Love on Ice

Chapter 3: Up All Night

Sleep seemed to elude Ellora that night. Even during school on Friday, her nails had been bitten down right to the nubs due to her anticipation of Grayson's reply.

His lack of respondence had her thoughts as cluttered as a house owned by a hoarder.

In school, she could at least fake her concentration; however, it affected her skating practice immensely.

Despite her attempts to appear normal, Jess had picked up her mood like a radar picks up on nearby ships.

She came over to Ellora during break; that's when the questions began.

"Who was he?"

"What?"

"Don't play dumb, you were fraternizing with the enemy."

"Fraternizing with the... Hold the phone! Back up a second, or 2 or 20," Ellora sounded just as she felt: incredulous.

"I saw you yesterday, with that - that - that," Jess was stuttering, most likely as a result of the betrayal that sat unmasked in Jess's eyes; she eventually spat out, "hockey player," as if she couldn't bear the taste of it on her tongue.

"'That 'hockey player' has a name," she put air quotes around Jess's harsh title and continued, "And it's Grayson."

"How did you meet? What's the status? I need details, Ellie, as detailed as humanly possible."

And with those last rambling questions, Ellora told her the whole story of her and Grayson's meeting and unplanned reunion - everything up yo this very moment, to which he still had failed to reply.

"Just earlier this week I heard you were going on about how they're all the same - all disgusting. What changed?"

"If you recall correctly, you actually instigated that conversation."

"I thought you felt the same way!"

"I do... It's just... I try to give people the benefit of the doubt, and Grayson isn't Collin!"

Jess's last attempt at a relationship had been with some dirtbag hockey player that turned out to be more in love with his sport than he was with his girlfriend. He dumped her after the team's first loss - needless to say, their relationship was about as long as Ellora's pinky finger.

"It may appear that way, but you've known the guy for what? 48 hours?"

"Yeah, but-"

"How much do you even know about him, Ellie?" Jess cut her off instantly.

After Ellora droned on about his handsome features, smarts, and dedication, she ended with, "I can't believe you're even attempting to feed me this stereotype. You know as well as I that it's bull."

"I know what's coming: your whole 'I wouldn't be skating spiel'."

Ellora decided to spare Jess the torture of hearing her spiel: when they first starting skating together, Ellora's 7-year-old peers discouraged her because of her pudgy frame, but she did it anyway - for what was probably the five hundredth time; at this point Jess could probably recite it in her sleep anyway.

* * *

Grayson finally broke his long silence at 9pm that night.

I actually gathered that your name was Ellora. You were wearing a black jacket with your name embroidered over your heart. -Grayson

Let's continue our game; my turn! :) What's your favorite band? -Ellora

Panic! At the Disco. What's your favorite pastime? -Grayson

Not my favorite, but I can appreciate their music. I love to read, it's a close second to skating. -Ellora

They alternated questions and answers until around midnight.

The only things they had found in common were dislikes. But hey! Opposites attract, right?