It's Just Us [🗸]

our future

yikes, my parents just asked me if i was straight, gay, or bi and i-

***

JAMES

I am one hundred percent sure I'm going to die.

A shaky exhale escapes my lips. One hundred percent.

My eyes drift upwards to the neon lights that splash the dim area that's the roller skating rink. My feet shift way too much for my liking, as the wheels of my roller skates attempt to support me.

I'll just say it: James Jones can't fucking skate.

All the other people in the area whiz past me, and some younger kids decide to be shady about it, too, barely whizzing past me, and sending me a smug look as they skate on their way.

Music blasts in the background, pumping the energy in the rink, allowing people to skate along with the beat. Meanwhile, I grip the edge of the rink, glancing around.

I mean, I'm not completely awful at it. I'm just not a huge fan of flying to the floor and knocking all my teeth out.

That's valid, right? 

A few feet away from me, Alyssa and Gavin link hands like the horrendously sweet couple they are, along with all the other sickeningly adorable couples who skate in sync with each other, laughing and even kissing occasionally.

Kayla, Andrea, and Maddy all skate around each other, on the other side of the rink, going around the entire rink, time and time again, racing and screwing around, their laughs filling the area while Kayla shamelessly showcases her spins and her unnecessarily complex yet inexplicably impressive skating moves.

Will skates up to me, laughing his ass off as he maintains perfect balance.

"I can't believe we found the one thing that you aren't good at," he says, his eyes shining with amusement.

I flip him off.

"Skate with me," he says lowly, letting his skates guide him until he's only two feet away from me. He grins, and I frown.

"I'm going to lose my balance if you're that close to me," I whisper, trying to resist an inevitable smile from appearing on my lips.

His smirk widens. "It wouldn't be the first time you fell for me."

Gavin, not too far away from us, hears Will and makes an exaggerated gagging sound, pointing his finger to his mouth, causing Alyssa to shake her head at him, giving us an apologetic look and guiding her boyfriend away.

Will flips him off without even turning in his direction.

A kid whizzes past me with a laugh and I exhale a breath.

"Take my hand," Will says, holding out a hand towards me. He glances around. "If you're okay with that."

I bite my lip. "I'm okay with that," I say, slipping my hand in his, causing a genuine smile to float onto his face.