Love and Skate (2 page)

             
I looked at my watch and saw that I only had minutes before I had to get to work.  I packed up my stuff and got up clumsily as I was still sore and my legs had fallen asleep as I sat for so long. 
             

             
I walked out and made my way to
Cindi’s
Indie, the bookstore that I worked at.  Cindi seems like a good wholesome name.  At first I thought maybe she would have a perfect dress on with a perfect chignon and perfect heels.  But that’s when I really learned my lesson about judging a book by its cover, or its name.  Cindi was about four feet eight and had black spiky hair.  She always, always wore a black tank top and
jeans.  But her jewelry, including her piercings and makeup and shoes changed and shocked on a daily basis.  She was the sweetest woman I had ever known and was almost like a second mother to me.  Or a nice first mother.

             
I stuffed my bag under the cash register and went to the back and retrieved the returns cart.  Cindi waved frantically at me while she made face and pointed to whoever was on the phone. 
I laughed at her antics and then went to put up the returns.  Cindi had several tables and couches set up and people frequently came and read entire books and left them all over the place. 

             
I finished shelving all of the books and went to man the cash register.  Leah had left for the day and I was the only one in the front left.  This was the boring part.  I dusted off the counter and the special signed books on the shelf behind the register.  Then I sat on the stool.  It made sense for me to read at a bookstore but the last time I did I was so engrossed in the book that I ignored a customer all together and she called and complained.  Cindi picked on me about it for weeks. 

             
My phone buzzed in my back pocket and I pulled it out to see what it was.

             
Amber: Guess what hot Mama has a date Friday night?

             
Me:
yay
! Who is the guy?

             
Amber: He just walked into the skating rink with his little brother.  Came to rent shoes.

             
Me: Nice. I want to hear more tonight.

             
Cindi emerged from her office looking like someone had stolen her dog.

             
“What’s the matter Cindi?” She pulled up a stool next to me.

             
“Ugh—there’s just so much suit talk I can put up with. They drive me nuts.”

             
“Suit talk?” I half laughed half asked her.

             
“Yeah, you know. Inventory and percentages and import and export and sales charts.”

             
“
Ahhh
, gotcha.”

             
“How
was your
bout
last night
?”

             
“You would know.  You were sitting right outside the rink.  Plus everyone could hear you screaming.”

             
She let out a great huff. “I never was a discreet one. So, there’s only one more hour to go. Get out of her
e, you skated hard last night.”

             
“I need the money Cindi.  Why don’t you go home? I’ll close up.”

             
“Why don’t
you
go home and I will still pay you.” She softened her face. “Seriously Nell, go home and I’ll pay you like you stayed.”

             
I opened my mouth to argue some more but she beat me to the punch.

             
“Say one more word and I’ll fire you.  How ya like that?”

             
I gave her a big dramatic eye roll and went to get my bag. 
I hu
gged Cindi before I left and got
into my ragged Honda Civic and went home
.

             
Dylan had kept me up half of the night talking about the girl he asked out the day before.  How she looked, what she said.  He was going to take her to some frat party he was invited to on Friday night.  He had been trying to get me to go for weeks. 
I hated frat parties or parties of any sort.  Probably because my drinking days were way over—and I didn’t dance.
  And how a man brings his little brat brother to go skating and came out with a date was beyond me.

             
After Biology I had to practically run to American Lit.  It was all the way across campus so in order to
make it I had to haul ass
.  It was a stadium class where you felt like you should be watching a baseball game instead of listening to a lecture.  There were so many people in the class that I never sat in the same place and never saw the same people. 

             
I unpacked my book and my notebook and pr
epared for the most boring lecture
ever.  The book wasn’t boring and I did read from time to time. 
But the professor spoke in a
monotone voice and it sounded like
he was as uninterested
as the rest of us were.  A girl snuck into the door at the last minute and looked for a seat before she climbed the stairs. 

             
I had never seen her before and I couldn’t
for the life of me
comprehend why.  She was drop
dead gorgeous with the most perfect pair of legs
not to mention she had hair the color of a
smurf’s
ass.  She spotted a seat on the other side of the aisle from me and pulled out her book.  She had a b
lack short skirt on and a white
tank top and black flip flops.  Her blue hair was braided down her back and as she got comfortable in her seat she pulled the braid over her shoulder and played with the edges of it. 

             
The monotone teacher continued to drone on and on about Steinbeck.  I tr
ied not to look at her—I swear I did.  I blamed it on the teacher that I couldn’t take my eyes off of her while she couldn’t take her eyes off of him.  His droll voice was keeping her attention, that’s for sure.  Maybe she just liked Steinbeck. 

