Chapter eleven

By the time I had got home it was three in the afternoon. I had spent three hours at Theo’s looking at his mom and dad’s wedding pictures and flipping through the old pictures with Theo. And I must say, Theo is still as cute as he was back then. Sadly, I had to say my goodbye’s as I wanted to get home before David and my dad got home. As I unlocked the door and walked into the hall I almost screamed. I didn’t expect anyone to be home, especially David.

        “Oh, hi Aurora. Did I happen to scare you?” He asked as he got up and walked up to me. David wasn’t in his suit that he had worn to work this morning. Now he was in casual clothing.

        “Yeah, I just didn’t think you would be home so early. I’m sorry I made you wait. I was just at Theo’s.” I said.

        “Oh, Theo.” He said with a suppressed smile.

        “Don’t tell me dad told you about it.” I said in disbelief.

        “He may or may not have told me about a crush on a cake smashing boy.” Never once while saying that sentence did David make eye contact with me. I blushed feverishly.

        “Hey, why don’t we head down to the place? I can’t wait to see your face when you see it.” He said as he offered his arm to me. I gladly took it and the two of us were of this is mystery place.

*

        Oh god no. David did not bring me here. Oh no. I was panicking as he pulled into a parking space in front of the roller skating rink. I looked at the building and knew my nightmares were going to come true. Let me just clear up something. As a kid I was never coordinated and as a teenager, I’m still not coordinated. I remember while Sammie and the rest of the kids in the neighborhood were out with their scooters and rollerblades, I would sit inside with my brain, a pen and some paper. I mean I was perfectly happy. It’s just that I feared if I had to limbo with roller skates on or do anything with them on, I would fall on my ass. Luckily, I had past those years without having to do it, but now there was no backing out.

        David and I walked up to the entrance of the rink and he opened the door for me. Flashing him a nervous smile, I walked into the rink. In the middle was a wooden floor with people varying in age rollerskating. Couples held hands and pushed off with their wheeled shoes as little children did tricks that looked far too dangerous. David’s hands were on my back, a sign for me to continue on. I dodged my way through rollerskating kids and made my way to the counter. A teenage girl smiled at me, but then her eyes went wide. 

“No way.” She said looking at me. I turned around to make sure she was taking, and then pointed a finger to myself. 

“Yes, you! You’re Aurora Sitters! I’ve read your book and its to die for. I’ve read it so many times I can tell you which dialogue is on which page. Oh, god that sounds awfully creepy. I promise I’m not creepy. I just really love your books. I’m probably rambling now so I’m going to stop. What is your size?” She said taking a breather at the end. Her eyes had a sparkle in them, the same sparkle whenever I had people talk to me about my book and it really made me feel out of the world. Her rambling almost made me forget my stress of rollerblading, until she asked that question. 

“Um, size 8, please.” I say giving her a nervous look. She nods and turns to David. 

“Size 10.” The girl turns and goes into the back to find our sizes. I lean against the counter trying not to make much eye contact with David, but just as my eyes were wondering they ended up making eye contact with David. He had a board smile on his face. 

“Is this what happen all the time?” He asked rising an eyebrow while jutting his chin out to the girl. 

“Some times, but its nice. I like talking to them.” I said with a genuine smile. 

“ I could tell.” Just as I was ask how he could tell the girl returned with two pairs of shoes. 

“Here are your shoes! That will be $12.” She said placing the shoes on the counter. I reached into my bag to pay when David grabbed my arm and gave me a shocked look.

“You didn’t think I would make you pay, did you?” He said looking a little offended. I didn’t know what to say because I felt whatever I say at this moment would make me look like an idiot. David’s shocked face then turned into one of amusement.

“I’m just messing with you, Aurora. But I’m still paying.” He pulled out his wallet and give the girl her money. She gladly accepted the money and David and I took our shoes. 

“I hope you have fun, Aurora!” Called the girl after me. I turned and give her a nervous smile, but it looked like I had twitch. David and I made our way to a long wooden bench, where David immediately began lacing up, while I just sat there staring at my skates. By the time David was done putting on his skates I had barely taken off my shoes. 

