Previously

"T-The others are w-watching..." I murmur just loud enough to be heard.

"Of course they're watching," Bunny responds, without looking up from her salad, "We're popular, so they're gonna watch us no matter what. So this is why we have to watch our every step. One small slip up and we can say goodbye to our popularity."

"P-Popularity is so c-complicated..."

"Yeah, we know it is," Ebony admits, "But that's the trade-off for being so well-liked."

Shadow peeks over to her phone.

"Bell's gonna ring in a few."

"Let's go."

Now

Thank God rehearsal's over!

Bunny drives me home. Everyone is still out so I plop down on the couch, taking out my phone to find a text from Skate.

Skate:
Undyne and BP still aren't on great terms with you

Me:
Yeah...I know
I know pleasing everyone is impossible but I don't want to be disliked

Skate:
Well, if it helps, I was the last member of the gang and they didn't like me very much when I was first there

Me:
Oh? How did you get them to like you?

Skate:
I learned to skateboard, which is where I got my name ^^'
Everyone in the gang knows how to Skate, even PJ, but no one actively does it

Me:
Should I learn to skate...?

Skate:
I mean, if you want to
I could teach you if you do decide to

Me:
Where should I get a skateboard?

Skate:
Okay, so we're doing this!
I would recommend Zumiez
It's a great place to shop for a skateboard and other stuff
I also know the owner, so maybe he'll give you a discount :P

She sends me an address.

Skate:
Meet me there in 30?

Me:
Make that 15 ;P

Skate:
Oh, you're on

I quickly scribble down a note for Mr. Ink and Mr. Error, telling them where I'll be.

Then, I grab my small fuzzy white backpack from Steve Madden and stuff a few essentials in it.

I make it out the door and sprint to the address Skate sent me.

It's not too far so I don't take too long to get there.

As I wait outside the shop for Skate to show up, I take out my phone to see an unexpected text.

PJ 💜:
You're going to Zumiez?
Are you trying to learn to skate?

Me:
Yeah, I am
Skate's coming with me

PJ 💜:
If I may ask, why?

Me:
I'm a natural people pleaser and I don't want to be backstabbed by Undyne or BP anytime soon
Skate told me that she got on good terms with them by learning to skateboard

PJ 💜:
If you're going to learn, I recommend going out in the early morning to the skate park to practice
If you fall or something, no one will be watching

Me:
Okay, thanks!
Oh, Skate's here, cya later

PJ 💜:
Bye

"Hey!"

"H-Hey."

Skate pushes open the door and holds it for me as I walk in.

"T-Thanks."

She hums a 'you're welcome' and I take some time to admire the store.

Various skateboards, each with a different design, are lined up neatly on the wall.

Shelves stacked with t-shirts and hoodies are nailed into the wall.

Display stands are set up with caps, more shirts, and numerous accessories.

The ambient hip-hop mix playing in the background made the atmosphere of the place feel chill and calm, even if it's bustling with activity.

"Skate! How's it been?"

I turn around to see Skate and a cat monster doing a pound hug.

"It's been great! You?"

"Oh, you know me, just going with the flow," he shrugs.

"Anyway, this is my friend, (Y/N)! She transferred to Underhigh a few weeks ago.

And (Y/N), this is Trix. He's an old middle school friend and BP's cousin. His dad owns the shop."

"(Y/N), huh? Pleased to meet you, bud," he holds out a hand for me to shake.

Trix is a caramel brown cat monster with dark blue, almost black hair and blue-green eyes. He is wearing a blue and black hoodie, fitting gray sweatpants, and a pair of black Vans. A pair of red Beats are propped on his shoulders.

"S-Same to you," I shake his hand.

"So, what brings you guys down to Zumiez?"

"(Y/N)'s gonna learn to skateboard."

"First time skating, huh? Nice! Well, if you need me, just find me at the cash register."

"Thanks!"

As Trix walks away, we walk to a rack of helmets and elbows and knee pads.

"Honestly, the safety equipment is mostly the same so it doesn't really matter which one you pick. But just make sure the helmet fits your head," as Skate says that, she puts a black helmet on my head and smiles.

I smile back at her with a slightly puzzled expression before strapping it on.

"I-I think it f-fits really w-well," I grab a pair of elbow pads, knee pads, and wrist guards, simultaneously taking off the helmet.

"The board is the most important thing so choose wisely!"

She drags me over to the large selection of skateboards.

"Should've brought my skateboard with me...oh well! So, here's a rundown on skateboards. There are two basic types, the longboard and the shortboard. The longboard is usually for cruising and racing while the shortboard is for doing tricks.

So longboard or shortboard?"

"U-Umm...shortboard?"

She walks up to a certain rack of skateboards and takes one off the wall.

"This is a shortboard. You can see that it's concave, meaning the board goes in. This is essential for performing tricks," she puts it back and continues talking,

"Most beginner skateboarders think that the length of the board is most important. However, it's better to choose a skateboard in terms of width. For you, I would recommend a 7.5 to 8-inch width so you can stay on the board and not fall off.

