He Didn't Know Her Yet

There She Was

ETHAN

It was a cold Saturday. And as usual, I was on the rink with the guys. I always dreamed of being a hockey player but I had a pretty slim chance at making it to the big leagues. Not that I cared much about it anymore. Instead, I played on the rink with my friends outside of the ballet studio on Bank Street. 

There was nothing special about it. It was just a ballet studio. You would occasionally see little girls and boys running in there with there little slippers in hand. I vividly remember one child throwing a tantrum and throwing their (what looked to be brand new) ballet shoes into a puddle of half-melted snow. I started laughing but quickly stopped after the mother gave me a stern look. 

But this day, I felt like there was something different. I figured this "weird feeling" was the disgusting taco I was dared to eat in the cafeteria. If I think about it very hard, I can still remember the taste. Yuck. But on the bright side, if I spontaneously combust, I won't have to take Ms.Eterving's science test. I was dared by my best friend, Chase. He's a tall, dark haired boy and if you were to speak one word about his sister, you would be in a trash can before you could say "Adeline". His sister was 14 and just starting high school. The poor girl is gonna be followed around by a personal bodyguard all day. 

I had just scored my 3rd goal when I heard a ring. Mom: be home for dinner at 6. I looked at the time 5:55. I quickly untied my skates and walked over to my car. I put my bag in the backseat and put my keys in the ignition. I was just about to hop inside when---

"Excuse me?" I turned around to see a girl. Her hair was scraped up into a tight ponytail and from the brand name on her bag, I could tell she was coming from the ballet studio. She had big brown eyes, a crooked smile and light freckles scattered across her nose. 

"Can I help you?" I asked trying to hint in the tone of my voice that I was sort of in a rush. 

"Do you have a phone? Mine's dead and practice ended early. I just need to call my mom and then I'll be out of your hair." She said flashing a smile at me. I handed her my phone and started my car as I waited. She seemed to be arguing with someone. 

"Yeah, Dad. I know. Well, I can pay the difference! It's only 23 dollars. It's not my fault her daughter had just gone into labor! Okay, bye." She quickly handed back my phone.

"Thank you,---" she said waiting for me to finish her sentence.

"Ethan." I said taking back my phone.

She flashed another crooked smile as she started walking.

"Hey! Is someone picking you up? It's pretty cold out, you shouldn't be walking!" I said sounding a bit more concerned than I wanted to.

"I'm fine! My mom is picking me up on the other block. She said traffic was bad." she yelled back from the sidewalk.

My phone rang again. Mom: sorry typo LOL. (I cringed) I meant 6:30. I decided to just go to the library a few blocks down and study for the science test (just in case my body decided not to spontaneously combust). I turned on the car radio and started driving.

I stopped at the intersection and saw that girl again. I honked my horn and she turned around.

"You must be freezing! I thought you said you had a ride!" I said rolling down my window beginning to see my own breath.

"I lied." she said back, twiddling with her thumbs.

"Do you want a ride? I don't mind." I offered. A few extra minutes with the beautiful girl wouldn't be so bad. 

"You're not a kidnapper or a murderer, right?" she said half-laughing, half actually wanting an answer.

"If I were, would I tell you? Quickly, the light's about to turn green." I said unlocking the doors. 

She hopped into the back seat and pulled another sweater out of her bag. She quickly wrapped herself in it.

"There's a spare sweater in my hockey bag if you need it." I said as I started driving again.

"Is it smelly?" she asked.

"If you consider fresh from the laundry smelly, then yes, it is disgustingly smelly." I said giggling.

She laughed too. I'm pretty sure she was faking it though. My jokes were never that funny. She grabbed my green sweater put it on. 

"Do you wanna tell me why you're walking home in 5 degree weather?" I asked, looking at her through the rear view mirror.

"Argument with my dad. He refused to pick me up. Thought it wasn't worth the gas."

"I never got your name." I said quickly changing the subject. I had clearly opened a door I shouldn't have.

"Juli" she replied simply.

Juli. I liked that name.

Hello! Thank you for reading a story that I thought about in the middle of a history lesson when I should have been taking notes! Anyways, this takes place before 132 (my short story). So you might want to read that before this. Thanks for watching! Bye!!!