Snowflakes Fall and So Did I

~CHAPTER 94~

~Elsa~

The rink was empty when Jack and I arrived about 20 minutes later. Usually, around this time, it would be open for the staff and any early-bird skaters, but I had paid the owner a good sum for them to open a little later. I wanted the place for myself for just one hour. Six thirty to seven thirty. Anna, Rapunzel, and Astrid should all still be asleep by the time we get back at around eight. My plan is to return, wake Anna up, wake up everyone else, have breakfast first, and then leave the rest to Anna's choosing.

"Are you sure this place is open?" Jack asks when we step out of the Uber. "There's only one car, and I think it's the owner's."

"Yeah, it's open," I say as I look at the front doors with excitement. I look over at him, not even trying to contain it. "It's open just for us."

"Oh?" He questions with the tilt of his head. "Did you rent the place out for us?"

I nod. "Mmhmm. I know we'll be coming back later or maybe tomorrow, depending on what exactly Anna wants to do today, but I really wanted to have it to myself for a little while."

"And you wanted to share it with me?" Jack asks, then his eyes widen in surprise. "Holy shit, Elsa, is this a date?!"

My eyes widen as well. "What?! No!" I sputtered out and quickly speed-walked to the door, my face hot. "This is definitely not a date, Jack."

"Wait, hold on," he says, laughing, "Why can it not be? You promised that once my crutches were off, we could go on a date. And you already rented the place out for us. And I'm here with you right now. This is a perfect, accidental setup."

I abruptly turn around right when I make it to the doors and point a finger at him. "Technically, I said, once you get your crutches off and when you're fully healed. Last I checked, you're not fully healed yet."

Jack tilts his head back and groans. "Uugghh, just go on a date with me, woman!"

"Give me some kind of form from your physical therapist, and then we'll talk," I shoot back. "You're lucky that I'm even allowing you on the ice with me. Now," I turn back around and swing open the door, "don't say anything that will change my mind."

I didn't bother to catch his reaction; my main focus was finding the sign-in desk and trying not to smile too hard in triumph.

"Ya know," Jack says from behind me, "you really are stubborn when you want to be."

"Only towards certain people," I tease, finally looking back at him to send him a wink, something he always does to me when he's being playful.

Jack's cheeks, to my amusement, go pink, most likely matching mine. But when he reached forward to hold my hand, I knew I must have turned a deeper shade of red. "I must be a lucky guy then." The way he was staring at me wasn't playful at all. It was serious. So much so, in fact, that I had actually stopped in my tracks to stare back at him.

"I..." I was at a loss for words. The physical touch and romantic words caused my brain to malfunction. It's not the first time he's flirted with me, nor is it the first time he's done so in a serious manner, but during those other times, he had been on crutches. Now that he's off the crutches and is determined that I go through with my promise, I admit that I'm nervous.

I know he feels something, maybe even love, and I know I've never stopped loving him, and I know that I want so desperately to be dating him again; to be in his arms and to kiss him like it's our last day on earth. I should be ecstatic that he wants this to be a date. I should be calling it one as well. But...I'm a bit scared. Scared that if we make it official again, something will happen to him.