The Second Date

	"You're late," she says with a pout as you run up to her. "Sorry, I got held up by traffic on the way here," you reply between deep breaths. A coy smile replaces her sullen look as she grabs your hand, "I believe you promised to do something today, and I guess I can forgive you for being late if you do a good job." She leads you by the hand into the building behind her. As you open the door you're met with the muffled sounds of children yelling and a chilling breeze. You motion her towards a register, and ask if she can rent skates for the two of you while you pay for admission. She nods to you and heads off with a childlike bounce in her step. Who could have thought the words you could barely remember from your first date would bring you here?

	On the day of your first date before your awkward outburst, you had mentioned that you enjoyed ice skating. In your stupor you had offered to teach her, an offer she took to heart. Here you find yourself barely two weeks later, watching her happily lace her skates just a few feet away from you. You had managed to, against all odds, secure a second date before the first was even over. You looked towards the ice, watching as a few children make laps while you wait. She calls out from behind you, "Okay, I'm ready!" You turn to watch her run over to you barely maintaing her balance on the skates, unable to resist you crack a smile and let out a laugh. The pout from earlier comes back to her face as the two of you take your first steps onto the ice.

	You skate out a few meters and turn around. "First, you need to get your balance. Make your way over to me." Her first slow and careful steps on the ice will forever be burned into your memory. Her legs wobbling like a newborn deer with both of her arms outstretched. Even surrounded by ice, just one glance at her was enough to warm your heart. You held out your hand to her, urging her to you. You watched each teetering step until you felt her hands in yours. "Good job. Now let's get you actually skating." With her hand in yours, you begin sliding backwards. Her eyes are glued to your feet, watching every move you make. "Don't stiffen up. Just keep your eyes on me and let yourself glide with me." The two of you sync together. She begins to unconsciously move her feet in pace with yours.

	Out of the corner of your eye you see one of the children from earlier lose his balance and slide across the ice. He begins to cry. You stop in your tracks and as she bumps into you let go of her hands, "I'll be right back." You rush to the young boy laying on the ground. "Hey, buddy. Are you okay? Where are your parents?" you say as you kneel and offer him a hand. He nods, points to a worried looking women watching and between sobs says, "I'm not good at skating, and my friends got sick of waiting. I must look so dumb." You help the kid to his feet. "You see that pretty lady over there? The one I was with?" As the kid looks at your date, you wave to the woman in the stands and give her a thumps up. "Yeah." he replies. "She can't skate either. We all have things we can't do. That doesn't make us dumb. If you want, I can teach you." "Really?" "Yeah, come with me." You take the boys hand and skate back to your date. "Alright, we've got a new classmate!" She takes the boy's hand in hers. You look up to her and wink as you once again skate a few meters away to the entrance where the boy's mom is waiting. "Now we've almost made a full lap. One at a time, I want you two to try skating over to me."

	The boy goes first. Skating slowly towards you. You catch him as he slams into you. "See? You already can do it. Just take your time. Gotta work on stopping though," you say as you send him on his way with a pat on the back. You turn to your date, "Now it's your turn." She takes a deep breath and begins to move just like she was when you were holding onto her. Her legs still wobbly, but slowly she was skating towards you. Behind you, the young boy was shouting encouragement to her. As she finally began to gain speed, she slammed into you knocking both of you to the ice. She looked up to you and exclaimed, "I did it!" Her own joy met with the adulation of the young boy. "Good jo--" Before you could even get the words out, she pressed her lips tightly against yours. As she pulled away from you, she once again locked her eyes with yours, "I forgive you." The rest of the day today was once more shrouded in a rose-colored haze. Once again you found yourself lost in a stupor at her touch.