beside each other for several minutes just enjoying each others company. Libby fiddles with her hands in her lap, resisting the urge to break the silence. Indigo cautiously resumed packing up her blue duffle and she shrugged on her jacket before slipping on her Keds. She stood and smiled down at Libby, who quickly stood too.

Libby cleared her throat, "Umm, Indigo? I know this may be super random but, would you mind maybe coming to dinner at my house tonight? I understand if you can't but," Libby rambled.