“I just figured we could sit for a few minutes. Why, did you not want to sit?”
“Well, I …”
“We can go. It’s no big deal, Jewels.”
“Cool, I just want to keep moving. I’m excited to find out where you’re taking me,” I said hoping he didn’t suspect anything.
While we walked Alex told me about this book he had. It’s where he writes down the places he’d like to go someday or the things he’s like to do. Although it would probably take a lifetime to do it all, he believes he’ll be able to accomplish it all before he dies. Even though I thought the whole idea was pretty cool I had to mess with him.
“So, what you’re saying is you have a diary.”
“Actually, Julia, it’s a journal. Diaries are for girls and I know what you’re doing.”
I didn’t say anything, but I did smile. We were only a block from the park and I could hear people’s voices off in the distance. There was even Christmas music playing. I wanted to hurry and see what was going on. Waving my hand, I said, “Come on, Alex. I want to see what’s going on at the park.”
“I just drank all that hot chocolate, Julia. I don’t want to run. We’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“Please, oh, pretty please. Run with me,” I begged like a child trying to get their way.
Within a second, Alex took off laughing. Uh, he was messing with me and now I needed to catch up to him.
Chapter Fifteen
Finally catching up with Alex, I stopped dead in my tracks. In front of us was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. My eyes lit up and I could feel butterflies in my stomach. The excitement was overwhelming and I wanted to shout. There I stood watching children and their parent’s ice skate while Christmas music played on loud speakers throughout the park. It was like a dream.
“So, what do you think, Jewels?” Alex asked with a smile plastered on his face.
“It’s just so…” I said trying to express the range of emotions I was feeling.
“I know, right,” Alex said while staring into my eyes.
Shear panic started to set in. I could feel something happening and I started to sweat. I didn’t want to, but I couldn’t help it. I told myself not do, but I did it anyways. With my eyes closed tight, I took a step toward Alex and kissed him. It wasn’t a long kiss. I quickly freaked out as soon as I realized what I did. I couldn’t take it back and I couldn’t look at him. I was so embarrassed.
With my head down, looking toward the ground, I heard Alex say my name. I didn’t want him to say anything. No, I just wanted to go back in time and erase what had just happened. In my mind I kept saying
“Oh, my God”
over and over again. I thought about just running as fast as I could back to my house and locking the door, but I knew that wasn’t going to change anything.
While lifting my head up with his hand, Alex looked at me and said, “Come on, Julia, let’s go have some fun.”
That’s it?
I thought to myself. Maybe he didn’t care or maybe I was a bad kisser. In any case I was sort of glad he didn’t want to talk about what just happened. So, I dismissed it, and followed him into the park. We walked around to the other side of the park to get skates from a lady that was sitting in a booth. I had never ice skated before and I was a bit nervous. Sitting on the bench, I pulled off one shoe while I tried getting the skate on and laced up. Alex had his on in no time.
Because I was having a hard time, Alex knelt down in front of me and said, “Here, put your skate on my knee, I’ll tie it up for you.”
Once my skates were tied, he grabbed my hand to help me up. My legs were wobbly and I fell down to the ground taking him with me. We both began to laugh. After Alex helped me back up, I slowly walked with him toward the rink as he held my hand.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
“Do I look ready?” I replied while my knees were knocking together.
“You’ll be fine. I’ll hold you the whole time and I won’t let go,” Alex said while smiling.
I took baby steps to get on the ice and slowly but surely I was doing better, that is, until my legs split like Bambi and I fell. I was determined to get the hang of it, so I got back up with the help of Alex and did it again. We spent most of the day there and by the end I wasn’t quite like a pro, but I did eventually skate by myself.
I couldn’t wait to get the skates off. My feet were killing me. When I sat down to pull them off, they were stuck. I couldn’t seem to get them off. I really believed that were never coming off. I yanked and yanked and nothing happened. Alex laughed and said, “Julia, it would help if you untied them completely.”
“Seriously, Alex, I did untie them,” I said in a sarcastic tone.
As I lifted my foot back on the bench, I noticed that I really didn’t untie them all the way. Now I not only looked like an idiot, but I was feeling like one too. I waited for Alex to say something, but he didn’t. Instead, he scooted closer to me, helping me take them off. Once my shoes were back on, we returned the skates and headed home, but not before asking Alex if there was a bathroom nearby.
Between the frigid cold weather and all the hot chocolate I had, I wasn’t sure I would make it all the way back to the house. I was never keen on using a public restroom, but I didn’t see any other choice. Pointing to a gray building Alex said, “It’s straight ahead. I’ll wait right here by this tree.”
“Okay, I’ll be right back,” I told him.
I was terrified to know how badly the smell was going to be in the restroom, never mind how dirty it was, so I took a deep breath and entered. I didn’t bother to look around. I just wanted to hurry up and get out. Just as I unlocked the stall door, I heard girls laughing. There was something strange and familiar about their voices. Fear set in. I didn’t want to take any chances, so I slid the lock back across and peaked through the crack of the stall. I couldn’t believe my eyes. There Bridget stood, staring at herself in the mirror above the sink, applying lipstick.
