The Math of Love

Chapter 9 - Ice Breaker

Maya

The morning after our arrival we are scheduled to go ice skating at Central Park and I could not be more excited and anxious. I decide to wear some leggings under my pants, a habit my mom has passed down on me during winter, some high warm fuzzy socks and a big puffy jacket, which match my pink boots. If I was going to bust my butt ice skating, I wanted to at least let my jackets help alleviate the fall.

We all walk to the rink, and our professors are so invested in us having a good time, that they rented out the entire rink for us. I have not seen Gregory since our road trip, and I find myself longing to see him. I finally see his messy black hair sticking out of his dark blue beanie. He really did look good in beanies. I mentally slap myself for thinking that.

He is talking to his friend and glances over at me, he scans me up and down from a distance and decides to look away. In that same instance I turn to my friends to talk about buying matching sweaters and try to push Gregory off my mind.

*****

It had not even been 2 minutes since we entered the rink and Clarissa had already fallen twice. Jennice and I bursted out laughing each of the times she fell. I decide to take a break and sit on one of the benches that are close to the rink.

I had already been out for a while when I felt the presence of someone behind me.

"Tired of skating already?" asked a voice that I found very soothing. 

When I turn to look who it is, Gregory is looking down at me, with his skates still on.

"No, just wanted to take a break. I suck at skating," I sigh.

"I do too, but we can try together if you want," he says calmly.

"Together." I say in a whisper and glance at him, unsure about what to say next or whether he was serious about what he just proposed.

"Sure, why not?" I finally reply.

We both enter the rink holding hands.

Gregory tries to make me let go of the rail, but I shake my head each time, determined to stay where I am, that is until he pulls me away, and in the surprise of the moment, I lose balance and fall on top of him.

He laughs and hearing his laugh for the first time makes me laugh a hysterical laugh too.

"You know," he says "it feels like this is not the first time we have skated together," he states while gazing over my shoulder, as if reminiscing about something, and I am unsure about what he means.

When he realizes he had spaced out, he looks at me and simply says: "never mind."

I am puzzled by this for a moment, but Gregory quickly goes back to trying to teach me to skate, while I am completely failing at it.

Gregory keeps laughing out loud and I feel my cheeks getting hot and turning red, unsure if it is because of the cold or because of having Gregory so close to me. I fall once more before I decide to give up and tell Gregory I was done ice skating.

"You want to get some hot chocolate? " he asks.

"Sure, I definitely need it," I reply back and head to the desk where we were supposed to return the skates.

"Remember we have to meet up back here at 7pm," I tell him.

"It's barely 5. We got time. Relax," he says cooly.

"Alrighty," is all I am able to say.

As we are enjoying our hot chocolates, Gregory asks me something that he seems to have had in mind for a while now.

"So, we are going to talk more after this, right? Or are we going back to not talking for days until we need to?" he finally says.

"What you mean?" I ask.

"I mean, it seems like every time we hang out with each other, and have a fun time, we seem to not talk to one another for a while," he shrugs.

"That's not true," I say, knowing full on well he is right.

"You know it is, but I hope that stops, if not that would prove that you seem to not be very fond of me," he looks up, his cup in his mouth.

"Now you are just saying whatever. You are the one that barely talks to me and seems to avoid me," I accuse him.

"Untrue," he replies. "I asked you for your notes last time trying to see if you were okay and what you were up to, but you did not seem interested in the conversation."

"Lies. I even sent you the wrong link to my notes hoping that would give us an excuse to talk more," I confess, even to myself,  "but you did not even seem to realize, which means you did not even need the notes to begin with," I confront him.

"I did realize, but I felt bad to bother you so much," he replies.

"Sureee," is all I say, making it obvious I do not believe him.

"Hey, let's just promise we will talk to each other more. How does that sound?" After saying this, he lifts his hand and shows me his pinky. He is trying to make me 'pinky swear.' He is literally adorable.

"There is no way you are trying to pinky swear right now," I say while holding back my laughter.

"Hey. This is the most sincere way of promising something. My little brother and baby sister seem to think so at least," he says, with a determination and sincerity that is overwhelming.

That is all it takes to convince me, I intertwine my pinky with his, and as I feel his warmth, I say: "they are right." Calmly. Happily. Excited.

Once we meet back with our group Gregory and I decide to walk to the hotel together, teasing each other, laughing, getting to know each other. I can't lie. I love talking to him. We reach the hotel and I dread to have agreed to race him because that only made the walk to the hotel go by even faster.

"Bye May, have a good night," he says.

"Bye Greggy," I reply.

He looks at me offended and I say: "hey, if you can call me May, then I can call you Greggy."

He sighs defeated and lets go of a laugh. I let go of a breath I did not know I was holding and say the final "bye".

As the door closes behind me, I head to the bathroom to shower and get under my cozy blankets. I fall asleep, thanking God that Jennice and Clarissa were not in the room yet asking me all kinds of questions.

Note from author:

Getting excited? I sure am. I hope you continue to support me in this journey and encourage others to do so as well. Please make sure to let me know if you are enjoying this story so I can continue. Thank you!

See you! <3