“Aurora, why haven't you put on your skates?” He asked as his gently placed his hand on my knee. I gulped and looked up at him. 

“What if I say I have never roller-skated before?” David’s eyes went wide and he was just about to laugh when he saw the pleading in my eyes and he covered it up with a cough. 

“Um, you’ve never been roller-skating? I can not believe it. Well don’t worry, its always time to learn something new.” He said as he stood up, but I looked at the ground and the skates. I heard a sigh leave David’s mouth and the next thing I know is he is crouched on the floor, eye level with me. He placed his hand under my chin and lifted my chin, so I was making eye contact with him. 

“You know, Aurora, it’s okay.” 

“No, it’s not okay. I don’t want to go out and make a fool out of myself. Do you know how embarrassing that is?” I ask covering my face with my hands. 

“Aurora, you’re seventeen! Are you really scared of landing on your butt? Everyone does on their first try! I don’t know a single person you has been on roller-skates for the first time and hasn’t fallen.” David said with his arms crossed against his chest. He was definitely not giving up. 

“Fine, but if I fall and everyone points and laughs at me its on you.” I say pulling off my sneakers and placing my sock clad feet in the skates. After lacing them up David offers his hand and I gratefully take it, because there is no way in hell I could stand up in roller skates. He gently pulled me along. It was really weird walking on something that was moving and since I was looking down so much you would except me not to trip, but what did I end up doing? Yes, tripping. My life flashed before my eyes for the second time that day, but a pair of hands grabbed my arms. I had not landed face flat. I was okay. I was still breathing. The two hands that were supporting me belonged to David. I looked up and he had a serious look on his face, but his eyes were calming and reassuring. 

“I will always be there when you’re about to fall, Aurora. No matter what.” And I knew that statement was true. David in the span for two days has already put his trust in me. I’ve never had it in me to trust people, because I always pushed people away in a way to protect myself, because every time I trusted someone they seemed to disappear from my life or ended up hurting me. But David, he barely knew me and was willing to be there for me. That’s true love. When you trust someone to catch you when you’re falling. With a smile, I stood up straighter and grabbed a hold of his arm. 

“I know. Now let’s go limbo in our roller-skates!” I say as I tugged on David. He shook his head, but followed behind me into the rink. Once in the rink I immediately grabbed ahold of the railing because damn was the floor slippery. I then turned around to face David and held onto his arms with a death like grip. 

“Aurora, I’m going to have to ask ease up. I think my arm is beginning to bruise.” He said with a slight laugh. I nod and ease my grip, but still maintain a good distance incase I need to hold onto something. 

“See, it’s not that hard, is it? How about I just give you a slight push?” He said as he placed his hand on my back. I gulped and nodded. I gave a silent to the Gods above when I felt myself move forward. 

“Aurora, you need to open your eyes to see where you’re going!” Yelled David from behind me. Oh, right. I slowly opened both my eyes and found myself not going that fast and it was surprisingly easy. Man, why hadn’t I done this before? It was like gliding. I turned back around and skated my way to David how had the proudest look on his face. 

“You’re a pro! Come on let’s go around the rink.” He said as he begin skating off. I followed and the two of us talked. We talked about the little quirks my dad has to just generally getting to know one another. I truly liked David. He was just like my dad is so many ways, but also a little different. And most importantly, he was in love with my dad which couldn’t make me happier. Just as we were in the middle of talking an announcer came and the lights in the rink dimmed. 

“Are you ready to limbo?” asked the announcer in an utterly low tone while a colorful disco ball lowered from the roof. David gave me a nudged and gave a questioning look towards the two people in the middle holding the limbo bar.  

“Why not?” I yell over the music that started playing and the two of us limboed our way out of the rink.

*

I unlocked the front door and David and I talked while walking through the house to the kitchen, where my dad was currently sitting and reading the paper. He looked up and found us laughing.

“Where did you guys go?” He asked folding up the paper and placing his chin in his hand. 

“David took me roller skating.” I said nonchalantly and shrugged my shoulder. 

“Wait, you took my daughter roller skating?” My dad asked quizzically at David. David nodded in response.

