Out of Touch

I Actually Partake in Fun

I pull into a spot, parking my car. I shut it off. 

"Well, Andy, this was your idea. Let's go." I open up my door, getting out. 

Andy is like a puppy. He is acting all excited, seeming to jump around. Yes, this is my friend of twelve long years everyone. He quickly gets out of my backseat, stretching out, then jumping up and down.

Alina grabs a sweatshirt and a pair of gloves out of her backpack. It's supposed to be cold in there, but I'm not affected by the cold. I did bring myself a sweatshirt just to avoid getting cut by ice. 

"Andy!" I call to him.

He looks back my way, confused as to why I'm sort of yelling at him. I throw one of my other hoodies at him, which he catches. I was hoping it would hit him in the face.

"You're stupid to want to do this and not bring anything to protect yourself from the ice." Alina notes, getting her other sweatshirt on.

"Oh really? I've never gone." Andy smiles.

Alina looks at him in disbelief. I laugh. She has yet to understand the impulsiveness and insanity that is Andy. But then again, aren't we all crazy in our way?

"Come on." I lead them inside. "I'll pay the fee. Andy, you get to pay for rentals."

"How much is that?" Andy reaches into his back pocket, pulling out his brown leather wallet.

"Three dollars each so that's nine for you." Alina opened the door for us. 

"Not too bad." Andy smiled. 

I stepped up to the register. I took Andy's money and paid the other fifteen dollars out of my own wallet. I let them have their rental tickets. Alina found a spot along the walls of the ice rink for us to sit. She took off her shoes first which was odd. We each got our skates. I sat down, starting to lace mine up. 

"I actually have to do this myself?" Andy stated overdramatically as he plopped down beside me.

"Let me do it," Alina sat on the ground in front of him. "Otherwise, you'll do it wrong."

"How do you know which way is right and wrong?" I look over at her.

"I've laced up plenty of corsets and ice skates and roller skates in my days." She grinned. "I have the hands that can get it tight enough to function but loose enough that you're comfortable."

"What are you lacing up corsets for?" Andy asked.

"I used to lace up corsets for my mom. She loved going to the Renaissance Faire. I got good at it, so when I went to parties where we went roller skating or ice skating, everyone would ask me to tie theirs. Most I've gotten at once was eight people at a sleepover birthday party where we went ice skating." She knotted the laces, tucking the laces into the skates.

"You should do mine too," I joked.

"Okay." She shrugged, starting on his second one.

"I'm kidding."

"Well, you're already doing it wrong," she laughed. "Just let me do it."

"No," I shut her down.

"Matthew, I swear to all goodness and faithfulness. Let me do it."

"No, I'm going to do it."

Andy sighs. "I hate it when mommy and daddy start fighting."

"Shut up, Andy. Fine, at least watch how I do it. That will help you do it right." She's smiling but she's trying to hide it.