Silent night - A Christmas Tale

Chapter 6

To be in shape, she was in shape.

God, she had always danced since she was little. It was her passion. She had always dreamed of becoming a dancer, in fact. So it went without saying that athleticism and coordination'd be her bread and butter.

Yet she was a real disaster on ice skates.

She could barely stand and move forward, slowly. But for the rest, her gaze remained fixed on the ground, on her feet, despite the fact that even the keeper of the ring near her grandmother's house, when she was little, repeated to her like a mantra that her gaze had to be kept high and distant.

But even then, her eyes were fixed on the skates gliding across the white ice of the ring, the cold air pricking her cheeks and lungs. She had her dark red coat slipping slowly off one shoulder, but she didn't care, the only thing she cared about was staying upright and not making a bad impression.

She had also been offered the helping-penguin. She categorically refused.

"Mommy!".

Frida made the enormous mistake of looking up slightly to her right at the voice of her son. She didn't even have time to smile at him as he smiled broadly at her while he held onto his helping-penguin with only one hand, before she felt her right foot slip away too quickly, causing her to lose her balance. In a few moments, she screamed in her head not to blink even If the fall'd be disastrous and painful, but to get up immediately and look awkward.
Frida only let out a frightened gasp when she leaned forward dangerously to regain her balance in vain.

Benny managed to grab her arms, getting to her side before she began her descent onto the ice, lifting her up again and allowing her to steady herself.

"Hey! You good?" he said softly next to her ear, trying not to draw attention on them.

Frida held her breath for a few moments and then wrapped her hand around his arm, whose hand was still firmly anchored to her side to stabilize her. She turned to him and let out a forced laugh "Oh God... Yes... Sort of...".

Benny smiled and loosened his grip on her, but didn't let go, sliding together slowly "I think you're getting better, you know?" he told her, smiling when she scoffed and moving away slightly so she could spread her arms and steady herself, not letting go of her right hand though.

"You mean I managed not to fall in the last 3 minutes? Then yes, I'm improving, you're right" she sneered, feeling his reassuring presence at her side, ready to catch her If needed, for the umpteenth time "Where did you come from?" she frowned "I saw you a minute ago with Peter on the other side".

He smiled "I was watching you, ready to turn me into your Charming Prince" he winked "And I'm fast, darling" he said smugly.

Frida rolled her eyes.

"I was thinking..." he began, pausing to skate next to her and guide her with an arm around her hips to avoid a group of kids who had stopped in their path to chat "How come you're capable of walking in every type of shoe with heels... But an icy floor with skates is enough to dismantle your power figure?".

She chuckled "They're two completely different things, smartass" she shook her head slightly "Asphalt, pavement... they're firm, hard, great for heels... Ice is... treacherous".

"And you look really sexy on your heels, also" he suddenly whispered in her ear, kissing the patch of skin just beneath it, making her shiver.

"Benny..." she whispered, suddenly blushing and turning to look at him.

"But you make a great impression on skates too" he smiled smugly, running his gaze over her body while she looked at him with her mouth open, amused and surprised. That day he had been... strange.

"Stop it... We're in public" she scolded him in a low voice, but silently intrigued by that new impertinent side of him.

He chuckled and slid forward to stand in front of her. He offered his hands for her to hold onto as he skated backwards.

"No one is listening to us, don't worry" he told her, staring at her feet "Try to move your legs a little more, widening the trajectory".

Frida lowered her gaze to the ground.

"And keep your eyes forward" he told her immediately, squeezing her hands.

Frida looked up at him and snorted "Stop giving me orders".

He smirked "You like it, admit it".

She gaped at him "Benny, what got into you today?".

He smirked "And what happened to you to be so sulky?".