Thread Roulette: Skates

[Event !]

The lake is finally clear for ice skating! Featuring Marianne Scott, Shaina Burns, and Rhett Goddard

[Shaina Burns]

Last year for Christmas, Mom and Dad gave Shaina a pair of ice skates to bring back to school. The lake hadn't frozen solid enough after that, so they were still brand-new when she unpacked them from the shoebox and threw them into her backpack as soon as she he heard the news. The cold snap had frozen the lake enough that the town had approved it for skating.

She ran most of the way to the lake. In the summer she could run all the way there, but not wearing her heavy winter clothes and jogging through the snow. It was cold, but sunny, so she wanted to get her chance to skate before the ice melted enough to be dangerous.

Once she reached the lake, Shaina parked herself near where some other people had left their boots. She changed into her skates as quickly as she could, looking around to see if anyone would notice her unusual feet. The skates were a size too big, but they were tight across anyway. Her shoes never fit properly, but she was too excited to skate to worry about it.

She wobbled a little when she first stepped out, but quickly got into the motions. She'd skated a lot before Hammel, with some of the girls from the gym. Maybe she'd find some other students who liked to skate. Her tail hung down from under her coat, a clear sign to other students that she came from Hammel.

Shaina picked up speed as she skated, trying to keep away from the other skaters. She liked going fast, but she didn't want to cut anyone off.

[Rhett Goddard]

"Ok. Round two." Rhett said softly to himself as he managed to find the courage to step into the ice.

Last year he had come here with Odion. He didn't remember exactly why, but he believes he was convinced by Odion that it was a good date, which he probably rolled his eyes to. Rhett didn't quite see the fun in ice-skating or skating in general. In anyway, he does remember one thing about that day last year: he made a fool of himself. The biggest fool ever. He spent that night aching over bruises and hits in all his lower half, and upon his moans of pain, he swore that he'd return the next year to prove Odion that a silly activity like ice-skating wasn't going to beat him. Even though Odion wasn't there to see, he still kept his promise to himself.

"Come'on..." He attempted to keep his balance as he skated forward.

That part wasn't actually terribly bad. He remembered the hard part was now, well, moving and doing anything different that keeping balance while going in a straight line. He actually didn't quite understand why the whole thing was so hard. He could do amazing gymnastic feats while parkouring, he knew how to keep balance while running, he knew how to shift his center of mass correctly, he was deft enough with his his legs, skating shouldn't be this hard.

And yet, just seconds after he entered, he was already tasting the ice with his mouth. Well, with his whole face. He only hoped that crack he hard as soon as he hit the ice wasn't his teeth falling or his nose breaking. He can't have that happen again here.

[Marianne Scott]

Marianne had heard that the lake had frozen over and she knew from her earlier days that there would be many kids on the lake skating today. It was a beautiful winter day out and Marianne knew this was the best time to get out there and get some artwork done. She wanted to display more and try to get her name out so she could open a studio outside of her apartment. She wanted to actually use that second bedroom for a bedroom, instead of all her art.

She bundled up and carried with her a portable table and her sketch pad. She was going to get some good drawing done today and then in the warmth of her apartment, she would transfer that into a beautiful painting. Maybe she would donate this one to Hammel. It would get her name out there.

Skates were not packed with her for a reason. Marianne was not the smoothest person and tended to trip on flat, dry ground. She didn't want to subject herself to skates and ice. She wasn't made for that. Besides, the last time she got on skates, she had gotten a concussion. Ter had been with her and laughed so hard. Too many of her memories were of her and Ter getting into trouble together at Hammel.

Marianne set up her table and pulled out her pencils. She pulled her thick mittens off to reveal thinner gloves she could draw with. She watched the kids skate for a moment, somewhat wishing she had been younger and could join them. However, she was now an old fart in their eyes and she would just stay on the sidelines watching.

Before she could even make the first line on her page, she saw a boy fall pretty hard. She got up and quickly ran over to him. She hoped he would be okay, she didn't want to have to walk him to the clinic. Marianne suddently wished she had brought her car. "That was a pretty hard fall, kid. Are you okay?"

((Sorry guys, I didn't know this had been posted. Its my first time.))

[Shaina Burns]

Eventually, Shaina would stop being entertained by how fast she could move, and how smoothly she could turn. But that wasn't today. She pulled off her hat and let her long hair spill out behind her, laughing. It was wonderful.

That was, until she almost ran into a woman who ran out onto the ice. She wasn't even wearing skates! "Hey, watch it!"

Shaina couldn't stay mad though, when she realized the woman had run onto the ice to help out a boy who looked like he'd faceplanted. She went against the movement of the other skaters to glide over as well, then crouched next to him.

The boy looked a little familiar, but Shaina didn't know his name. She figured he was from Hammel though. "Hey, you okay?"

[Rhett Goddard]

Rhett could swear he had lost consciousness for at least a small instant. He squeezed his eyes and then opened them as light came in from the side of his eyes. Voices. A girl was talking to him. He rolled around and sat in the ice as he shook his head and another girl arrived to help him. Great. Maybe he just... shouldn't had come.

"Sure." Rhett nodded to both girls as he checked his face and nose for blood, but things seemed ok enough. "I'm ok."

He tried to get up, forgetting for a moment he was on ice, and wearing ice skates, which, of course, ended up in him grabbing both girls by reflex to maintain balance and finish getting up. Once he was up, however, he released them quickly. Not only he was not a touchy person, but he didn't like making it obvious that he needed help, let alone ask for it.

A small movement to attempt to skate away from them, however, made him fall again, fortunately, this time in his butt.

"Ok," He finally admitted. "I simply don't know how to skate, obviously."