Bring it on

Chapter 14

I honestly couldn't remember the last time I had felt this at peace. The smoothness of the ice beneath my blades, the crisp winter air, the sound of my own breaths merging with the rhythmic glide of my skating-the effect was almost like something beautiful, something that had effortlessness all its own. But more than anything, I was aware of the presence beside me, his body close but not quite touching-Ethan, steady and grounded as always.

"Hey," I said lightly, keeping the conversation light and playful, "you know, if you continue skating with me this seriously, people may actually begin to think you are a figure skater, too."

He chuckled, his laughter rich and warm in the quiet of the rink. "I'd be the worst figure skater ever," he teased, leaning into me slightly as we skated side by side. "I can barely stay on my feet in regular shoes."

"Don't sell yourself short," I said, smirking. "You got the balance down already. The rest just takes time.

"Yeah, well, if I had to wear those tights..." He shuddered playfully.

I laughed. Ethan and I had been officially dating for a few weeks now, but it still felt surreal, like something out of a dream. It hadn't been an easy transition. There were awkward moments when we'd accidentally crossed into each other's worlds-his tough, hockey-player mentality and my more graceful, disciplined figure-skating world. But we were figuring it out, one laugh at a time.

He had come to more of my practices, though I still felt a little embarrassed if he'd watch me perform jumps or spins. But he'd never made me feel like I showed off. If anything, his support was so subtle, so natural, it was if he'd always been there, cheering from the sidelines.

So what's the verdict on our date tonight?" he asked, turning toward me and smiling-a smile that made my heartbeat flutter.

"The skating rink is still your best idea," I said, gliding effortlessly around him, my blades catching the light from the overhead fluorescents. "Dinner afterward sounds pretty good, though. Maybe somewhere you can wear your fancy shoes. No hockey skates required.

He grinned. "I'd look ridiculous in fancy shoes. I can barely walk in those things."
"Not as ridiculous as you'd look in a tutu."
"I'd rock a tutu," he said, his voice low and teasing. "But no way am I letting you see that."
I skated backwards for a moment, shooting him a playful look. "Sure, Ethan. I'll take your word for it.

The arena was almost empty tonight, just a few random skaters practicing on the other end of the rink. The quiet was perfect-just me and him. I was aware of the subtle warmth of his presence, his strong figure in the corner of my vision as we skated side by side. My pulse fluttered as I reached over and brushed my hand against his-a quick, almost shy gesture that I immediately regretted. But then his fingers slid between mine, the gesture both casual and intimate, and I couldn't help the way my chest warmed.

"Are you sure you're okay with all this?" I asked, my voice quieter, almost vulnerable. I couldn't believe I was asking him this. But sometimes, I still wasn't sure if my world-this delicate, structured world of ice and glitter and precision-was something Ethan could truly get behind.

He squeezed my hand, his eyes soft as he looked down at me. "You kidding? I love watching you skate. You're amazing out there, Nat." He grinned, ruffling my hair. "Besides, I get to hang out with the coolest girl on the planet. Who wouldn't want that?

I couldn't help but burst out laughing; the sound escaped me so easily, so freely. "I'm serious. I know hockey's your thing, and sometimes I feel like I'm dragging you into my world.

"You're not dragging me anywhere." His voice turned serious, his smile fading into something a little softer, more tender. "I choose to be here. With you. I want to be a part of your world, even if that means learning a thing or two about figure skating." He raised an eyebrow in a teasing fashion. "And in return, maybe you'll come to one of my games sometime and actually enjoy the chaos that is hockey."

I snorted. "I'll try. But no promises."

His lips twitched, and the playfulness returned. "Fair enough. But you've got me all to yourself tonight, so we'll save the hockey talk for another time."

Skating silently for a minute or two, just the two of us, the rhythmic sound of our blades carving into the ice filled the space between us. The outside world didn't matter at that moment, within this rink. There was no pressure or expectation, only us moving through the space we'd created.

As I reached the edge of the rink, I slowed and turned to him. His face was relaxed, almost content, his eyes sparkling with something I couldn't quite place. A little thrill shot through me at how much we'd changed in such a short amount of time.

"So, what do you think?" I said, abruptly, my heart beating a little fast. "Can we keep doing this? Keep figuring out how to make our worlds work together?"

Ethan's face softened, his hand remaining loosely in mine. "I've got no plans of going anywhere, Nat. Want to keep on doing this-whatever this is. With you.

I smiled, and the tension that had weighed in the pit of my stomach finally vanished. "Good."

Once again, the rink around us fell silent, with just the two of us caught up in the moment. For once, I wasn't thinking about the future or how everything was going to work out. I didn't need to. Everything that did matter was right now-skating side by side, Ethan and me.

And for the first time in a long time, I had that feeling like everything finally was exactly where it needed to be.