The Earth Angel and the Alpha Bad Boy

I stared off into space as I removed my skates for the last time before I turned twenty-one years old. My heart was heavy with the dreaded yearly birthday ritual with my mom. Since the mysterious disappearance of my father, almost sixteen years ago, my birthdays had been a desolate, isolating event which involved my mom and I, sitting round the dinner table as I blew out a candle on a cupcake, then opened a box which always contained stationary for practical purposes, some insulated ice-skating training clothes and new skates. Every year, for the last sixteen years, the exact same gifts, the exact same routine. I must have been the only teenager on the planet who used to dread birthdays, while people from school got cars, vacations, ponies, shopping sprees - I got fine point markers for taking notes and some insulated trousers for practice. How I longed for a lip gloss or a pair of earrings, anything other than what I had always received. It is almost like my mom just gave up trying, and now she just gives the same gift every year to make it easier for herself. And me being me, I still act 'surprised' and show her so much gratitude and appreciation. "Wow, thanks Mom, all of these things will come in really handy for me, especially this geometry set. Thank you." I sighed as I stuffed my skates into my locker. The only excitement I had in my life was going to bed. I would lie and think of how amazing my life would be when I was able to leave home and get a place of my own. I pictured it all, right down to the flowers i would have on my kitchen table as the sun would shine in. Beautiful pink, yellow and white daisies in a blue and gold vase. A huge black cat sat next to them, licking its paws and purring as it bathed in the sunlight pouring through the window. How peaceful that image was, me sitting at the table reading my favourite romance novel and sipping my iced tea. One day.... "Hey Kelsey!" I turned round to see my Coach's daughter, Lucy walking towards me. She had a playful grin on her face and seemed happy to see me. This is new, usually I am lucky to get a smile out of her. Even at school we did not hang out, despite being around each other at the rink for nearly fifteen years. "Hey...is something wrong?" Why did I immediately feel on high-alert? Maybe because no one really pays me any attention, mostly I feel invisible. Lucy chuckled. "No silly, why would something be up? Unless you have done soething you want to confess to?" Lucy eyed me suspiciously as she crossed her arms. "I....no....why would I? I just meant..." I could hear myself - it was the sound of spiralling. Lucy burst out laughing again. "I can't keep up that seriosu face, I'm kidding Kelsey. Now can I tell you why I am here?" She smiled and put both her hands behind her back awkwardly, like she was getting ready to proppse to me. "So, I have a friend, well not me exactly, but Greg, my boyfriend - you know Greg, right?" "Ehh yeah, he drives the black Toyota?" No idea why mentioning the car he drove made me sound less pathetic - it didn't, judging by the confused look on Lucy's face. "Yeah, that's him. Anyway, he has a friend in town for the next month or two, a really nice guy from Europe. Extremely hot and mysterious. His dad knows Greg's dad or some s**t like that, basically he's here to learn more about his dad's company, which Greg's dad happens to work at. He is staying with Greg's family for a while..." "Wait..." I turned the key in my locker as I spoke. "I am sorry, but what has this got to do with me Lucy? I really need to get home, you know how my Mom is if I miss the bus at seven. I need to go.." I had no idea where this wasa going, but if I missed my usual bus, my Mom would have a s**t-fit. "I know how strict Helena is, but I have another idea that will get you home quicker AND help you to have a little fun in the process too." Lucy clasped her hands in front of her with glee, it was almost infectious, if I were not feeling so damn nervous abiout all of this. "So, your bus takes an hour, give or take through heavy traffic, right?" "Yes, sometimes longer if it has lots of passengers getting on and off, but about an hour. Why?" "What if Greg drives you, that would be much quicker than by bus wouldn't it?" "Yeah, I guess, but why would Greg want to drive me home?" I was starting to irritate myself with all the questions, but literally for the last sixteen years, no one has ever tried to hang out woth me, even at kindergarten all the kids would run past me and bump into me - almnost like I were not even there. My best friend and only person who gave me time and love was my father, but even he had abandoned