So pick a skateboard from this rack."

I quickly scan the skateboards and spot one that catches my eye.

It is a black and white checkered board with a golden heart bolt on it.

I take it off the rack and I hold it out to Skate.

"Ooh, this is a nice design. But, I forgot to mention this earlier, a skateboard with grip tape is probably the best for a beginner. Grip tape is that sandpaper texture on the surface of a skateboard. It keeps your feet slipping off the board and overall makes it easier to ride. I don't think this has..." She puts a hand on the skateboard and feels it's surface, "Yeah, it doesn't have grip tape. You could just go without grip tape but I wouldn't advise it. Even my skateboard has grip tape."

"Hmm...o-okay," I put the board back and scan for something else.

I end up spotting a black skateboard with a white heart design in the middle, two golden swirls at the bottom and top, and two ivory white angel wings spread of each side.

A simple, yet elegant design.

I take it off the rack and hold it out to Skate.

She inspects it, feeling its texture and mumbling to herself.

"I think this is great!"

"R-Really?"

"Yeah, it has everything you could possibly need for a skateboard."

She hands the board back to me.

"I think it's about $50 which is a really good price for a high-quality board. It should we around $70 in total with the safety equipment."

We walk up to check out.

"Got everything ya need?" Trix asks.

"Yep, it's just fine."

"How 'bout a friend discount?"

"R-Really?"

"Why not? Any friend of Skate is a friend of mine," he winks at me.

"O-Okay...thank y-you..."

"It's not a problem," he replies, calculating the price, "Your total is $38.11."

As I dig into my backpack for my wallet and pay, he puts everything in a bag.

Just as we're about to leave, he asks Skate to talk with him alone.

I wait outside and after a few minutes, she comes out, her face bright pink.

"What..." I snicker, "h-happened in there?"

"He said he wanted to see me more often and winked..." She covers her face with one hand, "And this blush won't go away!"

I chuckle under my breath and pat her back, "Y-You don't have to t-tell me but do you l-like him that way?"

She hesitates before answering.

"...Y-Yea..." She stutters.

"Heh, alright. I won't tell."

"Promise...?"

I pause, I don't like making promises. But I sigh, agreeing anyway.

"Promise."

"Thanks..." She quickly changes the subject, "Anyway! Let's meet at the skate park tomorrow morning at 7 am."

"7?"

"Yeah, I know it's pretty early but if you fall, you won't make a fool of yourself."

"S-Sure."

We bid our goodbyes and continue on our away home.

* * * * * *

I dig into my backpack for my keys and open the door.

The first thing I see is PJ sitting cross-legged on the couch, scrolling through his phone.

"Yo."

"H-Hey."

"Ya got a skateboard?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm planning to l-learn tomorrow."

"Um, could I come with you guys? I need to get back in the game. I mean, only if you and Skate are cool with it."

"I-I'm sure she wouldn't m-mind."

* * * * * *

I turn my phone over to its side and look at the time.

6:03 am

I slowly get myself up into a sitting position and rub my eyes to wake myself up a bit.

Even though it's too early to get up on a Saturday, I didn't want to keep Skate waiting.

I drag myself out of bed and quickly organize it neatly.

I walk over to the closet and look for something comfortable to wear.

I find a form-fitting, long-sleeved, emerald green shirt, slim jeans that aren't restricting, and maroon socks. In addition, I tie a dark blue and white flannel to my waist just for good measure (but also because the shirt was a little small and showed a bit of my stomach).

I enter the bathroom and put my hands on the counter, leaning forward and looking at my reflection in the mirror.

The girl in the mirror has paler skin than usual and noticeable dark circles under her eyes.

Behind all the tiredness in her eyes, a small glimmer of passion shines.

She shows me a small smile and I snap out of it, continuing on with my morning routine.

When I finish, I haul myself out of the bathroom and make my way to the kitchen for some quick breakfast.

I put some oil in the pan and crack two eggs in it.

While they cook, I put two pieces of bread in the toaster and grab an avocado from the fridge.

I cut it open, remove the pit, and mash the fresh avocado in a bowl, adding some salt and pepper for flavor.

I then flip the egg and take out the delicious toast, setting it on two plates and spreading the mashed avocado on it.

The eggs finish cooking and I set them on the toast.

Finally! I can sit down and enjoy some food.

I grab a plate and pick up the toast.

"Mmmmm!" I hum in delight as I taste the salty and peppery mixture in the avocado.

As I'm halfway done, PJ comes down the stairs, yawning and stretching.

He is wearing a black hoodie that is zipped up to his chest, a white shirt inside with some kind of design, and regular fitted black-gray jeans.

"M-Morning."

"Morning..." He mumbles quietly, rubbing his eyes.

He sits down at the table and I push the plate in front of him.

"I-I made breakfast...?"

"Thanks, (Y/N). I really need this..."

He takes a huge bite of it and his expression completely changes.

"Mmm! This is good!"

