My Brother's Best Friend 2 | ✓

7. "i skate"

I turned the knob until the temperature was just right. My towel was hanging right outside on the little hook, ready for me to wrap myself in. There was lots of chatter and small-minded conversations going on outside the showers since everyone in there was getting ready. As the warm water trickled down my bare skin I let out a breath that I feel I've been holding in for a while. I lathered up my body with this vanilla scented body wash and stared at my blurry reflection in the pink tiles.

The steam slowly began to fill up the room and I just closed my eyes to let the water hit my face.

As another week commences it's time to get back to work. More three-hour lectures and studying for me to do. Yay.

I've never been more tired, hungry and sleepy at the same time but still, I couldn't wipe the smile off my face, thinking about last night. It's crazy how much one person can have an affect on someone's whole mood, but then again that's what psychology is all about. The crazy wonders of the human mind.

I've given up on my appearance pretty much. It's getting much colder outside, my favorite season; autumn. The golden leaves are starting to pile up everywhere and I get to feel that satisfying crunch beneath my feet again. I paired my classic black leggings, with some warm socks, and my old beat up converse that I love to death. Camille always nagged me about them, telling me how badly she wants to buy me a new pair but I'd never let her. I just can't seem to let go of them.

I will say, it's so much easier leaving the house with a fresh face and plain old messy bun. In high school, you couldn't catch me sitting in class without at least one coat of mascara but here, I couldn't care less. I love it.

I planned to have a productive morning. I stopped by the café near my building for some breakfast, and Dana, from one of my lectures, happened to be working so I got to say hello.

I took my dark roast coffee to-go to the library because that's where I will get the most work done. Lord knows I can't concentrate in my room where Cam is running lines for her theatre class.

I was typing away, surrounded by the cluttered mess of papers and notebooks all over the place. I had finished my coffee long ago now and the empty cup was just sitting there, taunting me. Pencils and highlighters were scattered over the long wooden table and my laptop was open with the unfinished document staring back at me.

I feel air brush up against my skin suddenly as the empty seat next to me gets filled up. I look up to find Anthony getting comfortable as he rests an elbow on the table.

"What's up shower buddy?"

"Don't call me that," I snap at him, immediately regretting my harsh tone. "I'm working." I reply in a slightly more polite manner.

"Well, do you need help?" He persists. It's evident that he's not going away anytime soon and although my disinterest is very clear at this point, he still remains cheery and unbothered.

"Maybe," I reply dryly. I try to keep a straight face and keep my replies firm as I am not that easy. He's going to have to do a lot better than that.

"Well, all the spelling mistakes in your work say otherwise." He jokes, peering at my screen, but I remain stone-faced. "I'm pretty sure that's not how you spell 'behaviour'," he chuckles to himself, trying to get me to soften up a bit.

I'm really stressed at this point now that I do overlook my work I notice all of the grammatical errors that he pointed out and I feel helpless. I glare at him, but he doesn't seem to budge. His smile slowly begins to fade and so does his joyful mood, which is when I start to feel bad. I study his puppy dog eyes which tell me a lot more than he lets on.

I look into them and I can almost see that he's hiding something behind those ocean eyes, covering it up with a fake smile. Defeated, he sighs but before he gets the chance to leave, I stop him, grabbing onto his arm. "I noticed something, on your arm," I mention. I can't help my curiosity at this point so I just go for it, what have I got to lose.

"Those marks. What happened?"

"I uh-," he hesitates. "I skate."

My suspicion peaks. "You skate?"

"Yeah, like on a skateboard? I fall a lot so I get bruises." He replies calmly, almost too calm. I feel kind of stupid for asking now, I felt like I had him all figured out in my head. But either way, him opening up a bit more changed my mind, so I decided not to be mad anymore. I could use all the friends I could get.

"I've always wanted to learn," I turn back to my keyboard.

"I could teach you," he offers kindly. "It would be a great way to relieve all that stress you seem to always carry in your shoulders." he reaches over and touches the area he believes I have problems with.

I just swat him away, irritated once again.

"How about we finish this together," he refers to my unfinished research paper outline. "Then we'll go to the south parking lot, okay?"

I sigh. "Okay."

~

I started off slow, really slow. With one foot on his banged-up skateboard, I tried to muster up the courage to place the second foot on. I was feeling rattled, and when I did it, I only managed to move a few inches forward. My main goal was to stay on, but I fell off a lot.

For the past 15 minutes, he was simply trying to teach me to push off and turn but I couldn't get it no matter how hard I tried. He even demonstrated for me and made it look so easy. A group of guys walked by and took it upon themselves to point and snicker at my horrible attempts to get on the board.

I groaned in frustration.

"Don't pay attention to them, just keep going." He assured me. His voice was calm and comforting, but it didn't help me all that much.

"They're laughing." I stomped, childishly.

"Hey, you're really gonna let them get to you? Everybody's gotta start somewhere, do you think I was always this good?" He says.

"How you do you think I got these bruises." He tightened up my loose helmet for me. "Prove them wrong."

I focused on his words as I tried again. I rolled off at a slow pace and just as my body leaned to turn, my balance was lost and I tipped forward.

"Here," he runs up behind me, placing his hands on my waist in order to steady me. "You're not balanced, see?" He explains and I suddenly feel weird. He holds me in a way that makes me feel safe and relaxed, knowing that I won't fall. I look back at him and he just clears his throat.

After many attempts, a miracle happens and I manage to push off successfully, then get enough momentum to turn to the left. After I roll across the parking lot I jump off the board excitedly and grab it, flailing it around like an idiot. I run back to him and he grins from ear to ear, seeming thrilled that I finally got it.

"I did it!" I jump up and down like a 5-year-old, holding onto his hands.

"You did." He celebrates with me, although not nearly half as ecstatic as I am. He doesn't let go, instead, he locks hands with me as our laughter and cheering dies down and we both linger for way too long.

I feel him inching closer, and I let him. My heart begins to race as the adrenaline pumps through my veins. My foot accidentally steps on his shoe, that's when I realize where I am. I'm in the school parking lot, holding hands with Anthony. Then suddenly I let go abruptly and snap out of the moment.

"I have to go." I hand the board back to him. "Wait-" he calls out but I just keep walking.

That was weird.

Next update: July 20
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