Page 122 of Wonderstruck

I scoffed, realising that this was how it wasgoing to be tonight. “Please, I could skate circles around you with my eyes closed.”

“Bold words,” she mused, releasing my hand andgliding ahead with that effortless grace of hers. “But can you do this?”

Before I could reach out for her she was already mid spin. It was tight and clean, her pink scarf trailingbehind her, curls whipping as she tucked her arms in. When she slowed to a stop, she turned back to me, readjusting her ear muffs as her smile lit up with nothing but pure satisfaction.

I exhaled, shaking my head as I skated towardsher. “Do you not remember thatI used to do that? You’d be surprised what sticks after one summer of figure skating camp.”

Her eyes widened. “You weren’t kidding about that?”

I grinned. “Nope. My grandpa thought it would ‘refine my edges.’” I made air quotes, then smirked. “I mostly spent it trying to figure out how to fall convincingly enough to get out of the last half-hour.”

She laughed, shaking her head like she wastrying to picture it. “That explains so much.”

“Right? Now, if you’re done showing off…” I skated back a few paces, rolling my shoulders. “I think it’s my turn.”

“Oh mon Dieu.”1 Her mitten-covered handspalmed her face as she muttered the words, before peeking through her fingers. “Be careful!”

I waited until her eyes were back on me to pushoff hard, picking up speed before dropping into a sharp turn. Those hazy memories came flooding back as I crossed over my skates, the blades almost touching as the spin quickened. And all Ithought as the night sky and lights blended into one was what a good decision it was to leave eating until after we’d finished here.

When I skidded to a stop beside her, ice spraying at her skates as I wobbled, she narrowed her eyes, trying and failing to hide her impressed smile.

“Smooth,” she said, tapping her chin. “But no bad.”Her lip quirked. “A little dramatic, though.”

“Dramatic? No. That was precision,” I corrected.

“That washockey boynonsense.”

I smirked. “You say nonsense. I say cool partytrick that I knew would get me some girls someday.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Somegirls?”

I met her gaze, steady and sure. “Maybe justone.”

For a moment, neither of us moved. The cold air hung between us, dancing with the laughter from clumsy skates and the scrape of the blades. Then, with a small smile, she pushed off my chest to glide backwards before skating ahead, glancing back just long enough to make sure I was following.

And of course, I was. I’d follow this girl to theends of the earth if that was what it took to see her smile.

She stuck her tongue out at me as she gainedsome speed, waiting until she found an empty patch of the rink before she swung out her leg and glided up into a double axel. At least I think it was an axel. It could have very well been a lutz. But she was so damn hard to focus in front of that doing anything around her, even breathing, felt impossible.

The rink wasn’t as busy as I’d expected for aFriday night, which was perfect. Coming here was an easy decision. Rory deserved more than some clichéd dinner-and-a-movie first date. And even though skating was our life, rarely did we ever do it just for fun. And this girl deserved something fun.

And fun means taking me from skating to skate some more?She asked when I told her my plan.

I know what you like, and I know where you feelat home.I’d replied.

All she did then was smile like she’d somehowbeen waiting to hear that.

“Was thatfunenough for you?” she asked,slowing to a stop in front of me. She leaned on her toe pick like it was nothing, her eyes gleaming as if she already knew she’d won whatever game we’d started.

“Not bad, Bambi,” I admitted, drawing out thewords like I had all the time in the world. “You’ve got potential. But I think it is crucial I step in. Fun is my middle name.”

“Daisy told me your middle name was Florian.”

I waved her off, licking away my smile.“Okay it might be but tell anyone and we're having words.”

Her laugh echoed like church bells, chiming justright to summon me. “Threatening me with a good time, Florian?”

Mischief lathered my smile as I reached outfor her. “We're having words.”

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