Breaking The Ice [bxb]

Chapter Nineteen [Liam]

The lake is one of the town's principal attractions.

It makes sense. Lake City is a tourist winter wonderland. People come here for the ski lanes, the snowy streets, the hot chocolate and the frozen lake by the resort. 

The Ice Arenas are a place of hard work and focus, for hockey players and figure skaters to practice. Ludic visits are obviously allowed, but only on free time slots. Bu the lake belongs to everyone. Tourists and locals alike, athletes and first-timers — they are all welcome.

Usually, the place is packed, crammed along the edges with those too hesitant to venture off to the middle. Especially in the winter. But on the first hour of the first day of the new year, it's deserted.

Except for us.

I spend New Year's Eve with my family and most of my friends every year. My parents throw this party for their inner circle at our house, and their friends-slash-business partners all come. That includes the Pruitts, the Sullyvans and the Cabots. Meaning the only one of my friends that is left out is Chloe.

My parents did invite the Wongs for the first couple of years after we became skating partners, but they soon decided to start politely declining, claiming they appreciated smaller and more intimate celebrations for the holiday. My parents still extend the invitation every year, out of politeness, with absolutely no resentment when they don't come.

The Colemans and the Lowells also come every year, along with a handful of other families whose kids hang around the rink. It's Lake City, after all. Not much to do other than skate, ski and play hockey.

Every year, there is champagne and cheerful conversation. My sister exiled herself in her room with her friends for most of it, just as my friends and I did when we were their age. Now, we are expected to mingle, smile, make conversation, but mostly answer questions about what we want for the future — are we going to college, which school do we have in mind, how are practices going, is skating really what I want to do, do I really think I can make it to the Olympics, how long do I think it will take...

We are only required to stay until midnight, though. As soon as the ball drops and the new year is on us, we are allowed to go out. 

That's all of us. The current Brunson High students and the ones who came home for the holidays. Tonight, Nat's brother Nathan, back from Georgetown, was the main supplier of alcohol, and I am actually surprised at how little it took for everyone to get beyond tipsy.

Maybe they were already half-drunk on something else. The giddiness of the new year. It's a strange and wonderful kind of intoxication. All the mistakes from two thousand and twenty are behind us and ahead stand three hundred and sixty five brand new chances to fuck up. Far too tempting of an opportunity to wait. Especially for Mack, judging by the way she was really going for it with Trey Coleman when I sneaked away from the group.

I was surprised at how fast Eli texted me back too.

I reached out to him on a whim. I almost expected him to ignore my text. But he really didn't, and it took almost no convincing from my part to get him to meet me at the lake.

It is clear the moment I see him arrive, with his skates hanging from his shoulders, that he walked the whole way from west Brunson. His cheeks are flushed, his nose tinged the most adorable shade of pink, hands stuffed aggressively in the pockets of his bulky zipped-up jacket, arms tightly pressed into his sides as though to close in the heat. Only the tips of his brown hair peek out from the grey beanie on his head, pulled down to cover as much of his ears as possible.

Judging by how much that alone turns me on, I might be a little too drunk on the new year as well.

There are no greetings between us. We don't do that. We put our skates on in silence too.