Love and Skate (10 page)

             
I had seen Owen in class, but I ran so late that I had to sit by a guy who kept wiping his nose.  I was five or six rows above Owen so I had a good view of his antics.  He nearly fell asleep several times and once I saw his head nod and thought he might fall out of his chair.  He woke up and glanced back at me and I couldn’t help but smile and giggle at him.  After class he had to meet up with Dylan and I had to work.  Now sitting here among my girls, I missed him.  We ordered four pizzas for the whole team and I couldn’t help but think that Owen could probably finish them all off by himself. 

             
I
itched
to text him or call him
,
but I resisted.  I drooled over him every time I saw him, I didn’t want to add needy to his opinion of me.  I got caught by ‘Cut a Ho Jo” gazing into space.  She called me out and then everyone started in on me about that guy that I landed on at last week’s bout.  Then I had to admit that we were dating and then the goading reall
y started.  There were several comments, most of them totally perverse and I spent the rest of the night with them giggling and covering my red face.  By the time we finished eating and almost getting ourselves th
rown out, it was nearly midnight
.

             
I got home and threw myself into bed.  Amber’s door was shut so I knew she was home.  I turned to plug my phone by my bed and noticed a missed message.

             
O: Hope
ur
having fun. 
Missin
’ u.

             
I didn’t want to wake him, but didn’t want him to think I had ignored him either. 

             
N: Phone was on vibrate.
Missin
’ u all day.  Just got in. 

             
He must not have been asleep because I got a return text almost immediately.

             
O: U home?

             
N: Y

             
O:
Tmrw
?

             
N: Y, Lunch?

             
O: Can’t. Lunch with Mom. 
Well damn, just when I thought he couldn’t get any better.

             
N:
Awww
.
Ok.
Goodnight.
Another time.

             
I put my phone back and made sure to turn the ringer on. 
I set my alarm and went to sleep.

             
I made my way to work the next morning to make up for my lost hours the night before.  Cindi wasn’t in and I wasn’t sure if the other employees knew about the offer she’d made to me or not.  So, I just went about business as usual and worked five hours.  I went home and
did some laundry and cleaned out my bag.  By the time I finished my laundry and repacked my bag, it was almost time to go.  I threw on some flops and headed out.

             
I didn’t see Owe
n when I got to Harvey’s Skate Palace
.  I got dressed and went out
to the rink.  I sa
w a blonde girl outside the edge
and she was bent over the table showing all of her goodies right at my man’s face.
I waited.  It went on for way too long.

             
What? Since when do I call him my man?
             

             
Amber was beside me and we both stared as she turned her girls back and forth between Owen and D
ylan.  The look on Amber’s face
could kill and I was sure that mine wasn’t cookies and cream.  But then when the girl moved away from the table and we realized that she had a pair of roller skates on, our scowls turned to smiles.  The
skank
was on the opposing team and she would not be leaving with her teeth intact.

             
“Yo
u thinking what I’m thinking He
llie?”

             
“Yeah, who’s taking the penalty, you or me?”

             
I didn’t care either way.
I just wanted to see the ho on the
flo
.

             
“I’ll take it if you set it up.”

             
“Is she a jammer or a
blocker?” I didn’t see any markings
on her helmet, but that didn’t mean anything.  She could be waiting.

             
“Either way, her ass is mine.”

             
We watched her like two hawks looking for prey as she entered the rink and started warming up.
She had no clue.
I took a quick look at Owen and then to Dylan.  Then back to the boob queen and back to them.  Amber was doing just about the same thing and then the realization came over their faces.  We weren’t girls who cried or folded our arms at a threat.  They were about to see what happens when girls
piss us off
. 

             
The bout started but we were going to play the game first and then hone in on our target.
  We were already winning,
so when I saw Amber nod at me while she passed, I knew it was time.  I skated my ass off as Amber reached her hand out to put me in front of the pack and then I slowed down.  The girl was a jammer and she had finally caught up to me and was trying to
make it through the pack.  I had slowed the whole pack down a bit and it gave Amber the leverage she needed.  I saw her move in and then I took off.  I would use this opportunity to make some points as well.  I rounded the other side and saw Amber throw her entire body backwards into Ms. Show My Boobs and then get up and try to skate away, but she didn’t make it far.  I heard the whistle and knew that Amber was going to get thrown into the penalty box.  But she went with a smile on her face.  Show My Boobs was still on her hands and knees catching her breath. 
Amber yelled something at her
, by the look on her face she knew exactly when she had fouled up,
then
fist bumped
me as she passed me.
 

             
The bout ended and we won again but I knew that meant we faced a really tough team next week.  But for tonight we won and I wanted to celebrate.  But my celebration and everyone else’s were two different things.  I just wanted time with Owen.  But I didn’t know if he would want to go out with everyone else or not. 

