Afterwards, Kevin walked Lisa home.
‘Thank you for today’ Lisa said to him, as they reached the building her father was staying. ‘I really had fun today.’
‘Yeah’ Kevin smiled widely. ‘I did too.’
‘It was really nice to see you again…after all this time.’
‘Yeah…it was…’ Kevin replied, ‘I mean…it was nice to see you again.’
She smiled.
‘Can we meet again,’ Lisa asked him, ‘tomorrow maybe?’
‘I would love that’ Kevin nodded. ‘I want to see you as much as possible before you go.’
She nodded slowly.
‘Maybe you can tell me how you got those bruises’ she said to him.
Kevin’s heart jolted then, as he raised his hand unconsciously to his face.
‘This…this is nothing…’ he mumbled.
‘Don’t lie to me’ she spoke softly.
Kevin smiled in return.
‘See you tomorrow then’ she said to him, stepping forward and giving him a tight hug.
‘Yeah’ Kevin mumbled, holding her back. ‘I look forward to it.’
She stepped back, looking up into his face. She was a head shorter than him, and her height only came up to the top of his shoulders.
‘Well then’ she sighed, ‘bye….’
She turned and walked away, the skirt of her dress swaying as she went.
Kevin stared after her, his eyes dreamy, he sighed.
*
‘It’s so great to see her again, I can’t believe it after all this time’ Kevin was saying.
‘Mh-hm’ Christina mumbled, working in the kitchen.
She came back to him, putting a plate of food before him.
‘Mm this looks really good’ Kevin said.
‘No need to flatter’ Christiana smiled.
‘No, I mean it’ he said.
She sat at the table opposite him, leaning forwards on her elbows and beginning to eat ungracefully.
‘You’re right it is good’ she said. ‘Hey can I have some money?’ she asked him suddenly.
‘Oh…’ he said glancing up. ‘Yeah sure.’
‘I hope it’s not a problem’ she said.
‘No, I should have enough’ he said to her. ‘I saved a bit before I moved out’ he explained. ‘But um…I do need to make a bit more’ he admitted.
‘You want to get a job?’ Christina offered.
‘Yeah’ Kevin said. ‘I did glance briefly at the noticeboard in the post office some time ago…’
‘What happened to your last job?’ she asked him.
‘I um…well the guy was a dick.’
‘You mean your boss?’
‘Yeah’ Kevin said. ‘I don’t mind taking orders but some people just like bossing people around because they can………I wasn’t taking any of that.’
‘Hm. Well.’ Christina leant back in her chair with a heavy sigh. ‘One of the places I work at is currently hiring’ she said to him. ‘If you’re interested I could ask for you?’
‘Oh yes’ Kevin said eagerly. ‘That would be awesome if I could get a job….it would get me out of that dam apartment’ he grumbled, thinking about Justin. ‘And it would keep me busy when I’m out of school.’
‘When do you go back?’
‘Um. Next week I think.
Christina bowed her head.
‘You haven’t seen Justin again?’
‘No’ Kevin said cutting up his food, ‘not since that day.’
They continued to eat in silence after that.
*
The next day, Kevin met with Lisa again. He met her outside the building where her father was staying, his heart skipping in his chest as she danced up to him.
‘Are we ready to go?’ Lisa gleamed at him, weaving her arm through his.
‘Um…yeah…’ Kevin grinned down at her, blushing slightly as she smiled up at him.
She’s so pretty…. oh god…. stay calm self!
‘Let’s go’ he began. ‘Where would you like to go first?’
‘Anywhere as long as I’m with you’ she cooed.
Kevin’s heart soared then, rising in his chest and staying there, not coming down.
‘I uh…. I just thought of something’ Kevin spoke out loud. ‘Do you remember the ice rink?’
Lisa gasped with excitement, eyes wide with anticipation and shimmering.
‘We haven’t been there for years’ she breathed.
‘I haven’t been there since we were there together last’ Kevin replied.
Lisa squealed in delight, squeezing his arm tightly, before slowly letting go of him.
