Christine stared at the front door, her stomach slowly dropping as if stones were growing inside it. There was only one aspect that she failed to scrutinise about the strange offer. The fact that the ice rink closes at 7 on weekdays. "Please open. Please open. Please open." She pleaded softly as she grabbed the cold metal handle. Pushing down, to her relief, the door opened and some lights in the rink were still on. Christine, questioning if she had just gotten the opening time wrong, walked further into the foyer. The booth which an employee usually sat laid empty and Christine knew that she hadn't been wrong. Christine's mind screamed at her to leave, telling her that something this off could not end well, but Christine's body pushed onward. Christine venture further in, passing through the doors that separated the rink and the foyer. "You're late." The voice reprimanded, causing Christine to flinch in shock."What?""It's five past seven. I was about to assume that you had chosen not to come." He elaborated. "Oh. I'll try to be earlier..." Christine stopped herself before she could include the words 'next lesson'. There wouldn't be a second lesson. She was just trying it out so she could tell Mumma that he wasn't an angel. At least, that was what she was telling herself. "Quickly, put on your skates and get into the centre of the rink." He instructed with a magnetic voice that compelled Christine to quickly follow what he had said. Standing in the centre of the rink, she looked out into the the stands the crowded around the rink, searching for where her coach could possibly be."What are you looking for?" The voice asked, seeming amused."You." Christine answered truthfully."Then your search will be fruitless. I cannot be seen." "Why?" Christine pushed, but the voice did not respond. Despite the silence in the air, a raging battle was within Christine, until her defense gave way. "Are you the angel of winter?" She blurted, her cheeks turning a hot red as her promise to Mumma Val was fulfilled at the expense of her dignity. The fire on her cheeks burned hotter as the silence continued, and Cristine was sure that the voice had found her question so stupid that he didn't know how to respond."Yes." The voice came back, raiding a proud authority. "I am the angel of winter."
"But your not real-" Christine argued, her incredulity taking hold."And yet you were the one that asked me." The voice whispered in Christine's left ear , causing her to gasp and turn her head, but she found no one beside her. "You know for yourself, I could not be anything else." Christine bowed her head, almost unsure what to do in his presence. Some part of her resisted the belief that this voice was angel, that it was some sort of prank, and yet she hoped it to be true and so believed. "Did-" She stopped herself, as she felt the emotions spilling over, and tried again. "Did my father send you?" Once again there was a pause, before the voice posed Christine a question. "Is your father the reason you skate?" "Of course!" Christine hastily replied "He is the reason I began and he is the reason I continue." "Why is he the reason." The voice prompted. "I will not waste my time with a student that skates because her father told her so." "No, I skate because my father...he believed in me." the voice didn't respond, so Christine continued "I want to prove my father was right. And I want the world to see it.""Good." The voice finally responded, "Your father will pleased to hear this." Christine's hand held her heart and she let out a small cry of joy. Her father had kept his promise! Better yet, She now knew that he was watching over her from heaven, and would now had an angel to help her."I have only one condition to these lessons. You must tell no one of them." "But-""No buts!" the voice snapped, causing Christine to instinctively tense. "I've already told my guardian." Christine nervously confessed."Then you must conceal this from everyone else. A guardian I can excuse, but no one else. I will not have any bragging about this gift. Make sure they too do not spread the word, or I will be forced to leave.""I'll make sure that no one else ever finds out." Christine earnestly pledged. "Good. Now we can begin your lesson."
