“And I think that would be the end of this lesson; guys, do you have any questions?” Looking at my students, I realized they were looking at me, except for a few that were already preparing their things for when the bell rings, “am… guys? Is there something wrong?” A girl with bright pink highlights raised her hand, “Yes, Anika?” “Teacher, did you change something recently?” I blink for a moment and think about it, I did buy a new deodorant and shampoo along with some new clothes, but none that I show on my work. “I don’t think… why?” Ceecee threw her phone into her bag and said “Well Teach, you kind of look… what’s the right word girls?” she asked her group of friends “Radian?” one said as she put her tablet in her bag “joyful?” the other one said while confirming her ride back home “like less demanding?” a guy I tend to keep my eye on said, I coughed “or maybe you guys are pulling your weight in class?” I offered, but most shook their heads “no, no, you are an ogre," “but like in a cool kind of way!” “I would like less work and more games!” Soon, they were all a few steps from rioting, “GUYS!” I raised my voice to quiet them down “Look, I don’t know what to tell you guys, I don’t think I have done anything differently” Ceecee smirked “Maybe you found someone you like?” and lucky I was saved by the bell, as regardless of what is going on in the class, every student rushed to get out of my classroom and out of the school, but I was not on the clear as when Ceecee and her friends left they made a heart shape with their index and thumbs at me, when I was alone erasing the board I looked at myself in my phone but I looked just the same.

“Look, LOOK!” I told Michel as I ran to the Sea Lion´s habitat and tried not to press my face against the glass, they are so adorable. Michel jogged, new to me, and took a deep breath to regain some air. “Re… Remind me again why do… do you like about these things?” I glare at him as the Sea Lion made some guttural noises behind the glass, “EVERYTHING!” I pointed at the one that was making the noises, “See? Jakalo is such a good boy, and he deserves all the fish in the world!” The sea lion rolled on the ground and drummed on his belly, such a joyous sight that I could just die. “… so you like dumb looking creatures?” “You are a dumb looking creature!” he smirked “I… yeah I think I am” I squinted at him “look you know how I can be with animals, I just… I love them, okay” he nodded as Jakalo danced for extra fish “you always love to help innocent animals, remember the time you were ready to kick people for hurting a rat?” “oh I was ready to brake the arm of the one jerk that had the stick, the poor rat was just running in the street” he nodded and moved some of his curls out of his forehead, he looked like he was about to say something else but instead he pointed to Jakalo, and how he was now playing with one of his friends, his handler passed them a ball and they started to pass it around and I think my soul left my body.

“So, are you ready for the main event?” Michel asked me, I smirked “is this the part I give you another kiss in the cheek and you become part of the habitats?” he blushed and stomped on the ground “No and shut up!” he scolded me, then he swallowed hard and pulled another set of tickets form his wallet “what are those?” he coughed still red in the face “so… I know how much you love penguins and maybe I lie to you when I said that their habitat was unavailable today” I looked at the tickets in his hand north pole skate rink appeared in them with a cartoon drawing of a penguin in an elf and Santa outfits “so… funny story, I kinda know someone in the zoo and pulled some strings to get this tickets, we can skate while surrounded by penguin… why are you crying?!?” what I wanted to say was OH MY GOD THANK YOU! What came out was just uncomprehensible squeaking noises and tears after I calmed down and assuring security nothing bad happened Michel walked me to the area prepared for the rink, tickets were sold out almost immediately I saw the advertisement but resigned when I saw the waiting list, the idea is your normal skate rink but the outside of the rink is the habitat for penguins on the outside, for them the habitat is cold just like their natural home, while for us is enough with a good jacket to go by, Michel passed me a jacket as obviously I didn’t bring mine and we got on the skates and that’s when I noticed “Michel… have you ever skate before?”

“What gave you that crazy idea?” I pointed at his skates, “You tied them wrongly,” he murmured something as he redid the knots, “and have you skated before Mr. Smug?” I rolled my eyes and walked to the rink, Michel behind me as he took shaky steps, “Observe,” I told him, and stepped onto the ice, though not the same, my core strength and balance are something that I have well trained. I figure the motions quickly and even spin in front of him, “see?” “The fu- how?” I skated in a circle near the entrance “compare to the things I do for kendo, the basics are there” he nodded and stepped in he tried to move but ended ass first in the ice a few penguins made noises like if they were laughing “I wanted to do that!” he said and angrily stood up he took another step and started to move his arms up and down in an attempt to not end up in the ice, I grasped his arm before he hit the ice “Got you” and it was there again we looked at each other as the pinguins and other skaters surrounded us I helped him up, he was going to fall again but this time he clanged to my body for support “I… I didn’t plant this for this okay?!?” he said embarrassed while holding onto me, the repulsion is still there and a part of me wants to push him off me but the fact that he is shaking in fear of falling keeps me from doing so… maybe I do like dumb looking creatures after all “do you want me to help you?” in a way this is another test, in the past he would rather die than let me help him, he would assume and told me that there was no way I could do something better than him and I had to make myself small to cater to him so when he said in a small drowned voice “yeah… I´ll appreciate it” my heart melted a little bit.

“okay, this will only happen here, you hear me” he nodded “gave me your arm” I hooked mine and his arm together and glare when he looked so pleased and happy “this is strictly for helping you, okay” “I will enjoy it all the same” I lightly hit his knee with mine and sent a wave of shakiness through his body “Don’t!” he told me “strictly platonic” I told him he pouted and nodded “okay try to follow my rhythm, move your feet like if you trace a line that opens the more you move forward” he had difficulties at first but in time he gained confidence to do the motions “you are a great teacher” I smiled “thanks, want to try by yourself?” he cling to my arm “No I don’t think I´l-” “Michie-man!” Michel then remained me on my anger as he immediately pushed me away from him and into the ice I was about to get up and sweep his leg to introduce his jaw to the ice but I stopped as I saw “Luis, what are you doing here?” Michel said and skated away with Luis next to him “Bastard…” I said and stood up then felt a tap on my shoulder, I turned around and a girl with her husband were grinning at me “Mari… what are you doing here?” Mari and her husband Alex waved, they both had their matching jackets and were skating hand in hand “I tough it was you, you see I don’t have my glasses and I can’t see past Alex, but I tough I heard you” Mari said and lucky for me she didn’t saw Michel nor how he just ditched me for a jackass Alex in the other hand asked “were you helping that stranger that just left you?” Alex never saw Michel, so he has no way of knowing who he was but now I need to think of something as the information of me with someone in this place will get to everyone in a moment “yeah, you know me I like helping people… even when they don’t deserve it” “well his lost, do you want to hang with us?” Mari offered but I waved my hands in front of here close enough for her to see them “nah, it´s fine you and Alex go on your date I´ll skate near the penguins” they agreed and skated away.