Cheater [Watty Awards 2011]

Chapter Four

-DEDICATED TO I've_lost_my_mind

This dedication is for her cheering my up and making me laugh with her comment on Chapter Two,"WHYYYY! MY POOR OWENN!" and she later told me on Chat that I should've killed a girl instead. So here you go ;)

Four

            No one likes an overcrowded ice-rink, which is exactly what four friends walked right into at the opening of the new Ice Rink in August Valley, San Francisco.*

“Ah, man.” Joe growled, folding up his arms and hugging himself tightly.

“Damn, why does everyone have to come today?” Frankie adds, cursing under his breath.

 “I know...” Natalie concludes. All the while, Brittany remains silent. The rest of the group wonder if she is holding in anger, or merely contemplating about her next actions,

            “Brit, you okay?” Natalie asks, blowing into her gloved hands for extra warmth. Icy-cold wind blows slowly at them, making the group shiver and groan. 

“Yeah.” Brittany concludes, scratching her red nose. The boys are still complaining and groaning in the background. Aside from how bloated the place is, the line resembles a human replica of the Great Wall and the temperature far at the back of mile-long line where they stand, shivering, outside the Rink, is getting colder by the second.

“You sure?” Natalie asks, in a comforting voice. She glances at Brittany with hopeful eyes.

“Yeah, guys...” Brittany flicks back her dark blonde hair, “Let’s come back later?” She first phrases it as though it were a question, as though she doesn’t believe it herself.

Frankie is first to check his watch, “It’s 11 o’clock. The Rink closes at 12, Brit.” He reminds her, as the people who are queuing up behind them realise this as well, decide it is not worth it, and leave.

The sky looks even darker than usual without the stars to back up the huge, glowing moon. The car park lights are shining behind them, at least. The wind is blowing freezing air in all of their faces. The trees whisper in the night, swaying in the direction of the car park exit. As if they are telling them to leave, as if they are warning them...

“Let’s come back later.” Brittany nods her head, finally agreeing with herself, “Much later.”

“What do you want us to do...? Climb over the fence, and...” Joe notices the smirk slowly forming on her face, realises that this is exactly what she wants them to do.

“You want us to break in?!” The boys of the group were usually ones to joke around and get in trouble, but this idea was crazy. They could get them into serious trouble and they weren't looking to lose their jobs, especially with the ice rink situated right next to the mall. Even if Cole was close to the manager, that wouldn't get them out of that kind of trouble. 

“Keep your voice down.” Brittany scolds; all the while, Natalie is looking at her as if she is a completely different person. This is not a Brittany that Natalie knows, not the lovable, gentle Brittany, but the wild, daredevil inside her. She isn’t sure if she likes this Brittany.

No, she's sure she doesn't like this Brittany. 

“Are you sure about this?” Natalie whispers, actually giving the idea a chance. Natalie knows how wrong it is, and so does Brittany. So surely Brittany must be joking. Right?

“Why not?” Wrong.

“We could get arres-” At the same time, Frankie says, “We’ll get caught.” And simultaneously, “I don’t wanna get into a whole bunch of shit!” Joe exclaims. So, it is bad reviews all round for Brittany’s plan.