scoring you

Chapter 18

Aiden

The carpark is bare and silent, I decided to come to the stadium earlier than everyone else today to get more practice in. We did just loose out last game after all.

The red brick wall surrounding the area I stand in has Alyssa leaning against it, her head tilted back and eyes closed in a peaceful bliss.

"Your an actual stalker," she says as I stand beside her.

I clench my teeth together and bite the inside of my cheek as I properly see her. She is smoking a cigarette and I see two more freshly used buds next to her feet.

"Thought you quit," I say.

"I don't recall saying that," she smiles, "but then again- I don't recall most of the shit you speak."

As she smiles I notice the dullness in it, like she finds no joy in teasing me. Maybe she doesn't- maybe she never did- but I thought we had a rhythm going on even if she said she didn't like me. I can differentiate a real smile from a fake one because I've seen her real one and it lights up her face like the sun not like the moon.

"Oh you flatter me Alyssa," I say in a jokingly matter which she doesn't reply to.

She blows another puff on her cigarette and she shivers as the cold breeze reaches her.

"Your cold." I state obviously.

She nods and wraps her arms around herself, "yeah, it's fucking freezing."

"then why'd you come so early?"

"Got nothing better to do," she shrugs and I remember that Tess had left to go on vacation with her parents not long ago. I guess after living with your best friend for three months loneliness could become- lonely.

"You should come inside," I say.

"In an ice rink?" She raises her eyebrows, "it'd be even colder."

Her cheeks are a rosy pink and each breath sounds like a shiver of coldness. I shrug off my puffer jacket and hold it out to her, "wear mine."

"but then you would be cold." She press's her cigarette against the brick wall, the heat escaping it.

"I'll survive," and I drape the jacket over her shoulders, a ping of electricity and a shiver of excitement coursing through my veins.

She puts her arms into the holes and the jumper is so long it almost reaches her knees, "thank you." She says quietly.

"Your welcome," I shrug putting my hands into my pockets to keep me from getting too cold since I've lost my jumper- worth it though because I'd do it again.

"Come inside," I say again reaching out my hand for her to take it and follow my lead. She hesitantly looks at it before reaching out and grabbing ahold of it.

"Okay," she says, "I will."

I smile a large toothy grin as we walk holding hands. Never in a million years would I have imagined this, Alyssa Davis is holding my fucking hand.

I put a pair of ice-skates on her lap when she sits of the bench is her usual spot. "Put them on."

"What for?"

"To skate obviously," I point to mine that I already have on.

She lets out of short chuckle, "I don't know how to skate."

"That's okay," I say, "I'll be your penguin."

"Sorry?" She questions, her eyes narrowed.

"A penguin. Have you completely forgotten everything from when you used to play hockey?" I ask.