( chapter nine )

" She wasn't exactly sure when it happened. Or even when it started. All she knew for sure was that right here and now, she was falling hard and she could only pray that he was feeling the same way. "

- Nicholas Sparks, Safe Haven

❁

"HOW DID YOU FIND ME?" Y/N asked Tom as they walked outside the clubhouse.

She heard Tom chuckle before replying and scratched the back of his neck. "I actually went to your room to check if you were there. But it was just Erika and she told me that you were looking for me."

All Y/N could do was nod in agreement. "I'm glad you did." She muttered quietly.

They both stopped walking when they saw an open ice skating rink. There was no one there except for a woman who us managing the ice rink. She was probably waiting for the closing time.

Tom suddenly stopped walking and looked back at Y/N.

"I—" He started but hesitated for a moment.

"I wanted to go ice skating with you." He said while looking at her.

That's when Y/N felt guilty on her chest.

"Then Erika told me you just wanted to stay in your room. Probably reading some books you've bought." He said and chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, I actually did." She said and smiled a little until she felt guilty again.

"I'm sorry, Tom." She apologized. "I shouldn't have to eavesdrop your conversation with Camille. I mean, I didn't know you would be there in the first place but—" She stopped for a while, trying to get her thought settled. "I should've walked away before I could hear what you were talking."

Tom felt guilty too. He took a step closer to her before apologizing back. "I'm sorry too." He wrapped his arms around her. "I shouldn't have gotten mad at you. Just because you talked to Aiden. He snuggled his face of her neck.

"Just— don't ignore me like that anymore." He whispered and Y/N felt his breath on her neck that sent shivers down her spine. "Please."

She placed her hand on his curly and fluffy hair and started playing with it. "I won't, Tom," Y/N whispered back.

"There's still time to go ice skating before it closes." She suggested. Tom pulled away and look at her for a second.

"Have you experienced skating in your life?" He asked.

"Nope. This my first time." She said that made Tom chuckle.

They walked together hand-in-hand towards the lady who was in charge of the rink. She charged them for free since it was already almost closing for the day which made Y/N really happy.

They went to the locker room near the rink where they put on their ice skates.

"Here, let me help you," Tom said once he was done putting on his skates and saw Y/N struggling to put on hers.

"Thank you," Y/N said as she blushed when Tom got on one knee and helped her put on the skates.

When they were done, Y/N cling on to Tom since she couldn't balance walking with the skates on.

Don't fall, don't fall, don't fall. That was Y/N muttering to herself which Tom could hear just and laugh at her.

As they got to the ice rink, Tom could already balance himself while Y/N was hesitant. When she placed her foot on the ice, she immediately almost fell but luckily, Tom was holding her.

"Yep, I'm definitely gonna have to teach you," Tom said.

"You have to, Thomas!"

❁

"This. Is. So. Much. Fun!" Y/N exclaimed once she already balanced herself and started gliding carefully. Tom just stood there proudly as she finally knew how balance and move around the ice.

Although Y/N could feel that she gained many bruises on her legs from falling how many times, she continued to slide around.

"Tom! Come on join me." She said when she stopped and looked at him. He chuckled and slid towards her. Before he could approach her, Y/N almost lose her balance and she was ready to fall but Tom wouldn't let that happen. He quickly glides to her and caught her before she could fall.

"That was close." She said.

"Are you okay?" Tom asked, concerned.

She nodded and chuckled. "I think I need to sit down. Can we sit in the ice?"

"If you could resist the coldness, then yes." He said and both of them sat down carefully. It was hard to sit down at first because of their skates.

As Y/N sat down, she looked up and saw the starts glowing brighter than ever.

While Y/N was doing that, Tom couldn't help but look at her. He didn't know how beautiful she looked. And that changed just now.

Y/N could sense someone staring at her and looked at Tom and caught him staring at her.

"What are you looking at?" Y/N asked and felt her cheeks burn up.

"Just you." He said.

They both just stared at each other in the eyes until Tom grabbed her by the waist and slowly pulled her closer to him. She just went along with it. Their faces inches apart from each other.

Y/N decided to close it by bringing Tom's face closer by the nape of his neck and pressed her lips to his. He answered the kiss and placed his hand on the right side of her cheek. He could feel her cheek heating up even though they were in the middle of the ice.

Before things could get heated, Y/N pulled away but their foreheads are pressed to each other. She looked at Tom once again before speaking. "It's really cold in here, we should evacuate." She said and giggled which caused Tom to laugh at her.

"My ass is already freezing too." Tom joked and they laughed.

Tom stood up first and helped Y/N stand up which almost made them fell because of the skates.

"These skates are annoying at some point," Y/N said. "Let's go." She added. Tom smiled at her and held her hand and they went to take off their skates before going back to the clubhouse.

Y/N wrapped her arms around an arm Tom while they were walking. They talked and laughed until they reached their rooms. It was just close to each other.

"Well," Y/N said and pulled away from her arms from his. "This is my room."

"I know that," Tom said and laughed. Y/N rolled her eyes playfully. "Just pretend you didn't." She said and went to the door.

Before she could go in, Tom caught her arm and pulled her to his chest. She looked at him and he pressed his lips to hers. She smiled in the kiss and kissed him back. They both pulled back after how many seconds.

"This is real now, right?" Y/N asked him. He smiled at her before he could answer back.

"Of course. We don't have to pretend anymore." He said that made Y/N smiled at him.

"We should sleep now." She said before pulling away from his arms.

"Good night, love." He said with a smile.

She felt herself blush first. "Night, Tom." She smiled back and opened the door to the room and went inside. She saw Erika was already asleep soundly and peacefully so she tried not to squealed about what just happened with Tom.

She has never experienced this strong feeling towards anyone. Not even with Aiden.

She slowly made her way to her bed beside Erika's. Once she was settled down, she felt her phone vibrate and she quickly checks who it was. It was him:

She was smiling the whole time during the short text. After, she placed her phone down on the nightstand table. She continued to smile while looking up at the ceiling.

Little did she know that Tom was doing the same thing. Smiling like an idiot who just won a lottery.

She knew this she will never ever forget this day.

And neither will Tom.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

A/N: another update and this time, not for how many months, hehe. you guys deserve this. i hope you guys liked it and see you at the next chapter! love ya'll ♡.

WORD COUNT 1,390 words
PUBLISHED march 30, 2020