Surprisingly, the skate park was empty except for the group and once off the road, I was on my board, rolling slowly beside Jaden.
"So she skates too," Ameer announced as Jaden and I approached.
"I guess I do," I said, turning away from Jaden, circling the group.
"Well show us what you got," Ian called.
"So I need to prove myself, huh?" I changed directions with a 90 degree kick flip, building up speed as I approached a ramp, jumping and nailing a 5-0 grind. Applauding me, I continued the momentum, executing a Psycho White boy, which I did of course learn because of the name. They were all impressed.
Stopping, I hopped off, standing with board in hand.
"Stop usurping us" Jaden shouted out, however, I had my eyes on Matt who was smiling from behind the group before hopping on his board. Riding down, he didn't do any tricks but a simple kick flip. It didn't matter, his technique was still perfect.
"You're good," Matt said, skating by, circling around me. "But Jaden's right, you're usurping us. Four AP classes, nailing tricks and you're cute,"
Blushing as I watched him, he jumped onto a cement block, continuing to ride as fluently, as if he hadn't jumped. Getting off the block he was able to gain enough momentum that he committed a drag in the air, landing steadily.
Did he seriously call me cute? More importantly, why wasn't I bothered by it? I didn't know him. He had met me only once before and this was the first time he had actually spoken to me.
Following after him onto the block, I jumped up, executing a kick flip with a mid-air fake flip on my way down. On the ground, I skated around the block, doing an ollie as I passed him.
"Can you show me how you do the psycho white boy?" Matt asked, skating beside me.
"Um, sure," I executed the trick for him . "Its mostly about getting the back foot varial perfect and trying to control the movement of the board.
Nodding, Matt skated calmly before attempting it, getting it right on the first try.
"First try?" I was suspicious. "You sure you didn't know it already?"
Shrugging, he hopping off beside me.
"Show me another one,"
"why don't you just do a trick?"
"I just did."
Shaking my head, I gather momentum before executing an Ollie Imposter. I'd been trying to do it for months back in Portland but I hadn't tried earlier, nor gotten it right.
Clapping as we went past me, he nailed a Chetty Thomas Hardflip, however immediately being interrupted by Ian.
"Hey Lovebirds!" He shouted at us from the top of the slope. "We're leaving,"
Laughing at Ian, I looked back to what looked like an embarrassed Matt.
Walking out together, to meet the rest of the group at the entrance, we were quiet.
"It was cool meeting you," Matt said as we approached the group.
"You too,"
I offered anyone a ride home if they needed one, and only Bridget accepted which was fair enough. I only really knew her and Jaden, and Jaden was going back with Ian. Giving me her address, I expected her to give me directions.
"You and Matt were getting along well," She began in the car. "He doesn't usually do that with people. I know he sure ain't do it with me. Or any other person outside of his group,"
"You think?" I rose an eyebrow.
"I don't know, but I think he might be into you. I even heard Joba and Ian say something about how you were the girl he had mentioned was really pretty in his Chemistry class"
"Bullshit," I laughed, "Seriously though?"
"Why?Do you think he's cute?"
"I mean I don't think he's not cute, " I shrugged.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Bridget rolled. "You know I don't care if you're into him"
"I don't know, he's cute though I guess. What if he's a dickhead?" I joke.
"Actually, he's pretty nice and chill," Bridget said as we stopped at some lights.
"So are you dating anyone?" I asked, changing the subject.
"Yeah, I have a boyfriend,"
"Does he go to school with us?"
"He graduated last year, he now studies in Houston," Bridget explained, smiling as she took out his phone.
"Where and what does he study?"
"Fashion design at Baylor,"
"So are you doing distance?"
"Not yet, but he's leaving next month. It's only a three hour drive to and from so we can see each other anyway." she told me as I reached her house, parking. "Yeah. Well, regardless, I loved meeting you today, I really want to become good friends with you," Bridget said as she arrived at her house.
"Me too,"
By the time I got home, Mum was setting the table as Grandma prepared dinner. That was the best part of living with Grandma. She made the best food, which meant no more takeout or mum's shitty four meal rotation.
"You're home!" Mum smiled, as I entered. "Go upstairs and have your shower, dinner will be soon. Then you can tell us all about your day,"
Running up the clean wooden stairs, I went to my room, dropping my bag on the bed. During the Summer, we had renovated Grandma's house. It was a nice house, but it was well... very grandma, as well as it was filled with stuff of grandpa's and was dad's childhood home. Neither Dad or Grandma wanted for the house the stay the same.
After showering, I returned downstairs were they were all waiting for me, food unserved.
"So how did it go today?" Dad asked, as he took a serving of salad from the bowl onto his plate.
"Good, I made some friends. Jaden and Bridget," I didn't really thought Ian and his group as friends yet. They were for the most part acquaintances.
"What are they like?" Mum asked, moving her food around on her plate.
"They're nice. They invited me to Open Mic Night on Friday because I showed them one of my songs."
"So are you doing it?" Dad asked.
"Yeah, I signed up." I told him. It continued as so, my parents would ask questions until we had finished eating. Then, I would go upstairs, and do some homework before relaxing in bed. this happened everyday that week until Friday.