             
My fellow students packed up their belongings around me but it wasn’t until one of them shoved past me that I really noticed class was over.  I sat there like a
tool
watching her gather her things and get ready to go.  I held my breath as
her hips swayed side to side while
she stepped down the stairs leading to the door. 

             
I came to a quick revelation.
I like black skirts—a lot.  I think I like blue hair too.

             
I realized that I didn’t know anything about her and wanted to badly.  I grabbed my stuff and headed to the door looking up and down the hallway but came up short.  She was gone.  I had missed my opportunity. 

             
A little bummed, I headed to the Union to meet up with Dylan for lunch and to possibly clobber him for not letting me sleep. 
I got my tray, picked out my lunch, paid and walked out to
find our regular table.  He was already there with a huge cup of coffee.  I didn’t know why in the hell he was tired, I was the one he was keeping up all night.

             
I sat down and groaned.

             
Dylan looked up from his books and
said, “What up man?
  You look beat.”

             
I glared at him. “Because you keep me up all night snoring like a damned bear.”

             
“Come on, it can’t be that bad.  The girls don’t complain.”

             
I rolled my eyes at him and dug into my burger and fries.

             
“So, Friday night, you’re still coming right?” He looked excited.

             
“I hate those frat parties.  You know that.” I flicked a fry at him.

             
“Yeah, but who’s gonna make sure I get home ok? You wouldn’t want something bad to happen to your best friend would you?”

             
I squinted my eyes and looked to the side like I was thinking about it.

             
“Come on dude, if for nothing else, you gotta see my hot date.”

             
“Ugh, fine.  But this is the last one.  All I do is stand there and watch you make an ass of yourself and then bring you home so you can puke all morning.”

             
“Who knows? Maybe you’ll meet a chick at this thing.  You know, go on an actual date?”

             
“Oh shut up and eat.”  I said as he laughed at me.

             
Finished with my classes for the day, I snuck back to the dorms to take a nap.  I flopped into the bed and by the time I woke up it was almost nine at night.  Dylan was at his desk studying.  He had his iPod blaring. I could hear the music even with his
earbuds
in.  I pulled my pillow over my head and went back to sleep.
But before I did, I remembered the blue haired beauty.

             
After American Lit I ran to the sandwich shop on my way to work and grabbed a salad.  I went straight into the back and sat at the small table set
up for employees.  Cindi joined me.  She was eating some weird looking Thai food that made me question her sanity.

             
We ate in silence. 
It seemed like she was distracted by something, but I didn’t push it.

             
I worked my whole shift this time and helped Cindi close the shop.  I went back home and Amber had made dinner and was waiting for me at the table.

             
“Thanks. I’m starved.” I slumped down into the chair and munched while she started to talk.

             
“OK, so I want to tell you about Dylan.”

             
I nodded instead of talking because my mouth was full of chicken.

             
“
Ugh,
he’s so cute! 
So
ooo
not my
usual
type.  You know me, I usually go for the bad boys, but this guy is clean cut and he
was wearing a button down shirt for the love of God.
  But he was super nice and he was teaching his little brother to skate!”

             
“That’s great Am.  I’m happy for you.  When are you going out?”

             
“Friday night.  He’s taking me to a party.  I don’t know where.”

             
“Cool.  Ok, I gotta go get a shower and get into bed.”

             
Amber’s phone rang and she picked it up without even saying a word to me.  That girl was long gone already.

             
I finished eating and cleaned up the kitchen. Amber had gone into her room with her phone attached. 

             
And for the second time today
I thought about Cassandra and Corey as I readied myself for bed.  Cassandra was even more perfect than I had been.  And Corey, he always made sure that everything ‘looked’ right.  We didn’t kiss or hold hands in public. We didn’t even sit by each other at lunch.  He said just because we were together didn’t mean we had to flaunt it.  But as soon as he broke it off with me for being ‘too nice’ he and Cassandra were all over each other.  They practically made out in front of everyone.  And the funny thing was, I hated who I was.  I hated who I was around them. And
they
didn’t want
me
?

             
That reminds me.  Soon
I’m going hot pink on my hair.  Yeah, like neon pink.

             
Two mornings later
Amber and I went to class together.  It was math and I sucked at it and so did she.  We tried to help each other but it was like the blind leading the lame.  And I was the lame part.

             
We got breakfast after math in the Union.  While I was paying for mine, I heard a squeal.  Amber was hugging some guy who I assumed was Dylan in the middle of the cafeteria.  I groaned.  I loved the girl, but she went through guys like most people go through bars of soap. 

             
I walked over and smiled at her.  I was happy for her, I was.  I usually ran guys off with my weird hair and tattoos, not to mention guys just didn’t like me.  She quickly introduced me to Dylan who was very polite and a little overly charming.  But I was suspicious of every guy.