Kiss My Ice

2|5

25.

There was something truly special about being outside in the great outdoors. Fresh air, tall trees, a winding path with no real destination. Best of all, there were no people expect for the occasional fellow hiker. It was the perfect recipe for an afternoon with my best friend.

No drama. No skating. No Aiden.

Everything out here was so quiet. So peaceful. If the trails weren't such a long drive from my house, I would have loved to start doing my daily runs out in the woods instead of around the neighborhood. Cookie cutter houses or beautiful scenery? It seemed like an obvious choice to me.

"It's crazy to think that senior year starts in just four weeks."

"Yeah," I agreed, feeling a sense of adrenaline rush through me. I was more than ready to finish high school so that I could graduate and focus on my skating full time. "Too bad we won't have many classes together."

Lucy was a much better student than I was. Her whole course load was filled with advanced classes whereas I, I took only the bare minimum my parents would let me get away with.

"Maybe a study hall."

Lucy laughed; a strand of her hair fell from her ponytail. She pushed it from her face. "You aren't taking AP Psych with me? I thought you enjoyed psych last year."

"Nope," I said, popping the 'p'. As much as I had enjoyed taking psychology, I didn't want the course load that came with and AP class. I made a promise to my parents years ago that I would maintain a 'B' average, but I never promised to take hard or advanced classes. To my parent's dismay, my skating still came first where I was concerned.

"Oh come on, I thought we agreed at the end of last year that we would take AP psych together." Lucy frowned, looking like a kid that just found out that Santa Claus didn't exist. "You suck."

I offered her a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry." It had completely slipped my mind that we had agreed to taking that class together. "I forgot. It's just with skating-"

"You won't have the time," Lucy finished for me, a soft smile fell to her face. She understood without having me explain. She knew how important skating was to me.

I nodded. "Yeah."

"I guess that I will just have to flirt with all the guys by myself then."

I turned to face her; eyebrows raised. Not even a second later we both burst into a fit of laughter. There was only the slimmest of chances that Lucy would even talk to one of the guys let alone flirt. She was still as socially awkward around them as ever. It was something I loved about her. Our friendship worked so well because her introvert balanced out my extrovert.

"I would pay good money to see you try and flirt with a class full of guys."

Lucy elbowed my side. "I'm not that bad."

I smirked. "I can pretend that you aren't if it will make you feel better."

"I'm not that bad," she insisted. "I talk to Scott."

"Scott is my brother. He doesn't count. In a way he's like your older brother too. Try again."

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows, deep in thought. "Well I've also talked to his friends, so ha."

I shook my head, accepting that she had on occasion talked to Scott's friends. "Fair enough."

We continued walking in silence for a few minutes, listening to the peaceful sounds of nature. "I think that senior year is going to be our year," Lucy stated suddenly, her eyes twinkled with excitement.