Dark & Light

~Chapter Ten~

Chris's POV

~~~

"So..." Paige begin just as we settled into the trolley. I looked at her, casually. Inside my heart was beating fast. She actually was going to hang out with me. Outside of tutoring and formal situations. Could she care? At least a little?

"Yeah." I grinned, unsure of what to say next.

"You're Christian."

"Um...yes. Is that okay?" I laughed a little, trying to ease the formidable air that had just permeated our comfortable space. She had stated I was Christian like "you're a freak."

"I guess. But if we're friends, and you're Christian, is there going to be this big 'you gotta find Jesus and make Him your life' thing? between us"

"Well..."

"Well what?" she didn't sound aggravated, but very wary of how I would respond.

"Well, will you mind if my faith is brought up from time to time?" I asked with caution.

"Probably not. But will you always try to convert me?"

"No. But I won't hestitate to witness my faith, if appropriate."

"That's fine. I'm good with that."

"Okay. So you won't mind if like, I pray before meals and eating, for example?"

"Of course not."

I sighed in relief. "Good."

The trolley had stopped by now, to-of all places-an ice skating rink.

"Do you like ice skating?" I suddenly asked.

She glanced over my shoulder. "I've never skated before."

"Really? Well, you're just about to have your first skating experience." I winked.

She smiled. "Okay."

I stepped off the trolley, with Paige right behind me. Her breath was warm, cheeks red from the cold, and our feet crunched onto crisp snow.

We stepped into the ice skating rink entrance, and paid for admission. We got our skates, and tied them on before stepping onto the ice rink.

"You think I'm gonna fall right away?" Paige asked, a little nervous, as she cautiously held onto the edge of the rink wall while getting adjusted to the feel of the skates on the slippery surface of the rink.

"Nah." She stepped timidly on the rink. I could see her lose her balance, and before she could slip and fall, I caught her hands and held her steady.

"Maybe I could guide you with my hands until you get the hang of it," I suggested, surprised by the force in which she held onto me.

"Thank you. That'll work better." She grinned, looking more confident.

I grinned back, and inside, I felt mall hands fit right inside of my own, and I held them tightly, enjoying the physical contact between us that was so subtle but sweet at the same time.

Her cheeks were rosy from the cold, and her hair flew as we spun around in circles on the ice near the edge of the rink. Her earband covered her ears, framing her face. She caught on quite quickly skating, though her movements could be a bit unsteady because of what she called poor balance. I could tell she probably could let go of my guiding hands at this point, but she didn't. Strange.

***

We skated for what felt like hours together.

Actually, it did turn out to have been a really long time, because an old janitor taking a cleaning station to begin cleaning the bleachers in the rink reminded us it was ten minutes until closing time.

"You young people in love," he said casually. "So thoughtless when it comes to time," he pointed out, smiling a toothy grin.

"Oh, I responded, "well, we're not exactly-

"Shhh!" Paige said, grinning ear to ear. "Let him think that if he wants."

"Alright," I said back smiling, though inside I was puzzled as to why Paige wouldn't want to correct him.

***

We got Icees while out at the nearby resturant. Despite the cold, we felt like Icees were appropriate while remembering the evening's fun together.

I was having the tine of my life just chatting with Paige, watching as the deft movements of her hand illustrated what had happened yesterday in class.

Until a girl, tall and attractive strawberry blond, came across to see us, yes, I had been having  a fun time. Mandi, who I then recognized, approached us, turning to Paige with a wide smile across her pleased face as she sat down opposite both of us.

And the words that poured from her mouth stunned me and caused Paige's jaw to drop and cheeks to turn a slight pink. It was the second time something awkward like this had happened.

"So finally, you two have decided to fall in love!"

~~~

I'm so sorry about the one-day delay in publishing this week's chapter! I wasn't able to get online/Wattpad for a single minute yesterday, so I obviously couldn't get to publishing this on the usual day. Apologies for that!

So what do you think of the #mostembarrassingmoment Mandi successfully just created?  What about what might happen next between Chris, Paige, and the pushy, somewhat-(who I am kidding, the totally XDD) annoying Mandi?

Let me know in the comments, and thanks so much for reading!! don't forget to make that little star golden in the corner of your screen, too ;))

Xx,

Veroni