17 BLACK | HS

ELEVEN

Miller Langley

I breathe in the sweat stained air around me, eyes closed as I take in this moment.

My weight shifts back and forth, my feet only moving slightly as I continue to pick up speed– if I was outside the wind would be blowing through my hair, but instead I'll settle for the increased feeling of the air conditioning around me.

Round and round I go, one foot in front of the other, twisting and turning, flying as fast as I can with no recollection of any single problem in my life right now.

"On your right!"

The sound of Eponine's voice snaps my eyes open– reminding me where I am, but not yet reminding me of my troubles.

Satellite Roller Rink.

The other place I seem to find myself when I'm in need of a distraction. A place where I can distract myself with people— not alone, on top of a big metal letter.

This has become one of my distractions for the days I'm feeling a little less self destructive. A... healthy coping mechanism, if you will.

This rink is somewhere Eponine and I have come since college. It's somewhere a lot of kids would come on a night out. The owner at the time was pretty loose when it came to checking ID's, and what's more fun than roller skating drunk?

Most of the kids used this place as a fun night out, but I poured my competitive side into it. I made it my mission to become one of the best on this rink, and what's an activity without some friendly competition?

So, week after week Eponine and I –along with a straggler or two sometimes– would come down to the rink, and practice until it became second nature. The simplicity of the activity made it become a release for me. When you don't have to think about what you're doing, you don't have to think about anything. You can let yourself dissociate and end up wherever you choose.

That's what I love so much about it.

About a year after we all graduated, the place went up for sale— Bob, the old geezer who owned the rink, just wasn't making enough profit to keep the place running. He just wanted the kids to have a safe place to come and have fun, but that wasn't enough for the banks.

One of our friends, Oliver, decided to use his graduation gift from mommy and daddy, and buy the place. He became a big time CEO real quick but uses this to have some fun on the weekends. He kept around Bob, gave him a job and lets the kids have the same fun we used to a few years ago.

And one of the perks of being buds with the owner— you get to come skate after hours whenever you need to let out some steam.

"You're losing your touch, Mils." She yells back after turning around to move backwards once she's passed me.

"Oh fuck off, E." I respond with a roll of my eyes.

Even from back here I can see her face screw up in confusion at my bluntness. "Who's got your panties in such a twist," she questions while slowing down, allowing me to catch up with her.

With an exasperated exhale I let my eyes widen before answering. "Don't even get me started on Ha—" I cut myself off when I realize what I was about to say. I don't even know why my mind went to that place. I haven't even been thinking about him for a few days. He's been the absolute last thing on my mind and now I'm randomly bringing him up to Eponine?

No. Absolutely not.

"Who were you about to say?" Eponine rushes out.

"What?" I try to play it off. "No one. I— I don't—" I feel myself get a bit flustered, something that doesn't happen too often, and Eponine notices as well.