The Boy Band Who Adopted Me!

Chapter 22 - Reading the Cards

AN: I hope everyone enjoys what is basically a sort of cheesy intermission chapter!

My sleep was so much better now that I had a room to myself. The warm glow of my first kiss with Gavin was also hanging over me like a golden cloud. I had woken up feeling grand, and it was a Saturday on top of that. I read the text I had received:

Gavin, 9:51 AM: Dress warm, lovely. :)

My smile had no end. I texted back:

Alex, 10:08 AM: Oh man, you're taking me skiing? Awesome. <3

Within minutes I received:

Gavin, 10:10 AM: If you wanna ski, ask our filthy rich unicorn friend. Pick you up at 11?

I responded with a yes, then rushed to go shower. I styled my hair quickly, did my makeup, and threw on a giant, fuzzy panda-bear coat that it had been too warm to wear. I had woken up to chilly weather that morning.

I rushed out to the nearest bench to wait for Gavin. A few girls said hi to me, and I eagerly said hi back. I was welcoming this change.

As I waited, I watched people play frisbee on the lawn, skateboard, walk to empty classrooms. The afterglow of my kiss made every human action seem miraculous; I was living on a high.

With earbuds in and old Nevershoutnever songs amplifying my mood, I reclined on the bench in an easy manner. It was then that Gavin strolled up in a hoodie and skinnies - despite the cold weather, he was wearing ripped jeans and had his sleeves rolled up to his forearms in typical Gavin fashion.

"Aren't you cold?" I said, storing away my earphones.

"I'm feeling positively warm this morning," Gavin smirked. "Shall we?"

It was a pleasant drive. Gavin eclipsed the quiet by putting in a newly-thrifted Panic CD and cranking the volume all the way up. He sang along in a silly way, beckoning for me to join. I did.

"Where are we going?" I inquired between songs.

"Oh, just somewhere. Somewhere I think you'll really like." He raised his eyebrows at me as if to say it was going to stay a surprise, then switched to But It's Better If You Do.

We pulled into a vast parking lot along which nestled a variety of small shops and cafes. I could see drinking glasses twinkling with ice under rainbow-colored umbrellas. Gavin stopped the car and quickly rushed around to my side to open the door for me.

"Ever the gentleman, Gav," I smiled shyly.

"You deserve it," he replied.

We walked to a break between some burning red trees. I found myself walking with Gavin down a nicely-decorated strip mall with adorable shops and some larger buildings in the distance. I could see myself potentially coming here a lot in the future.

"I've got to show you this great record store," Gavin told me as we walked. "There's also this cafe, and a consignment shop where I get all my band tees... and this."

We were standing in front of a big building with snowflakes painted on the glass shop windows.

"Ice skating?"

Gavin smiled. "Next best thing to skiing. My treat."

After a period of waiting, paying, and lacing up ice skates, Gavin pulled me out onto the rink.

"W-woah!" He lost his balance a little, and his knees buckled like Bambi as he tried to keep himself steady on the ice. I laughed--he grabbed my arm to stay up--we both ended up falling down onto the cold ice floor. In hysterical and nervous laughter, we managed to get ahold of the railing alongside the rink and teach ourselves to skate.