‘It’s such a nice day today’ Lisa said to him. ‘I know it’s a long way but, do you think we could walk there?’
‘Of course.’
Lisa beamed, balling her fists over her chest.
‘Do you think…we could hold hands?’ she asked him.
Kevin’s stomach tightened nervously.
‘I-I…. would love that…’
She beamed at him, reaching her hand out for him to take.
Kevin reached out to her in turn, taking her hand in his left hand, holding her firmly but gently.
‘I’m having fun already’ she said to him.
‘Yeah’ he replied. ‘Me too.’
*
The walk was over an hour, but it went by very quickly, Lisa and Kevin’s continued conversation flowing back and forth so fluidly, even their periods of silence were comfortable, and as they went, Kevin glanced over towards Lisa as they walked hand in hand.
She caught his glance, looking back at him in turn.
He smiled at her warmly, this time his nervous waves had gone. He was totally calm now.
She gave him a cheesy grin, causing him to chuckle.
They walked on in silence.
They reached the ice rink and Kevin offered to pay, insisting over Lisa’s protests. She waited a step behind him happily as he made a request for their ice skates.
‘Here’ he said handing hers to her.
‘Just as I remember’ she said, holding them in her hands, before lowering them, glancing back up at him. ‘Come on’ she said shoving him playfully with her shoulder. ‘Let’s go.’
Minutes later Lisa sat on one of the benches, staring down at Kevin who knelt before her, tying her shoelaces.
‘Ok?’ he grinned up at her when he was done.
‘Yeah’ she said blushing.
‘Come on then’ he said rising, he had already put his own skates on. ‘Let’s get on the ice.’
She took his hand she offered to him, allowing him to pull her into a stand.
They walked awkwardly across the floor, heading towards the ice.
Kevin pulled back, allowing Lisa onto the ice first and following after her.
It was difficult walking on the skates, but once on the ice, they were graceful in each other’s arms.
They both wore only thin shirts, but it was only moments before they began to warm up. Breaking apart for a moment they skated side by side, jumping up in the air and turning sharply, skating backwards now and performing a spin. Lisa lost her balance and fell with a bump on the ice. Kevin turned back to her, breaking sharply and spraying her with ice, causing her to protest loudly.
He leant down to help her up, taking both her hands in his.
‘I’m sorry’ he laughed, brushing ice from her face, ‘are you ok?’
‘Yeah’ she giggled, brushing her nose playfully. ‘I’m good.’
Kevin took her hands again, pulling her forwards. Kevin skated backwards, pulling Lisa with him as she skated forwards. He let go of one of her hands, skating with her hand in his around the rink, careful to avoid the other people around, though it was quiet on this day. At one point, Lisa laughed at Kevin, who broke away from her to perform some fancy footwork on the ice, spinning again and again. Lisa clapped approvingly, copying him.
They were both experienced skaters, having spent so many days of their childhood practicing. Even after years without practice, neither of them forgot how to skate
*
They skated for hours, coming off the ice only when they began to get hungry, Kevin helping her off the ice.
They ate in the café on the balcony overlooking the rink, watching now the other people skate.
‘Oh, I’m having so much fun!’ Lisa declared at one point, leaning back and kicking her fleet playfully. ‘Aren’t you having fun?’ she said to Kevin.
‘Yeah I am’ Kevin grinned happily back. ‘It’s so great to…you know…’
‘Just like old times hu?’ Lisa replied, slurping through her straw loudly and glancing up at him.
They had both finished their meals now and were nearly ready to go.
Kevin received a text on his mobile then, pulling it from his pocket.
He read it.
‘Oh’ he said.
‘Is everything alright?’ Lisa asked, putting her drink down.
‘Yes’ Kevin replied. ‘My parents want me to come home. They have something to tell me.’
‘Do you want me to go away?’
‘Oh no of course not’ Kevin fumbled. ‘I want you with me…if you want to I mean.’
‘Of course,’ Lisa gleamed. ‘I want to stay with you as long as possible.’
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