she sees him every day when he gets back from school. she smiles, he smiles. she waves, he waves. one day she tries to start a conversation.
[ johnny cade ]
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
CHAPTER XIV DECEMBER TENTH !
Overthe past couple of weeks Imogen grew close to Sodapop. The two bonding over the Christmas season and wish for snow. It also helped that Sodapop was good at keeping her into the conversations around them even. There was something about Sodapop that made everyone who talked to him, like him.
It was Sodapop who invited Imogen to go ice skating with him at the new little rink across town. He claimed none of his other friends liked it being cold and hated ice skating. She agreed to go, despite the fact that she didn't know how to skate.
She grabbed her warmest clothes and tugged them on before telling her parents goodbye. She stood on the steps for a minute to finish tying up her shoes before making her way to the Curtis house.
It wasn't a long walk, but if her parents found out she walked alone they would have a cow.
She knocked on the old door of the home, stepping back when the screen door swings open.
"Imogen?" Johnny says confused.
Imogen grins and waves at him.
"What are you..." He begins to sign but stops, trying to think of how to sign the rest.
She looks for her notebook and pulls it out, Ice skating with Sodapop.
Johnnynods, "I'll get him..." He says slowly.
Johnny disappears into the house, reappearing a few moments later with Sodapop beside him.
"Hey!" Sodapop signs and Imogen grins.
"See you Johnny," Imogen signs and walks closely behind Sodapop.
—
"Never ice skated before?" Sodapop asks her curiously.
Imogen shakes her head, gripping the boy's hand tightly as she slides on the ice.
"It's pretty easy," Sodapop tells her, easily keeping his balance.
He stands in front of Imogen and holds both of her hands, keeping her steady. Sodapop pulls her along slowly, helping her get her balance.
She protests as he slowly releases her hands and leaves her standing by herself. Sodapop motions for her to skate towards him. Imogen hesitates causing her to almost fall, luckily Sodapop grabs hold of her. She can see him laughing and can't help but laugh as well.
Imogen slowly gets the hang of it but she can't go as fast as Sodapop. She can't keep her balance for very long either. Imogen mostly clings to his arm for balance as they skate around the rink.
—
She walked with him back to his house despite him saying he could walk her to her own house. Imogen hugged him goodbye and waited until he was safe inside before walking to her own house.
Imogen nearly jumps as someone grabs her shoulder. She flinches and turns with wide eyes, instantly calming when seeing Johnny.
He smiles, "How was ice skating?"
She nods, "Good," She signs.
Johnny doesn't try to talk to her the rest of the way to her house. They stop at the front gate of her house, neither moving.
Imogen offers him a smile and presses a kiss to his cold cheek. Imogen laughs as his cheeks turn a light pink and turns to go inside, leaving Johnny in the cold.
