Just Friends

Epilogue

⊱𝙻𝚎𝚟𝚒⊰

"Oh, god."

"Relax,"

"Jesus—"

"It's okay. Just relax."

I swallow thickly as I stare in horror at the big ice rink in front of us. I'm not sure why we're here, but I don't want to be.

The last time I went ice skating, it ended in a bruised ego and a sore spot on the back of my head.

I haven't dared to try since.

"Levi," Tess giggles. Her soft hand lands on my shoulder. I don't even look away from the ice, still horrified.

I'm left to watch in the low bleachers as Bryce skates around the rink like he's a fucking pro. But he's not the one I'm worried about. I'm more worried about the two little girls who follow his lead behind him like young, impressionable ducklings.

Eliana, the ten-year-old and oldest, seems to be catching on quickly. But behind her, Julia the seven-year-old, struggles with her balance. Her little arms flail at her sides as she desperately tries to keep up with the two in front of her. Meanwhile her glasses keep sliding down the more she flails.

"She's fine, Levi." Tess murmurs from beside me, unconcerned about the murderous blades attached to the bottom of both of our daughters' feet.

"I don't trust your word about this." I admit in a huff. "You run with those damn things." I grumble bitterly.

I remember the first time I saw her beautiful, newly dyed, bright blue hair vividly. But before I even saw it, I saw the sharp blades she so carelessly ran with cradled in her arms.

"Oh god," Tess rolls her eyes with me with a smile. "Here." She passes the baby carefully off to me.

I watch in extra horror as Tess happily jumps off of the bleachers, retrieving the ice skates she got along with the girls and Bryce.

I huff and look down at the one-year-old in my arms. "Can you believe this, Riley?" I question, exasperated.

Riley babbles randomly at me, but I recognize that scowl she sends to the ice. She too cannot believe her mother and sisters.

"I mean, I get Bryce because he's a Neanderthal, but the others are much smarter than he is." I decide confidently with a soft shake of my head.

Even the seven and ten-year-old are much smarter than he is.

"He's a Neanderthal, right?" I murmur to her. She likes that word. Riley babbles some more with a grin. I smile back at her.

At least she won't leave me for a big circle of ice.

"Daddy!" A squeal and a thump follow the call.

I straighten, staring into the ice rink. Pretty quickly, I notice one of my devils is missing. I should have two little ones out there and a fully grown, far more annoying one. Along with a dark purple haired angel.

A face with crooked glasses pops up behind the half of the wall around the rink that's glass. Me and Riley jump.

I recognize the face though. It's my missing devil, grinning back at me and her second sister with a full smile despite the fact that she's missing two teeth. She doesn't mind them.