“I think about him from time to time. I miss his stupid smile and the way he’d watch hockey games.”
Rick laughed.
“So you were always a stick in the mud?” he asked.
“I was always what I am right now,” I said.
I offered him a cup of tea, and he accepted it but showed little interest in drinking it.
“Why did you pay that girl to force me into that stupid challenge?” I asked.
“Straight to business,” he replied, “very forward of you. I would have thought you’d ask about my mother first.”
“I was about to, but certain things came to mind first. What did you do with the video?”
He laughed.
“I suppose you would want to know what happened to that,” he said, “I kept it in a safe place so nobody would be able to watch it.”
“You’re not going to hold it over my head, are you?”
“I’ve no intention of doing that,” he replied.
“Then what are you going to do with it,” I asked.
“I have no idea. I haven’t even watched it at all. I felt guilty after taking it.”
“You felt guilty? Why?”
“Because, after you did it I couldn’t help but admire your adventurous spirit,” he said.
I didn’t think I had an adventurous spirit.
“Why don’t you just delete it,” I asked.
“Because it’s a masterpiece, I think. Watching you fall flat on your butt on the ice was quite a nice view,” he said with a smile.
“Well then, what did you think of the kiss,” I asked.
He pondered the answer for a moment before replying. I wondered what was turning in that ridiculous brain of his.
“I think that’s why I felt so guilty after taping you,” he said, “thinking of the kiss makes me think the video was a mistake.”
I thought about the kiss again, that moment was etched in my brain as though a splinter that had taken root. I actually fell asleep thinking about it earlier, and thinking about it now was making me more than a little aroused.
“It’s wrong to think about that now. We’ll be siblings soon,” I said.
“Yeah, we’ll be siblings really soon. Too bad, too. I was going to ask you out after the break was over,” he quipped.
I had to take a moment and sip at my tea before saying much more. This guy was gorgeous, and he wanted to ask me out. Why did our parents have to be getting married?
“You know, they’re not married yet,” I said, coyly while taking another sip.
He looked over at me, and his expression made it seem like his brain was overloaded trying to figure out what I had just said.
“That’s a good point,” he said.
“Does that mean you’re going to ask me out on a date,” I asked.
He smiled a devilish smile.
“Considering they’re planning on getting married while we’re here on break, I’d have to do it soon,” he said.
I felt naughty thinking about it, but this might be my only chance with one of the hottest guys I’d ever met.
“I don’t suppose you’d like to go skating for a bit. The pond out back freezes over and makes for a fine spot to practice,” I said.
He nodded.
“Would you like to go skating with me, Casey?”
“I’d be happy to,”
We set a time for twenty minutes. I sprinted up the stairs as silently as I could and threw on my warmer clothes with my skates propped over my shoulder.
The two of us snuck around the house and to the back door. I crunched in the snow outside, and Rick joined me. I balled up some snow and did my best to pack a snowball to smack him in the face, but he had the same idea and got to it first. Striking me square in the head, I returned the favor and hit him in the chin. After that, we formed a truce.
The small pond was barely half the size of a regulation ice rink, but just the right size for children to practice.
“I spent many hours out here,” I said while shoving my feet in my skates.
I finished first and started to get a feel for the ice. He joined me quickly after and did the same.
We skated in circles and side by side for a little while; it was bringing back memories of the ice rink from before break. I couldn’t stop blushing.
“I dare you to do a lap, on this pond, naked,” he said, laughing at his own stupid joke.
“You first,” I replied.
He stopped laughing and looked like he was thinking about it. Then he started taking off his jacket. I paused, as he stripped off his undershirt to expose his skinny but strong mid-section.
“Oh, stop,” I said, hoping that he wouldn’t.
“You said ‘you first,' which means if I do it, you’ll do it. Right?”
“There’s no guarantee that I’ll go through with it,” I said.