Page 13 of Boots & Scars

"Down the hall," I said.

"Thank you." She turned and headed to where they were.

This… might not be as bad as I thought.

Blondie returned,her presence a stark contrast to the awkward tension hanging over the ice. She strode towards me, her gait steady despite the cacophony of slips and stumbles fromthe newbies. "I'd like 7's, please," she requested, her voice a smooth melody against the discordant backdrop.

I nodded, fetching the skates without a word. I watched as she settled onto a bench, removing her shoes with deliberate care. Next to her, a girl grappled with her skate, her face twisted in frustration. Blondie leaned over, her hands gentle as she began to assist.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. With a sigh that came from deep within, I strode over to them. "All right, bleeding heart," I said, a touch of mockery lacing my tone. "Leave her be."

Her hands stilled as she looked up at me, confusion etched across her features. "I was just trying to help," she defended herself, the politeness in her voice clashing with the agitation flickering in her eyes.

"She doesn't need help," I countered firmly. "She needs to struggle. It's the only way you actually learn."

Her brow furrowed slightly, but she maintained her composure. "No, it's not," she replied evenly. "If that's the case, why is there school? Books? Tests?"

I leaned in closer, my stance unyielding. "Fuck books and fuck school."

"What?" The way her eyes went even wider made me laugh.

"You heard me, sugar," he said.

"But everyone learns differently," she insisted, her voice rising just enough to show her conviction without losing that infuriating politeness.

"So?" I asked. "That's a them-problem, not a me-problem. Coddling someone won't make them stronger."

She straightened up, facing me squarely. "It's not coddling to offer guidance," she argued.

"And it's not guidance to do it for them," I shot back.

Her gaze never wavered as she met my challenge head-on. "There's a difference between guiding and doing," she said firmly. "Maybe if you tried it sometime, you'd see that."

Our eyes locked in a heated exchange; neither of us willing to back down as the air between us crackled with unspoken challenges yet to be met.

"Since you know how to tie skates, why don't you show everyone how, hmm?" I asked her, my voice laced with a challenge as I waved at her. "Go on then. Show them."

She sucked in a breath, her eyes widening slightly as if I'd caught her off guard. "Well, I've never..."

"Never?" I echoed, leaning in a bit closer with mock curiosity. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

She swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper. "I've never actually tried on skates," she admitted.

A smirk tugged at the corner of my mouth as I dropped to my knees in front of her without warning and took hold of the skates. My fingers brushed against her calves as I pulled the laces tight, weaving them with practiced ease. She seemed frozen in place, caught off guard by the sudden proximity.

When I finished lacing up the skates, I moved back and looked up at her. "You know how to lace up your skates now?" I asked.

The girl glared at me, the fire in her eyes betraying her calm demeanor.

"Didn't think so, sweetheart," I said with a dismissive shrug.

"Thank you for your help," she said stiffly, her words carrying an edge of forced politeness.

"You shouldn't be thanking me," I replied coolly as I stood up and brushed off my knees. "I didn't help you. I hurt you. You might have skates on, but you still don't know shit."

Her expression tightened. "I'm trying to be polite," she retorted.

"And I'm telling you I don't care," I shot back with a nonchalant wave of my hand. "Now, get on the ice, and for the love of God, don't fucking fall. I don't need more paperwork."

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