Best Mistake ︱Pedri González

49

Luciana's POV

The crisp October air nipped at my cheeks as I zipped up my jacket, the soft hum of excitement bubbling inside me. I hadn't been ice skating in years, and the idea of doing it with Pedri—just as friends—had me feeling a strange mix of nerves and anticipation. I knew what this was. He was trying to ease us back into each other's lives, taking it slow, keeping it light. But the butterflies in my stomach told me there was more under the surface, something neither of us had fully acknowledged yet.

As I made my way to the rink, the city felt alive, vibrant under the autumn sky. The streets were bustling with people, the smell of roasted chestnuts filling the air. It felt like the perfect kind of day, one where everything seemed to fall into place, at least for a little while.

I spotted Pedri standing by the entrance, hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket, a soft smile playing on his lips when he saw me. He waved, and I quickened my pace.

"Hey," he greeted, his voice warm and familiar. "You ready for this?"

I raised an eyebrow, already feeling the nerves creep in. "I haven't skated in years. If I fall, it's on you."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "I'll make sure to catch you then. Come on, it'll be fun."

We headed inside, and the rink was surprisingly quiet for a Saturday afternoon. The soft sound of skates on ice filled the air, and the cold hit me instantly. Pedri glanced over at me, his eyes twinkling with amusement as I shivered.

"You're cold already?" he teased, grabbing our skates from the rental booth. "We haven't even stepped on the ice yet."

"I didn't realize we were going to Antarctica," I shot back, grinning as I sat down to put on my skates. "Besides, I'm more worried about embarrassing myself out there."

Pedri sat beside me, lacing up his skates with ease. "You'll be fine. I'll be right there with you the whole time."

Once we were ready, we made our way to the ice, and the moment my feet touched the surface, I felt that familiar rush of uncertainty. I wobbled a bit, my legs stiff as I tried to find my balance. Pedri glided effortlessly beside me, his hands outstretched in case I needed to grab on.

"You're doing great!" he called, already a few feet ahead of me.

"Easy for you to say," I muttered, taking cautious steps forward. "You're like a pro at this."

He laughed, skating backward so he could face me. "I've had my fair share of falls, trust me. But look—you're already getting the hang of it."

I focused on keeping my legs steady, pushing forward as smoothly as I could. The cold air brushed against my face, and I started to relax, even enjoying the sensation of gliding across the ice. Pedri skated closer, his presence reassuring, and I smiled at him.

"Okay, maybe this isn't so bad," I admitted.

"See? Told you," he said, his grin widening. "I knew you'd pick it up fast."

We skated in comfortable silence for a while, just enjoying the moment. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm glow through the windows of the rink. Everything felt peaceful, like the rest of the world had faded away for a bit, leaving just the two of us here.

"So," Pedri said after a while, breaking the quiet. "What's been going on with you? We haven't really talked in a few days."

I shrugged, trying to keep things light. "Not much. Just work, you know. Things have been busy."

He nodded, glancing over at me. "Yeah, same here. Training's been pretty intense lately. I haven't had much time to think about anything else."

There was something in his tone, a hint of hesitation that made me look at him more closely. I could feel the weight of unspoken words between us, the questions we'd been avoiding. But this wasn't the place for that. Not yet, anyway.

"I'm glad you asked me to do this," I said, changing the subject slightly. "It's nice to hang out and do something fun for once."

"Me too," he replied, his voice soft. "I missed this. Just spending time with you."

There it was again—the thing we weren't saying out loud. I felt my heart skip a beat, and for a second, I wondered if he was thinking the same thing I was. That maybe, just maybe, this wasn't just about being friends. But I pushed the thought aside, not wanting to complicate things.

"So," I said, trying to lighten the mood. "What's your favorite memory from when we were...you know, dating?"

Pedri looked thoughtful for a moment, his eyes glancing upward as he skated in circles around me. "That's a tough one," he said, grinning. "But I think it has to be that time we went to the carnival. Remember? You won that huge stuffed bear, and I had to carry it around for the rest of the day."

I laughed, the memory coming back to me vividly. "You looked ridiculous, walking around with that thing. People thought you were the one who won it."

"I know! But you were so happy about it, I couldn't say no," he said, his eyes sparkling. "And then we went on that spinning ride, and I thought I was going to be sick."

"That was your idea!" I reminded him, shaking my head. "You insisted we go on it, even though I warned you."

"Yeah, okay, maybe that wasn't my best moment," he admitted, laughing. "But it was fun. One of the best days, I think."

I smiled, feeling a warmth spread through me. "It was a good day."

We continued skating, talking about old memories, laughing at the stupid things we used to do. It felt so easy, so natural, like no time had passed between us. But there was still something lingering, something that hadn't been resolved.

After a while, we took a break, sitting on the benches by the rink. My legs were sore, but in a good way. Pedri stretched out beside me, his breath visible in the cold air.

"Luciana," he said after a moment, his voice serious. "I've been thinking a lot lately. About us."

My heart skipped a beat, and I turned to look at him. "Yeah?"

"I don't know where we go from here," he admitted, his eyes meeting mine. "But I know I don't want to lose you again. I care about you. A lot."

I swallowed, my chest tightening. "I care about you too, Pedri. But...I don't know if we can just go back to how things were."

He nodded, looking down at his hands. "I get that. But maybe we don't have to. Maybe we can start fresh. Take things slow, you know?"

I considered his words, my mind racing. Part of me wanted to dive back into what we had, to recapture the magic of our relationship. But the other part of me was scared—scared of getting hurt again, scared of what it would mean if things didn't work out.

"Maybe," I said softly. "But let's just take it one step at a time, okay?"

Pedri smiled, relief washing over his face. "Yeah, one step at a time. I can do that."

We sat there for a while longer, just talking, the tension slowly easing between us. And as we laced up our skates to head back out onto the ice, I couldn't help but feel like maybe, just maybe, things were going to be okay.