me. "Well, long story short is - his European friend likes you and wants to meet you. His name is Erik and you're going to love him! I mean if I was not in love with Greg, I would be drooling over him myself, but I'm taken" She giggled. "He asked about you and I told him I could arrange a meeting between you. So what do you say?" She grabbed my arm as if yo convice me more. "Say you will meet him, don't make me look like a loser. Pleeeaaassseeee." I stumbled on my words, what was I supposed to say right now? I had never even hung out with anyone or did anything like this before. I could even hear my mom in my head. *Kelsey Neve Fitzpatrick, if you dare consider doing that, there will be big trouble, do you hear me?* Even if I took the risk of going against my mom, I looked a mess to meet anyone. "I don't know about this Lucy, I have no make-up on, my hair is a mess, I am literally wearing an old pair of worn pants and a school jumper I have owned since I was five. How can I meet a guy looking like this?" Lucy signed and spun me around to face the mirror. "Look at how pretty you are. Do you know how many girls would want those natural long lashes, those full lips and beautiful brown eyes. Even your figure - you have it all! Now, hold on, I have an emergency 'date' bag in my locker and I can give you some make-up to put on. Wait here." Lucy disappeared to the other side of the room to where she had her own locker. I stared at myself in the mirror, maybe she was right. I did have a certain look about me. I had long very light brown hair that went blonde during the summer months, my eyes were big and almond shaped with thick black lashes, that looked like I was wearing mascara, even when I wasn't. My lips were quite thick, but right now they badly needed some chapstick, I felt like I had been in the desert, probably just nerves too. My mom had always told me that make up was a waste of time for me, that putting lipstick on a frog does not make it anything other than a frog wearing lipstick. As I reached up and touched my lips to feel how dry they were, i had a flashback to a dream I had a few night ago. I was skating on a pond in the middle of a forest, it was dark and the stars were twinkling above me as I peacefully skate round and round this pond. The moon shone on the pond, making it look like it was lit up with a beautiful white and silver light as I danced actoss it. Out of nowhere, a strong arm grabbed me and spun me round and into his arms, I could still smell his scent, like pine trees and musk as he leaned into my neck - kissing it with such gentle reverie. He pulled back from my face to smile down at me. His eyes twinkled in the moonlight as we both moved around slowly on the ice, almost like a slow dance, I had almost forgot to breath, because his face was so handsome. His hazel eyes were like two amber crystals, his black hair and strong jawline made me go weak at the knees. We kissed, so gently and lovingly, but with so much passion for one another - almost like we had kissed like this hundreds of times. A hand rouching my arm broke me out of my blissful daydream. "Here, put this on...are you okay?" Lucy was standig holding a green off the shoulder sweater and a make up bag. "You are going to look amazing!" She jumped up and down with excitement. I had never seen this side to her before. I went into a cubicle to remove my old school sweater and pull the green sweater on. Luckily I was small chested and able to go braless, because the top did not allow for any bra straps. I stuffed my old jumper and bra into my rucksack. I'd need to change again before I got home. Pulling out a pink lipgloss and a peach coloured blush stick, I stared at them both like I had just beamed in from Mars and wondered what they were for - luckily they were both labelled clearly. With shaky hands I quickly rubbed some colour on my cheeks and then smudged some gloss on my lips. Hopefully I did not look like the joker from Batman, but I felt like Lucy would let me know if i did. I heard other voices outside and wondered if more students had arrived for practice. Tentively, I opened the cubicle door,Lucy had her back to me, but spun around from whoever she was talking to, she beamed with suprise when she saw me. Before she had a chance to comment on my look, one of the people she was talking to looked around at me too. When our eyes met, I immediately felt chills run throlugh me, my rucksack slipped out oif my hand and fell to the floor. I would recognise those hazel eyes anywhere. Lucy looked at me then at the tall, dark haired man, smiling she said. "You look amazing Kelsey, you already know Greg, but this is Erik. Your date for the night."