             
Amber, Dylan, Owen and I went back to our apartment so we
girls
could shower and change.  We hadn’t made any solid plans but it looked like Dylan and Amber wanted to go out.  Owen was quiet, so I didn’t know what was going to happen.  I came out and Amber was still in her bedroom getting dressed and Dylan was with her. 

             
Owen sat on the couch and I decided to be bold and sat right on his lap.  He inspected my bruises that showed through my tank top.  Thank goodness I wore jeans because I knew there was a huge one on my outer thigh.  It was turning black and blue before we even left the skating rink. 

             
“I’m glad no one decided to take vengeance ou
t on you like you and Amber did to that girl.
”

             
“
I have no idea what you’re talking about.  She was just on the other team. That’s all.”

             
“
Mmmm
—Hmmm. 
You know you have nothing to worry about, right?”

             
“You mean you had no interest in Boob girl?”

             
“None.  I’m only interested in you.”

             
He hugged me to him and just when I was enj
oying myself, Amber and Dylan ca
me out of the bedroom and announce that we were all going to a club.  I could feel
the rumb
le from his chest
and I didn’t know if it was positive or negative.

             
“I hate clubs Amber, you know that.” I whined at her.

             
“Whatever, we’re leaving.  Owen, you coming?”  Dylan took over the conversation.

             
“Nah, I’m not.”

             
Dylan m
umbled something about being whipped as they went out the door.  I turned back to Owen.

             
“You can go if you want to.  I just have never been into clubs and all that.”

             
I started to get up while I said it so he could catch up to Dylan but he held on to me tighter.

             
“What’s it gonna take?” He said it so softly that I almost missed it.

             
“
What?”

             
“I hate clubs and frat parties and drinking and all of that stuff.  I have no interest in that stuff.  Haven’t for a long time. Plus I’ve been dying to see you and I can’t really talk to you or hear your voice in a club now can I?
So what’s it go
nna take to convince you that
with you
is the only place I want to be
?
”

             
I caught that comment about ‘Haven’t for a long time’
but I didn’t give myself away.  He would tell me when he was ready.  Instead, I
ran my hands along his broad shoulders and then met his gaze. 

             
“I was hoping you would say that.” I inched forward and kissed his chin.

             
I continued, “And I’m starving to death.” 

             
“
There’s a place I’ve been meaning to bring you.  If
we leave now we can make it.  You
wanna
go?”

             
“Sure, am I dressed ok?”  I looked down at myself.

             
“You can wear pajamas for all I care.  In fact…”

             
“Ok, ok, I get it.  What’s so special about this place?”

             
“You’ll see.” He smiled as he picked us both up and made for the door.

             
Little did she know that I was taking her to my Mom’s
restaurant in the next town
.  I had spent most of lunch with my mom telling her all about Nellie, even though I had spent most of our phone conversations talking about her.  Mom and Dad really wanted to meet her.  They had been involved, and I welcomed it, in most everything I did after the accident.  I wish I had gone to them after the whole ‘Lucas and Amy’ thing and just talked to them.  Maybe I wouldn’t feel like I was always making it up to them.  But I still felt guilty.

             
I pulled up in the parking lot and the funny thing was that Nellie never even questioned me.  She rolled down her window and let the cool air blow her pink locks.  I reached over to take her hand shortly after we started out and she took it without hesitation.  I didn’t think she was capable of pretenses—ever.

             
The front of the restaurant was closing down, but I told Mom there was a chance we would be coming.  I walked right past the hostess who said ‘hello’ to me and caused Nellie to look confused. 

             
I walked with
her hand in mine on the way to the kitchen.  I asked her to wait
outside and pushed
the swinging door open and looked left and right.  Then I spotted her.  She was smiling ear to ear as she mouthed ‘Is she here?’ to me.  I nodded and she silently clapped.  I walked back out of the kitchen and waited for my mom to come out.  She came out quickly and looked between me and Nellie. 

             
“Nellie, this is my Mom, Sylvia
Black
and this is her restaurant.  Mom, this is Nellie
Forrester
.”

             
Nellie was shocked for a moment and then she and my mom embraced like they were old friends.  Mom kissed her forehead and complimented her on her beauty.  Nellie was graceful and never showed any outward sign of nervousness.  She said that my mom had a beautiful restaurant and knew where I got my good looks from.  I had yet to find anything that she wasn’t a natural at.  And meeting parents was no exception.  Mom said we should find the family table and sit while she cooked us something special. 

             
The family table was a circular table in the back and we sat there and waited.  Nellie wasn’t talking so I didn’t know if she was pissed or furious or worse.  She knitted her fingers with mine under the table and smiled at me and I knew it was ok. 

             
“You could’ve told me.  The outcome would’ve been the same.” She reassured me.