"O-Oh? Thanks," I give him a little smile.

He stares at his plate but continues to eat, a little magenta glow appearing on his face.

When we finish our breakfast, I take our plates and wash them.

"It's still kinda early so do you wanna try to skate to the park?"

"S-Sure?"

I find the medicine I was given to yesterday and fill a glass of water.

"One pill a day or every 24 hours..." I murmur to myself.

I swallow one of the tablets and my soul gives off a weird sensation.

I can't describe the feeling other than feeling satisfied and relieved. Maybe it's supposed to help with positive emotions since souls can crack with negative ones.

I go upstairs into my room and strap on my helmet and safety gear.

I stuff a few things into my black backpack, grab my skateboard, and sprint back down to PJ.

He leans on the wall and holds his skateboard, which is black with paint splatters of different colors.

I quickly put on my shoes.

"Ready to go?"

"Mm-hmm."

He opens the door for me and a small gust of wind blows my hair up.

A little chilly, but I can deal with it.

"Okay, so first, what you want to do is try balancing on the skateboard before we start moving it."

I drop the skateboard on the ground and try to get on it.

Just as I put my right foot on it, PJ speaks up,

"I would recommend putting your left foot first because you usually push with your right."

I switch position and try to put my left foot on the skateboard but it wobbles and moves.

"Here, let me help you."

I gratefully take his held out arms and properly stand on the skateboard.

It continues to wobble while my legs shake with the fear of falling on my mind.

After a while of standing with PJ's arms supporting me, my legs stop trembling.

He slowly backs away from me and I stay balanced without falling over.

I try this a few more times and successfully stay on the board after several trials.

"Looks like you got the first step. Let's move on to the second. You want to have your left foot forward, parallel to the board. Then, you want to push gently with your right foot and position your feet to be perpendicular to the board."

He gets on his skateboard and does a little demonstration of his explanation.

I follow suit and thankfully have little to no trouble.

"Alright, try going a little faster."

I try to pick up some more speed but I end up stumbling off.

"You okay?" He asks me, stopping the skateboard from rolling away.

"Y-Yeah..."

"Let's try that again."

I get on and try moving again but my body refuses to balance with the board.

After a few more times of trying again and again, I successfully roll on the skateboard without falling over.

"That's great progress! How 'bout we skate to the park?"

"O-Okay."

PJ gets on his board and starts going, in which I try to follow as fast as I can without falling.

He looks back at me for a quick second, slowing down and yelling back, "Keep your knees slightly bent!"

I bend my knees a little and continue.

I sway here and there but overall, it was a smooth ride.

We arrive at the park in no time and we see Skate doing a few tricks.

PJ was right. There was no one else at the skate park.

"Hey, guys!"

"Mornin'."

"H-Hey."

"Let's get started—"

"Oh, by the way, I taught her how to ride it without falling off. I think she just needs to learn to turn and the basics should be down."

"Oh, thanks, PJ!"

PJ skates away to a ramp and starts practicing.

"Okay, so you already got most of the basics down, thanks to PJ. We're gonna learn to turn.

But first, let's go over there," she points at a slanted ground, "And try not to fall off."

When we get there, Skate instructs me to skate down without losing my balance.

After several attempts and a few scrapes, I manage to skate down with only a little teeter.

"To turn, you just have to shift your weight to the front and back depending on the direction."

She skates down the slant and turns by leaning back and forth.

When it was my turn, I lean forward but stumble off the board.

"Careful! Don't lean forward too much. Just enough so that the board will tilt."

I try again, this time heeding her advice.

I fall again.

But I'm not giving up so easily!

With every fall, I get back up and try again.

An hour or two passes by and I've got the basic down by heart.

"Wow, you've improved so much in a few hours!" PJ exclaims, impressed by the improvement.

"A-A few...?" I ask, surprised at how fast time went.

"Yeah, it's almost 1:30," Skate tells me, not phased by it.

Nope, not one or two, SIX.

"T-That's six hours..." I mumble, stunned at how much time I spent.

"What are you talking about? Learning the basics of skating in just six hours is an extremely good record!"

"Oh...a-alright then..."

PJ's phone suddenly vibrates and he picks it a call.

"Hey.

...

Yeah, we are.

...

Sure, but why?

...

Oh, okay. See you in 15.

...

Bye."

He hangs up and speaks again, "It's dads. They want us home for lunch."

We walk out of the park and cruise back home.

Thankfully, it was a smooth ride.

"Wanna meet back at the park tomorrow? Same time," Skate asks.

"Y-Yeah," I confirm.

"Great! See ya both tomorrow!" She skates away.

~A/N~
For anyone who can actually skate, I'm so sorry if I got some information wrong :C

I only do research, I don't skate °^°

So, I apologize
Also um...
School's closed the whole year •-•
Now, this could go both ways
I could have more time to write
Or I could be overloaded with work each day
...
Let's just hope I don't get crushed with work ^^

Word count: 3059 words (including A/N)

*nopes out*