Mistletoe

December 7th

Sunday December 7th

04.32pm

My Sunday didn't start out in any abnormal way; I'd had breakfast with my family, I'd walked the dog and then I'd come to work just to sit and work on my essay for a little bit. It had all been rather slow and relaxing, but somehow along the way I'd been conned into going ice skating. 

There was just one little catch; I didn't skate. 

What had I gotten myself into? 

I couldn't help but feel my palms become stickier by the second as I pulled at the white laces of my skates. A lump had lodged itself in my throat as nerves continued to wreck havoc in my stomach. 

"You need it to be tighter than that," Parker told me. He stroked my arm in comfort, no doubt my nerves had manifested on my face as well. "Here, I'll do it." Parker knelt before me and took the laces out of my hands and began pulling, and sure enough when he was done it was more than twice as tight as any of my own attempts. I moved my feet in the air, trying to shake the discomfort that my ankles weren't entirely my own at the moment, but part of a set of white skates.

"I'm not sure this is the best idea in the world," I said as I got to my feet, wobbling. 

But Parker was there to keep me steady so that I wouldn't fall. I didn't even want to imagine how it'd be when I got out onto the ice. 

"Breathe," Parker told me, his voice soft. "I'm going to be here the whole time, I won't let anything happen to you."

"You promise?" We'd made it to the edge of the area reserved for seatings now and I stared down at my toes where the edge separating me from the polished ice laid. 

"Promise." I didn't have to look at him to know he was telling the truth, the earnest rung clear in his voice, almost fierce. 

There weren't many people on the town's ice rink at this very moment, but there were a few and what I noticed they all had in common was that they were graceful where they slid across the surface. With a deep breath I nodded once in resolution and leaned on Parker as I stepped out onto the ice.

And then I went right down in the freaking splits.

"Ow!" I cried out as he caught me on my way down, the muscles in my thighs crying out in protest. Parker got me back onto my feet and I clung to him like he was my life raft. I tested the surface beneath me once more, attempting to put as much weight as I dared down on my feet. After what must have been forever I found my footing.

I looked at Parker as I continued to clutch his shoulders, "Now what?"

"Now we move."

I gave it a split seconds thought. "No, I think I'm good right here."

Parker gave a short laugh, momentarily distracting me from my peril. "Valerie, I won't let you fall. I promised you, didn't I?"

"I already almost fell once," I reminded him.

"Keyword being almost. Trust me."

It was hard to argue with someone who didn't give off any vibes of distrust, because trust me; I looked deep and hard for it. With a long sigh of defeat I nodded once. Parker pushed off with his own skate and began to glide slowly backwards, leading me forwards.

In that very moment I was thoroughly convinced that I was going to fall and break both my legs; I squeezed my eyes shut. A squeaky sound escaped my lips as my stomach seemed to drop a thousand feet through the ground. "Oh god," I murmured.