I studied the small writings scribbled across the top of the black spiral sitting on the corner of my desk. I looked at the clock.
"2 minutes Em. 2 minutes and you'll be free of othis nightmare for the winter." I thought to you lmyself.
As Mr. Lutz finished the last of his lecture I listened in only half-heartedly as I danced my pen across a fresh sheet of notebook paper. I turned my once small strange curvy lines into what was now what seemed as a page of beautifully detailed delicate flowers.
"alright class your assignment over winter break is to write a 3 page essay on what you did for the holidays." Mr. Lutz called across the room. I wrote the assignment on a sticky note and scrunched it in my pocket.
What seemed like hours later the bell screamed signaling 3:00. I shoved the black spiral and my collection of pens in my bag and walked to the front of the room.
"Emslee? Could I talk to you a sec?" I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see Mr. Lutz standing, staring me dead in the eye with a blank expression.
"Yes Mr. Lutz?" I said in a hushed voice almost to the point of whisper. He held out in his hand a small stack of papers the top one with a big "A+" across the front in purple marker. I recognized a few seconds later my creative writing reports that he had, had me turn in to the local juniors writing program.
"You're very talented Emslee. I truly hope you keep writing." he said slipping the papers into my hand and turning away.
"Thank you Mr. Lutz. That means a lot." I said turning to the door.
"Oh and Emslee." Mr. Lutz called without looking back as I walked toward the door, "don't forget to make an entry for the national spring writing competition. I'm sure you'd do great."
I walked down the hall through the corridors and down the stairs. The once small cramped building was now what seemed as much of a ghost town as it could get. The sound of my shoes hitting the tiled floor echoed throughout the hallways till I had made it to my locker. I dropped my bag and spun the dial stopping at each familiar number until the lock flicked open. I pulled out my heavy science book and my grey jacket and closed the door. I clicked the lock again and swung my bag over my shoulder.
I maneuvered through the locker hall full of red and white rectangles lining the walls and dashed to the door.
I stepped outside to a smack in the face of cold air. The sky was grayish blue with small white specks floating down. I walked across the snow covered grass, ignoring the bright, "keep off the grass" sign. My hair flew back from the wind as I dashed down the hill leaving my cheeks vulnerable to the cold.
***
I closed the door and kicked of my shoes, picking up the note off of the kitchen table.
Across the note in curly lettering read:
"Emslee, had to leave for a business trip. should be back in a few weeks. Food money's in the drawer. love you forever.
-mama"
I laid the note back down, shuffling quickly up to my room. Tossing my bag to the ground, I flopped onto my bed and stared at the ceiling. It was white and smooth covered with cheap plastic glow-in-the-dark stars spread out across one side to the other. My walls were covered with crinkled posters of bands, cartoon characters, and doodles I had drawn over summer break.
After a few minutes of pure silence my phone vibrated, of course, scaring me half to death.
I slid my thumb across the screen reveling a text from Halle.
H: open sk8 starts in 10! Wanna go?
"duh" I typed laughing as I stood up.
Here's something to know about Halle Pendleton. She's always up for something. If there's anything that has to do with adventure, she's there.
Last year I took her to open skate in November, which meant it was her first time skating since she was 5. She was scared and when I finally convinced her to come out onto the rink, she fell on her butt about 3 times and decided she wasn't good and it was time to head home. As she tried to wobble off the rink I stopped her, grabbing her wrist.
"No way Jose." I giggled trying to gracefully lead her away from the exit. I taught her how to skate backwards and less then five minutes later she was doing it perfectly. By the time open skate was over she could jump and spin and glide smoothly across the ice like nobody's business. Well, fast forward to this year and she's on the local pro ice team. She's 110% better then me now and she's teaching me things.
I pulled off my middle school t-shirt and exchanged it for a large red knit sweater with "New York" across it in white and black letters. It was by far my favorite sweater. The New York skyline was traced out along the bottom and the shade of red always looked nice and bright against the white wintry background of Illinois.
I pulled off my jeans and slipped into a pair of black leggings and a pair of boots.
I grabbed my purse and my phone and walked out the door.
Small white snow flakes fell from the light grey sky and dusted the ground. I walked down the drive to where Halle had parked.
"hiiiiii," Halle said through the window as I struggled to open the passenger side.
she clicked a button and the door unlocked and opened causing me to almost fly backwards.
"I didn't know what kind you wanted so I just got a peppermint mocha." She smiled pointing at the drink in the cup holder. I buckled my seatbelt and closed the door as she started out of the driveway.
"so...how's it goin" she giggled clicking on the radio as I sipped my coffee.
"pretty good" I mumbled.
We talked about school and art and boys until we pulled up at the arena.
We grabbed our stuff and head inside.
I walked up to the front counter, handing the woman a 10 dollar bill.
She was she was short and pale and her nose and cheeks were flushed a deep pink. her strawberry blonde hair was pulled back into a bun and bobbled up and down when she talked.
"open skate and rental? that'd be $2.75... here's your change" she mumbled handing me 8 dollars and a quarter. I grabbed a ticket as
Halle showed the woman her pass which allowed her to enter for free to practice whenever she wanted.
We pushed open the heavy doors entering the warming room. In the corner was a concession stand with quite possibly the greatest vanilla capachino I've ever had. We maneuvered around the tables and Halle sat down to tie her skates. I stepped to the counter handed a man my ticket for rental skates.
"did you see last weeks episode of red band society?" Halle asked as the man passed me a pair of ice skates.
"yesssss," I said with my eyes wide, "with the nurse Jackson suspension and with that crazy promo at the end."
"And Charlie might be awake!" Halle shouted.
"Yeah but Dash might be dead."
I laced my skates silently as Halle went on talking about her predictions for next weeks episode. I stood up and hobbled though the heavy doors into a entry way and onto the rink. I stepped onto the ice with Halle trailing behind. she made a b-line around me and did a leap in the air ending with a spin and swerving away.
"come on Em! the ice is fine." Halle shouted giggling gliding away. I laughed and caught up with her as we raced around the 4 cones each set in a specific corner.
