Take Your Tears, Put 'Em On Ice

~ T-H-R-E-E ~

~Saturday; 9th of November 2019~

~ P-E-T-E ~

I had texted Andy earlier that morning, to see if he was still going to Brendon's. He wasn't, so I wasn't going either. Ha ha fuck that. Instead I was walking aimlessly around the town. At one point I just slowed my walking. I shoved my hands into my pockets and looked at the clear, blue sky. It was just so beautiful out.

Running footsteps were heard over the other sounds. I looked back down and went to turn when somebody full on body slammed me to the ground.

"Holy smokes! I am so sorry mate!" My attacker scrambled off of me and stood, grabbing something off of the ground. "U-Uh sorry, I-I'd help but I-I really have to go!" He held out a hand and pulled me up before slinging a pair of elegant white ice skates over his shoulder and running off.

I have never seen this kid before. I mean, he looked and sounded about my age. Maybe he just moved here? No, he seems to know where he's going. He's headed towards the ice rink.

Seriously though, what just happened?

I watched him until his golden blonde hair disappeared around the corner. I blinked a few times and dusted myself off.

The ice rink; didn't seem like a bad idea. Definitely compared to what may be happening down the road behind me. I bit my lip and looked around before sprinting across the street and back home.

I barged inside and slammed the door closed, taking the stairs by two into the basement. I grabbed my duffle bag and threw it onto my bed, searching through it. I pulled out my skates, a hockey puck, and my school lanyard with the ice rink pass. I could get in free with this.

I slid the puck into my jacket pocket, put the lanyard around my neck, held my skates in one hand and snatched my hockey stick before bounding back up the stairs and out the door.

Actually, let me illiterate that again. It is now my hockey stick, but it's the one I got when I was seven from that one senior player. Once I was tall and strong enough, I never used a different one unless I absolutely had to. Actually, the garage has a corner for smaller and broken sticks that we just haven't gotten rid of yet.

Walking down the street again, my phone rang. I stopped and let the hockey stick rest against my side as I fumbled for the cellular device in my skinny jeans pocket. I eventually got hold of it and answered without looking at the caller ID.

"Wentz is wack."

"Hey Pete... You're going to the rink aren't you?" Brendon immediately jumped to the point.

"Aw man, how'd ya know?" I snorted with tease. I held the hockey stick with the hand holding my skates as I began walking again.

"Because when are you not? Oh yeah! School, food or maybe something is actually going on. You never just sit back and chill."

"You leave my food out of this."

"No."

"Fuck you," I said without thinking.

"Well. We could probably set up a time for a threesome. You fuck me, I'll fuck Ry-"

"WELL I HAVE TO GO NOW WOAH BUSY TRAFFIC MEEPMEEP VROOOM DID YOU HEAR THAT I WAS ALMOST HIT BY A CAR OKAY BYE BREN." I hung up and shoved my phone into my pocket. A few other people looked at me with weird faces but I ignored them, smiling at the thoughts of what a good friend I have, even with moments like these.

He was my shoulder to cry on, whenever I was actually sad. My wise advice giver, even though he doesn't seem like the type. My friend to go to whenever I needed a break from the world. He was my best friend.

Yeah, maybe he was my first and only kiss, but it was at some high school party last year and we were both drunk as hell. I only remembered it because of the pictures that were taken.

My thoughts were interrupted with a loud car horn- a real one at that. I stopped and looked around, noticing it was Mrs. Burch, honking at me. I hurried over to the passenger side of her car as she rolled down the window.

"Hey Mrs. B! What's up?" I lean down and poke my head into her car a little.

"Hi Pete, I'm sorry to bother you but could you do me a favor?" She smiled slightly, with an almost sorry look. I nodded and she continued. "I noticed you had your skates and were headed towards the ice rink," I nodded again. "My nephew Patrick broke his laces and called. Could you take these to him?"

She handed me a small brown box. "Of course. What's he look like, or did he say where he would be?"

"Oh yeah, sorry. He's normally in rink 2B. He has kind of gingerish blonde hair, bright blue eyes. Shorter than you," she added with a chuckle.

I grinned. "Yeah its no problem! See ya later Mrs. B!"

"Thank you!" She called as I walked away again.

About ten minutes later I pushed through the doors of the rink. The chilled air swirled around me and I smiled, knowing that soon I would be on ice.

I showed the front desk my card and the man let me in. Without really looking around, I made my way around to rink 2B. Not a lot of people used this back rink as they claimed it was too dark and cold. But it was dark and cold because not a lot of people used it.

That's why it was the one I preferred to use most days. Normally it was just me and a few other people, occasionally the guys. But to now kind of know someone who uses the lone rink that isn't on the team, it'll be a change.

A change. I love change. Especially very unexpected changes.

I walk in and notice the small rink is empty. Well, almost empty. As I was walking along the rows of chairs to get to the locker rooms, I noticed an odd shape on the ice. Upon my eyes focusing, I realized it was a young man sitting on the ice with his back towards me.

I threw my stuff into a chair and quickly change into my skates. Making sure they tight and comfortable, I slide out onto the ice and silently glide over to him. I push forward with my left foot and skate around him, stopping in front if him a few feet away.

He was sitting with his legs out in front of him, one elegant white ice skate with terribly frayed laces in hand. He looks up at me with wide eyes. They were honestly the most beautiful blue I have ever seen. His cheeks were dusted pink and his lips were slightly parted, the bottom one partly between his teeth.

I bow down onto one knee and pull the box of laces from my pocket. I held them out with a smirk, not removing my gaze. He gasped and put a hand on his chest, taking the small box with his other hand. I was going to ask him how he wasn't freezing, seeing that I hadn't gotten here immediately after his call, but-

"At least take me to dinner first!"