Ascending Paradise (Book 1)***Published now on Amazon!!***

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“Just a bit farther…” Dominic laughed as I groaned and dragged my feet after him.

“Maybe I would be more enthusiastic if I knew where we were going.” I sassed crossing my arms as he stopped at a crosswalk.

“Just look for yourself.” He said and nodded across the street.

I looked over and should have guessed. Ice skating rink… but this one was out in the open, in the parking lot of a mall.

“You know I feel stupid for not even thinking about you asking me if I liked ice skating.” I said and he just laughed again, taking my hand and pulling me along with him.

“What size are you?” He asked looking at my feet.

“6 and a half.” I said and his eyes grew wide.

“You have really small feet.” He said it like it was something gross like having three nostrils.

“Yeah, how big are your feet?” I asked and looked at his.

“I’m a 12.” He said smirking and I just rolled my eyes. “I’ll be right back.” He said before walking away quickly and towards the shoe counter.

He was standing there as a guy went back and got two pairs of shoes. I sat down on the bench knowing Dom and I would need to sit down to put the skates on and just looked around waiting for him to come back.

I waited not too long before someone sat down next to me and dropped a pair of skates in front of me. I looked over to see an irate Dominic who was glaring down at his own shoes as he untied them harshly.

“Are you okay?” I don’t know why I asked, I should have just let him be and cool down before I asked anything.

“I’m fine.” He lied and then tugged on one skate.

I don’t want him in a grumpy mood so I let him be for now, if he wasn’t better by the time we got on the ice I would try and get the playful side of him back.

I put on the shoes and then hid my Nikes under the bench and knew no one would run away with them since they might be too small for some people.

Dominic put his right next to mine and then stood. I followed and before we could get on the ice a little kid ran into me and I almost fell, Dominic had caught me.

Thank god, I mean what kind of idiot would fall before even getting on the ice?

“You okay?” He asked and when I looked up I saw playfulness in his eyes as he grinned a bit.

“What can you do about little kids running around?” I asked shyly.

He set me up right and laughed a bit before looking around. “What little kids?” He was playing now, I know he saw them.

“The little kid that ran into me and almost knocked me down, and I say almost because you would have seen the kid coming and knew he would have ran into me and knock me down so you caught me.” I rambled, I knew I was rambling and that I should have said a damn thing but it sort of just rolled out.

“Okay, there was a little kid… and it so happens I was going to ask if you wanted to go in the ice first, not just turning to see if the kid ran into you.” He still had that playful smile and I was left wondering why he was upset in the first place.

“I’ll go on first.” I just cut off the falling situation and decided to focus on something more fun for the both of us.

I walked ahead of Dom and soon I was at the entrance to the ice. I put my right leg out first and soon I was gliding towards the middle. I turned and saw a girl grabbing onto Dominic and he was helping her.

She was obviously flirting and for some reason I started glaring. I brushed it off and turned around going out farther away from him and soon started doing spins and just ignoring the world around me.

I stopped when I felt someone’s eyes on me and when I found Dominic’s I just felt even dizzier. I closed my eyes but then felt someone shoulder bump me and I just went down.

“Are you okay? Jesy?” I heard Dominic ask frantically and I opened my eyes to see him holding out his hand and looked a bit concerned.

“Yeah, who hit me?” I asked and then looked around to see the girl who was flirting with him stopped a few feet away with a fake scared look, and when Dominic focused back on me she just turned and skated away like a pro.

“The same girl who ran into me earlier.” He answered hafting me up and steading me.

“My butt hurts.” I whined and looked around for the exit. I was done and I would not let that girl pass me again.

“Want to put some ice on it?” He asked making me turn to glare at him.

“You think your real funny don’t you?” I asked feeling a bit playful. I hoped this wouldn’t ruin his mood.

“Kind of.” He said shrugging like he was cool.

“Here, you have your turn-” I shoved his shoulder making him swing his arms trying to get his balance back but soon he just fell, “on the ice.” I said smiling down at his sitting position.

“That is so unfair.” He said looking up at me and wiping his hands on his pants.

“Here.” I said offering him my hand. I might not be able to heft him up without him cooperating.

He grabbed my hand and soon I was being pulled down right on top of him making him groan out a laugh as I screeched.

“Why did you do that?” I asked laughing now as well, his laugh was just so contagious… it’s like if you never heard it before you just listen and then laugh with him.

I have to admit that it was a little funny, I should have seen that coming, but I was too caught up in trying to get out of here before that one girl came back around.

“I thought it would be funny, and besides being crushing by a ton it was.” He said getting up taking me with him this time.

“You’re good on the ice, skater or hockey player?” I heard someone ask behind us and we turned to see a guy with a whistle and hockey gear coming towards us.

“I played little league hockey.” Dominic answered and the guy just nodded.

“Got any other skill besides the dodging and getting back up?” He asked and then looked over at me. “My name is Carlos.” He said and gave his hand, but I didn’t shake it and neither did Dominic.

“I’m not interested.” He cut the conversations short, I merely co-existed in their world of stare downs and soon I felt hands on my shoulders guiding me to the exit quickly.

We got to the same bench we were at earlier and Dominic seemed more concerned about how to get the skates off in tacks than when we first got here.

I undid the laces and got my shoes on quicker than he did so this time I took our stuff back and walked over to the counter.

“Thanks.” The guy behind the counter winked and then looked behind me and then around me. “Where did that guy you were with go?” He asked and I just looked behind me, not seeing Dominic anywhere.

Did he leave me?

I checked where I had left him and saw no sign of him, I looked around and just felt myself tear up.

He left me… in an unknown city… what the fuck!

You know what, this is why someone invented google maps and smart phones.

Who needs Dominic Braxton anyways?!