“My daughter doesn’t do much physical movement and she definitely would never do roller skating. She hates it. So where did you guys really go?” He said. I placed my hand over my heart and looked offended at him. 

“Hey, I do physical movement. Remember that time I ran the mile?” 

“That doesn’t count, Aurora. You were forced to do it if not you would have failed gym.” I gave my dad that point. 

“We really did go to the roller skating rink. Aurora is actually really good.” David said as he placed his arm around my shoulder. I looked at my dad with a smug look. 

“You’re serious? Oh. Well I guess I take back what I said. Oh, and Aurora? Before I forget, a special someone called for you.” I looked at him a little confused.

“Who?”

“You’re special someone!” My dad emphasized more, as if that would suddenly make me aware what he was talking about. 

“Dad, come on. Who called?” I asked. 

“Theo.” I blushed a deep scarlet color. That’s who my dad was referring to as my ‘special someone’. 

“Okay, cool. I guess I’ll call him back. Um, so I’m going to head up.” I said as I ran out of the kitchen to avoid any questioning. I ran up the flight of stairs and dropped my bag onto my bed and fished out my phone. Dialing up Theo’s number, I waited for him to pick up. 

“Hi, Aurora.” He said in a smooth tone. It had barely been a couple of hours but I was already missing him and his voice. 

“Hi.” I said in a rather breathless tone. That was because I was a little out of breath from running up the stairs and hearing Theo’s voice. 

“So, I’m guessing your Dad told you I called?” He asked. 

“Yeah, so what’s up?” 

“I wanted to know how the roller rink went.” He said and I swear he was wearing a smug look on his face at the moment.

“You didn’t tell me and almost made me die. You know I hate roller skating!” I said scolding him, but in a joking tone. 

“Hey, you had to get over your fear of roller skating sooner or later, so I made it sooner. I actually helped you at, Aurora. You should be thankful.” I rolled my eyes. 

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. But David did really help a lot. He held me, making sure I didn't fall.” 

“So is he family to you?” Theo asked and I paused to think. Technically, David and my dad weren’t married but they have lived so long together it already felt like family to them. But to me, who just met David two days ago, it was a little new. However, after today and placing my trust in him and seeing how he really cared for me like I was his own daughter I couldn’t think of him as someone else. 

“Yes. David is family.” I said with a smile. 

“There is no love better than family love because you know they’ll always be there.” 

“I agree. I guess this one is another adventure of love. Just one without you. It was actually better.” I said biting my lip as I said that comment, trying to hold back my laughter. 

“Hey! The adventures of love with me are so much better, and you know it!” And I had to admit, they were better. I got to be close to Theo and just be with him. 

“Oh, I wanted to ask you something. Did you not like the apple pie I got for lunch?” I ask fiddling with my a strand of my hair. 

“No. Why do you ask?” 

“Well I over heard you saying that you weren’t in love with apple pie to Ashley.” I said. I heard Theo do that nervous laugh he had done before. 

“No, no. I love apple pie. I was telling her something else. You didn’t happen to hear the rest of the conversation, did you?” He asked. I could the anxiousness in his tone. 

“No. Why is there a secret I’m missing out on?” I asked, sitting up eager. 

“Yes, I mean no. It’s not a secret, it’s just. It’s nothing Aurora. Go to sleep. You need to sleep. You need to get up early tomorrow.” He said. 

“Why am I getting up early? I don’t get up early unless there is a fire.” I said groaning at the thought of getting up. 

“Well don’t you want to go on another adventure of love, but this time with the lovely Theo Simmons?” I laughed in response. 

“Fine. Good night, Theo.” 

“Night, Rory.” 

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Hey guys,

omg i updated. after like 5 billion years. I'm such a little shit. like im the worst author to ever exist.  Im sorry for the lack of updates, its my junior year of high school or what grade that is in your country (like sixth form for all yall british/aussies out there) and here in america its like the year that decides college and life in general. I will be super busy until like decemeber, but ill try my best to sneak in updates :) After decemember i'm all yours :)

thank you so much for sticking with me and my horrendous writing schedule and my not-so-amazing writing. It literally means the world to me that people like what I write. 

Vote, comment, fan! 

love,

Alex :)