I was in my bedroom wearing my favorite pajamas when I felt an immense heat coming from all sides of my body. I got out of bed to get a glass of water downstairs to cool me off but when I touched the door knob and it burnt me. I pulled my hand away quickly and began to fill the door, it was burning. I quickly opened the door bearing the pain until I finally pushed it open to see nothing but flames.

“Ahh!!” I screamed as I sat up straight in my bed.

Jessie woke up in the bed next to me and asked me what was wrong. But, I couldn’t speak. I was so choked up with what I saw, and I didn’t want to put it in words. Did I just remember part of the fire or was it not even real?

When I had finally calmed down I began to remember what had happened early tonight. After the guy bandaged my hand I ran away. Without saying thank you or even my name. All I told him was I had to go and I think part of it was I didn’t want to stick around when his Spanish friend came back. I felt bad but it was probably best that I never went back or see him.

*A couple days later*

“So, Georgie, are you planning to go to the rink tonight.” Marnie said to me in the hallway.

“Whether I go or not, it’s none of your business.” I told her and walked away.

She grabbed my bookbag and slung me against the lockers so sudden I couldn’t even react. Then she leaned in and whispered in my ear.

“If I see you anywhere near Javier your dead.” She said and hit me against the locker one more time for warning and left.

When I lived in LA before the fire I was the Marnie of my high school. After the fire I had no one there for me in the hospital or any get well cards from friends. People even told me that I deserved it, that I looked better or more like my inner self with my scar. I was devastated and wouldn’t talk for weeks after seeing what everyone had thought of me. I decided to never have friends again, that I didn’t deserve them, and they would just turn their backs on me. I changed and will never be that girl again.

I wasn’t planning on going to the rink at all but the inner rebel in me said to go to show Marnie off. I still wasn’t going to skate though, I was still not feeling it.

*Later that day*

When I walked into the rink the first person I saw was Marnie and I gave her a grin. I Have to let her know I not scared of her. As I sat down on the bench I felt someone sit down next to me and I knew it was my worst nightmare, Javier.

“Hello sunglasses!” He said to me and waved.

“Hello.” I said and turned my head away pretending to focus on the skaters.

“Well… Are you going to get your skates on or what?” He said.

“I really don-“ But at that moment I caught Marnie’s eyes and even though she was blurry I could tell she was furious.

“You know what, I will go get them right now.” I said and walked over to the rental area.

I got a size seven and tried them on, they fit perfectly. But, what was I doing? I don’t know how to skate at all.

“Okay, lets go.” He said and walked towards the door to the rink.

My first step not even on ice was a failure and I fell onto my knees. I heard Marnie laugh at me as I tried to get back up but fell again. Javier saw me and put out his hand to help me up and I grinned in Marnie’s direction to show off. Oh gosh, what am I doing?

Skating went terrible as I could not see very well I ran into people so many times. Every time I fell Javier just laughed and helped me back up. Finally, when I was able to just skate slowly forward Javier began a conversation.

“So, I saw you the other night at the rink, but you ran off before I could say anything.” He told me.

“Oh, sorry I was in a hurry.” I told him not even remember seeing him that night.

“Then I saw Yuzu run in the same direction.” He told me in a very accusing voice.

“Oh, wow what a coincident.” I said not very believable.

“You’re a very weird person, you know that?” He told me.

“I just prefer to stay to myself and not get involved with anyone.” I told him.

“What about me?”

Yeah, what about him was different? Why have I been so open with him?

“I don’t know.” I told him. “This was just because I promised.”

“Strangers don’t just make promises and keep them, that’s a friend thing.” He said and skated ahead faster than I could keep up.