Fresh off the Ice

Complications

I tap my pencil on my desk. Tap, tap, tap. The rain out side my window drips. Drip, drip, drip. Tap , tap, tap. Drip, drip, drip. Drip. Tap. Drip. Tap.

I can't take it anymore! The silence is killing me. I put my head in my hands. I've been doing homework for 2 hours and just can't concentrate. I feel like I'm in a prison. It's been 5 long days of my parents controlling every aspect of my life. They have everything timed out. When I get up, when I go to skating, when I do school and homework and the worst part, They have taken away my phone. I don't even get to communicate with the outside world. What did I do to deserve this? Oh that's right win a silver medal at Nationals. You'd think I would get more privileges but nooooo. Chesa wins a medal, Chesa gets more restrictions and rules from her parents.

Are my parents the only ones with backwards thinking? Oh and I've tried to get across to them that I wasn't happy. I yelled, I cried, I ignored and now I'm sulking. But it's really hard to act out to parent who are never there but still controlling everything. Oh and it gets better. Every evening we've had the pleasure of having dinner with Mr Tanker and Mark. Ugh, and every evening I sit arms crossed and ignoring everything Mark has to say. He doesn't care though. He just butters up my parents with his fake niceness. Is that a word?

Now lets talk about Kace. Siiiggghhhh, Kace. I haven't spoken to him since the kiss which isn't attentional. We just seem to miss each other at the rink and there is no way for me to communicate to him. and I wouldn't risk it with my parent's hawk eyes.

*knock knock* I hear before Chelsea sticks her head in.

I turn to look at her, "Miss your father requests your presence."

I roll my eyes and drag my feet as I get up to walk to the devil himself.

I enter my father's office and wait until he acknowledges my presence.

My father doesn't even look up as he speaks, "Chesa, Mr. Tanker and Mark will be dinning with us again tonight." No surprise there. "And accompanying them will be a scholar considering for the scholarship."

Scholarship? What Scholarship? Ah! The one my dad promised Mr. Tanker for doing business with him. I know my dad hates giving away money so I already liked this scholar who might do so.

"And Chesa," My father looks up at me right into the eyes, "I want you to be on your best behavior."

I resist the urge to roll my eyes but do say in a sarcastic tone, "Yes Father."

"You may go. Look presentable. They'll be here in the next hour."

I am dismissed. I let out a breath as I go upstairs glad I didn't dig a deeper hole for myself but didn't have to suck up to him.

Another evening with Mark, yay. I hope at least the scholar holds a good conversation then we can both ignore Mark.

I dress nicely in jeans and a blouse. I leave my hair down having in lay a little farther than my shoulders. I hear the door bell ring and take a deep breath. I start to head down stairs hearing voices in the foyer. I turn into our doorway entrance to see my parents and two other figures.

I freeze. There in MY door way is Kace, MY Kace. He standing in a suit with his hair gelled back. My parents voices pull me out of my shocked state.

"Chesa, this is Mrs. Erin and her son, Kace was it?" My mom asks. I only realize now there is a woman standing next to Kace. His mother. She wasn't that tall and had plan brown hair. She had this tired look to her.

Since I didn't respond, which was out of shock not spite for my parents, my mom spoke again,

"Chesa why don't you give Kace a tour of the house until I other expected guests arrive."

I gave my mom a forced smile and walked away knowing Kace will follow, "Come on." I say just to make sure.

I turn down the hall way and look both ways making sure no one was near us and took Kace's hand pulling him into a closet. I shut the the door and search around for the light. Suddenly light floods the tiny room and I can't help but notice how close we are after not seeing each other for days.

Kace smiles at me. "Chesa... well this is a surprise." I smile back.

"You are telling me." I look away and rub my brow with my hand, "I can't believe this. You are my dad's scholarship student. This is not good."

"Hey," Kace takes my hand from my brow in his, "Why isn't this good?"

"Don't you see? I haven't seen you in days because my parents are afraid I'm not focusing because of distractions and if they learn you are the boy I was hanging out with and had feelings for... Well lets just say it could jeopardize your scholarship." I let out a sigh. My life just got a lot more complicated.

Kace steps closer, "Feelings?" I roll my eyes and step back, of course I hit wall because we are in a small space.

"We are SO not talking about this right now." Kace didn't look like he was focusing, well not on the conversation. I think something else was getting his attention.

"You know we are going to have to pretend we don't know each other." That got Kace's attention.

He looked at me confused, "What, why?"

"Don't you get it? Overactive parents plus distracting their daughter boy equals no scholarship." I put it simply.

Kace's face turns into a frown. I wish I could wipe that frown right off his face but we had to figure this out.

"So we'll just pretend we don't know each other and everything should be... Crap." I look at Kace panicked, "Mark."

"Wait why is that douche still in the picture?"

I start to pace in that tiny closet. A challenge I know, "He's coming to dinner tonight and he will ruin everything! He will tell them who you are because he'll get jealous and has this weird fascination with me I can't even explain. Then my parents will get mad and you won't get the scholarship and I'll ruin your life forever!"

Kace takes me by the shoulders halting my mini melt down, "Chesa relax, we'll talk to him. We'll, well, we'll figure something out."

I nod still feeling stress but a little better in Kace's arms.

"I missed you." Kace mummers studying my face. I just realized how every attraction we were ignoring earlier coming rushing back making the small closet fill with sexual tension.

"I did too." I almost whisper out as I feel us getting closer. Kace puts his hand on my cheek and gives me a warm gentle short kiss on the lips. Even though it was less than three seconds it had me breathing hard from the close proximity.

After a moment I state the obvious, "We should probably get back."

Kace lets out a low chuckle, "Why does it always seem I don't have enough time with you."

"Because it's not." I admit unashamed, "Come on." I take his hand to exit the closet. I look that it is safe before exiting. I left go of Kace's hand and tell myself he's a stranger.

As we enter the leaving room I say, "And this is our living room."

Kace puts his hands in pockets as he looks around the room. My parents notice us.

"There you guys are! Chesa treating you well Kace? I hope she showed you the koi pond. It's a highlight of the house." My mother asked in her sickly sweet guest voice.

Kace looking gorgeous in his suit that I didn't have the privilege of noticing earlier answers her, "Yes ma'am she is being a great host. And you have a lovely home."

I'm sure there is a double meaning in there somewhere. I never understood those girls who admired men because of their looks. I mean men are men, right? Wrong. Kace was defiantly changing my perspective. My heart just beat wildly looking at him in his suit. It was almost like the way he looked matched his kind heart and brought out the best qualities of his gorgeous personality.

I listened to my parents, Kace's mom and Kace interact not really getting involved. Ding Dong. I took one breath in and out. This is it. In the next few moments everything goes great or goes to hell.