Fresh off the Ice

Study 'Date'

I am standing here scared to death. This is worst trying a Double Axel for the first time. No, it's worst than a skating competition. An Olympic skating competition. 

I have been standing here for several minutes to terrified to move. Not sure if I had the guts to do it. Why is talking to a boy so hard? I must just remember what Kat said.

*Flash back*

"He is like really smart right?" Kat asks me. 

I scrunch my nose, "I guess." I answer not really sure with what this has to do with my crush on him. 

"Great! Then ask him to tutor you in math or something." 

I pull my face not sure what that had to do with me liking him. Kat must have understand my questioning face.

"Look you are obviously too shy to ask him if he likes you back so this a better way to spend more time with him. It's a two in one; you get to spend more time to get to know him and he has a change to ask you out." Kat rattles off like an expert. Where does she even come up with this stuff? But I guess it won't hurt to try.

*End of flash back*

So I was getting up the courage to talk to Kace who was busy taking boxes from the ground to a transport pushy thing. Come on Chesa just go. It's not like you are asking him out. Well not yet. 

I take one big breath in and out and start my walk over. As I reach nearer to him I expect him to see me but surprisingly he doesn't. Wow this boy is focused. 

"Hey." I quietly say. This gets his a attention and he briefly stops and looks up at me.

"Hey Chesa." He smiles, my heart stops, "If you don't mind I'm going to continue working if you want to sit and talk." 

"Of course, you must just tell me if I'm bothering you." I reply hoping I'm not distracting him too much. I move and sit on the waist high ledge that is facing Kace working. 

"Chesa you are never a bother." Kace looks when he says that stating he is serious. I feel those dang butterflies in my stomach again. 

"So.. How was your day?" I asked. 

"Good. Busy with school and work so not much to tell." He replies as he puts another box down, "How was skating?"

I shrug, "Okay I guess. I'm having trouble with my triple salcow like usual."

"I'm sure you'll get it. With the determination you have when you skate." Kace stops and looks at me, "You fall over and over really hard yet you still get up and do it again."

He shakes his head a goes back to working, "Your crazy."

I let out a small laugh, "Ya well you love something you'll be surprised what you put yourself through."

"Couldn't say it better." Kace said with knowing in his eyes. I wonder what he means by that.

I clear my throught, "Can I 'not' bother you with something else?"

This doesn't faze Kace, "Lay it on."

"Urrrm.. You are pretty good at math?" That wasn't suppose to come out as a question but it just did.

"I guess I catch on more easily than others." He glances at me out of the corner of his eye. I know he's waiting for me to just ask the question. I mean I was getting impatient with myself as well. Just ask!

"I was wondering if you could help me out with my math...It's geometry and getting pretty complicated." There I said it. Now he can just refuse and I can go on my way.

Kace grunts as he lifts a big container, his muscles straining with the weight, he than drops it near where I'm sitting making me jump from the sound.

"The independent strong willed Chesa asking a weak nerdy me for help?" He says with humor, me and him both know he's anything but weak by that container he just drop by me. "Sure why not. Set a time and date."

"Okay." I said quite surprised. Maybe I was really making too much out of this. Kace had to bring the boxes inside so we said goodbye and exchanged numbers so we could make a date. Well a study date but hey it was still a date. 

...

"... Now the whole problem is going be wrong because you forgot to make that number negative when you moved it over." Kace explains to me very patiently thought this is the hundredth time I've gotten it wrong. Apparently I really do need help at math. 

We were both sitting at a coffee shop near the rink both done with our day of skating and working. 

"Uuuuurrggh..." I groan in frustration of not getting this right by now. I cover my face with my hands and rub my tired brain. I look up to see Kace giving me a patient smile like I haven't been messing up this problem for the past half an hour.

I had to ask him, "How do you have the patience with me?"

He shrugs as he looks at me, "Everyone starts somewhere. The key is to not give up on them. Like I bet you didn't become a amazing figure skater overnight. Would you get impatient with me if I tried to skate for the first time and couldn't do this triple salcow?" 

I looked at me with a knowing look. He was right. I sigh and get back to the evil math problem. I know it was just an example but I would love to see Kace skate. Hmmmm...