I decided to wait a minute or so, hoping her and her friends would leave, but as luck would have it they didn’t. I knew I had no choice but to just open the door, so I did. With my head down, I walked straight toward the door hoping they wouldn’t notice me.
“Look who we have here,” Bridget said while grabbing my arm.
My body froze and I was afraid to look up. I was freaking out. I was alone in a bathroom with three girls who constantly bullied me in school and now I was stuck. I wanted to scream, so Alex would come running, but I didn’t. What did this girl want from me? Did she want me to beg her to leave me alone or see me cry from fear? As I stood there and did nothing she squeezed my hand tighter while pulling me toward the side of the stall while the other two girls stood in front of the bathroom door.
“What do you want? Stop! You’re hurting my arm,” I shouted.
I was in complete shock at how I had just yelled at her. What was I thinking? I knew I had just made it worse for myself and there was no way I could take it back. My heart was racing so fast and I wanted to cry, but I didn’t.
“So, you think you can just yell in my face. Do you know what I’d like to do to you?” she asked.
Just as I was about to plea for my life, I heard Alex’s voice calling my name. I closed my eyes and wished him away. I knew if Bridget had heard him calling me she would definitely beat me senseless, but I still had no clue why, so I figured I’d asked her. I mean why not, I was going to be pounded into the ground anyways. At least this way I’d know.
“Bridget, what is the deal with…”
Before I could finish asking her, she cut me off, literally. With her left hand squeezing my arm still, she took her right forearm and pressed it up against my throat making it hard for me to breath. I started to gasp for air as she laughed.
“Was that Alex I heard calling you, Julia?” she asked as her eyes began to bulge out of her head.
Did she really think I could answer her while she was stopping the air flow in my chest and throat? I gasped for air and tried to move. Finally, she took her hand down. From the corner of my eye I could see the other two girls looking scared.
“Answer me! Was that Alex outside?” she demanded.
“Yes, I think so,” I answered ready and waiting for her to beat me.
Just as her hand was about to connect with my face Alex called out my name. “Julia, are you alright in there?” I wanted to push her off me, but I didn’t. So instead, I blurted out, “Go ahead. Just get it over with.” And just like that she smacked me right across my left cheek.
“Next time, Julia, you’ll listen to me and stay away from Alex. And by the way, don’t ever think you can challenge me because you’ll lose!”
I fell down on my knees. My face was throbbing intensely and felt like it was starting to swell. I didn’t dare look up. I waited for Bridget and her two friends to leave before even getting off the floor. Once I knew they were gone I made my way over to the bathroom sink to look in the mirror. I couldn’t believe how red my face was. I knew I wouldn’t be able to hide my face from Alex and I also knew he’d ask what happened.
After splashing some cold water on my face and patting it softly with some paper towels, I pulled myself together and headed out the door. My plan was to tell Alex a lie. I didn’t want to, but I was so ashamed and couldn’t bear the thought of him knowing.
“Good Lord, Julia, what took you so long? Just to let you know I thought about either going in after you myself or sending in a swat team,” Alex said laughing.
“Sorry, I didn’t realize I was being timed,” I snapped at him.
Taking a step back, Alex turned toward me and said, “Wow, what happened to your face?”
“Oh, this? It’s nothing,” I said pointing to my cheek. I didn’t step to the side enough while coming out of the stall and I hit myself in the face with the door.”
“Uh, well I’m sorry for being so wise to you. I didn’t know. We should get back to the house so you can put some ice on it,” he said.
“Yes, I was thinking the same thing.”
“Just one thing, Julia, now that I know you’re somewhat accident prone, I suggest we wrap you in bubble wrap when we go out. This way I know you’ll be safe,” Alex said as he nudged me, obviously trying to get me to laugh. I was in no laughing mood, even for Alex.
When we finally arrived back to my house, Mom was all over me like I was dying. She wanted to know what exactly happened. She suggested we go to the hospital for an x-ray. I tried to explain to her that it wasn’t as bad as it looked.
“Julia, are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital?” she asked.
“Mom, I just banged it. I didn’t break my face, relax.” As I stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom with Mom I pointed at my cheek and said, “Look, it’s not even as red anymore, its fine, I promise.”
“Yes, but it does look like its bruising,” she said.
Turning to my mom, I reached for her hand and reassured her that I was going to be just fine. It would probably go away in a couple of days. She finally stopped nagging me. After Alex had gone home, I was so exhausted, sore, and sad that I didn’t even stay up for dinner. Instead, I changed out of my wet clothes, tossed on my warm night clothes and headed to bed. Mom came in my room at dinner time, but I told her I was too tired to eat and promised to eat a little extra for breakfast if she let me skip dinner.
Chapter Sixteen
Sunday morning, I woke up feeling depressed so I stayed in my bedroom most of the day. The only time I left my room was when I needed to use the bathroom or eat something. I stayed curled up in my bed under my blankets and watched an all-day marathon of
The Golden Girls
. After dinner, I found the energy to take a shower before calling it a night.