Zinnia And Me

Day 6

Me and Zinnia walked through the village with the big Christmas tree. The Christmas tree itself was close to being done. It looked so beautiful and breath taking.
Ever since I saw Gary kissing Zinnia at the mall, I tried not to let it rumble through my brain, and just keep a smile on my face. Gary may have kissed her, but I still have enough time to snatch her back up and ask her to the Christmas Eve dance.

Zinnia and I agreed to go ice skating. It was her favorite winter event and she always dreamed of being a pro at ice skating some day. We sat on the bench and put on our skating shoes. Mine being dark blue with a yellow sparkly star and Zinnia's were pink with a lotus flower sitting on the heal.

"Ready?" I asked, holding out my hand.
"Ready!" Zinnia replied, taking hold of my hand.
I slowly lift her up, and she slightly falls, but she catches me. After Zinnia let's go of me, we wobble out onto the skating rink. Little kids were out on the rink, holding onto their parents hands. There were teens too, and they were a little rough, not caring about the little kids in their way.

Zinnia and I started off slow, and then we picked up speed. Zinnia let's go of my hand and does a figure eight. Zinnia is more skilled than I am, and Mom was always talking about getting me into skating lessons, but for right now, I'm interested in taking viola lessons, and have been since the 4th grade.

"You're doing great Zach!" Zinnia calls. "Just keep balancing yourself!"
I take her advice and balance myself out. If I can balance on a skateboard, than I can balance myself on ice.
I'm doing just fine until a familiar boy comes and knocks me out of my way. I lose balance and fall into a cold patch of snow. I look up quickly to see Gary and he sticks his tongue out me.

He quickly catches up with Zinnia and puts his arm around her.
"Hi Gary!" Zinnia says in a bubbly voice.
I get up slowly and skate back onto the ice, trying to catch up with Gary. I'm tired of Gary and his snobby ways.

"Excuse me," I said, my voice clear. "You knocked me into the snow."
"My bad," Gary says. He doesn't show the least bit of sorry in his expression. A smirk was planted on his face, and I'd like to smack it right off.
"Sure you were. Just watch where you're going next time," I warned him.
"Whatever." He rolls his eyes.

"Boys please," Zinnia says calmly. "Let's all skate together."
I didn't want to argue with her, and so I let Gary skate with us. He still kept his arm around Zinnia, and she was starting to like it. A smile appeared on her face and soon she started up a conversation with Gary. She didn't even realize she left her best friend out.

I just skated in time with them and listened in on what they were saying. Zinnia tells Gary about her brand new dress she was going to wear at the dance and Gary tells her about the new suit he was going to wear. I gagged at the conversation. This whole topic was making my ears hurt. Then Gary brings up the bracelet and neckless that he brought for Zinnia. The glow in dark bracelet, and the Christmas tree neckless.

"Buying her things isn't what a boy is supposed to be doing," I commented. "A boy should show some sensitivity towards the girl and treat her with respect."
Gary ignores me.
Zinnia and Gary pick up speed and skate away, leaving me behind. I started slowing down and let them skate ahead of me. I just stood there, watching them. Next thing you know, Gary took hold of Zinnia by her hands and they both skated around in circles.

Zinnia looked like she was having a ball. Laughing and giggling. Her face lit up like a Christmas tree, like when she's around me. Her body leans in close to Gary's and they both look each other in the eye.

I feel a small bump pushing me forward and a similar girl appears.
"Hey, Zachary," My friend, Sonya says. Her auburn hair is tied into a ponytail.
"It's not safe to stand out here like that. You could get knocked over."
"I know. I'm just lost in my thoughts."
She cocks her head sideways.
"You sure about that?"
"I'm sure."

Sonya and I have known each other since the Kindergarten. She was a little bit bossy then, but it grew out of her when we reached the 1st grade. Sonya loved the holidays like Christmas because it reminded her of her mother, who died of an illness when she was only 2 in a half.
3 years after her mothers death, Sonya's father married a girl named Anya, and gave birth to two twin boys, Manny and Margo. Sonya gets along with her family, even with her father, who's always been there for her along with Anya.

Sonya and I skate off the ice and sit on a bench. I removed my skates and put back on my old warn out sneakers.
Sonya does the same and replaces the skates with neon purple winter boots.
"I saw what happened," Sonya says, putting her skates into her bag. "That was mean of Gary to do such a thing."
"Never mind him," I mutter. "I'm just a no body to him."

Sonya straightens her purple glasses and looks at me with a serious expression.
"Zachary Indigo, you are not a nobody. You are a somebody. Gary is just trying to put you down. You guys used to be the best of friends along with Zinnia. Whatever happened to that friendship?"
I sigh.
"Something happened between me and him and I don't want to talk about it. I'd rather leave it alone than having to worry about it."
"It's best to get it off your chest."
"No thank you."

Sonya sighs.
"You can be so difficult, sometimes. You ever realized that?"
"I'm not difficult, I'm just sensitive."
Zinnia appears through the crowd and sees me. She's got a worried expression on her face.
"Zach? Are you feeling okay?" She asked.
Sonya rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I answer.
Zinnia nods. "There's a nearby hot chocolate booth if you want to come and have some. It's totally free."

She points to a stand sitting on the other side of the pond. Pretty much half of the people that we're on the rink were lined up to get themselves a nice, cool drink.
"They've also got tea if you drink it," Zinnia says.
"I'm not in the mood right now," I protest, looking away from her.
"I'll be over at the stand if you need me. You sure your okay?"
I nodded.

Zinnia speed walks towards the line, along with Gary. Gary gives me a sly smile and then sticks his tongue out at me like a little immature child.
"I cannot stand him," Sonya says. "He's hated me since the 3rd grade because I wouldn't give him that snowman ornament I won for the holidays."

"I hate him, too," I say. "You want to get in line to get a drink?"
"Sure, as long as we don't have to stand next to Gary."