The Roller Rink

            The music boomed in my ears bring a grin to my face. My once strait brown hair hung in curled strands over my face that constantly whipping my cheeks as I stood in the giant fan. Beads of sweat rolled down my cheek as I inhaled deeply taking in the scents of the shitty-est place on earth, The Roller Rink. As childish as it is, I go almost every Saturday, and that usually leads to a party of some sort where classic teenage reckless shit happens, but till then, it’s a ‘Dance Dance’ and ‘Sing Sing’ until you cant breath anymore. The walls were white with a bright red trim, that’s truthfully questionable if some of the red ‘paint’ is actually blood. Cracks leaked through the walls like water and mold was promising to be behind the stonewall we starred at. The floor was a musky blue green that was easily skated over with my skates. The fan I was standing in front of sat neatly on the counter for check out blades and over prized candy with crap pizza. The lights from the rink flashed in the metal of the fan as I let out a loud dog like sneeze. My best friend, Aleena, flew by my side with expert skills from skating on the carpet every Saturday. I grinned and she tipped her head up.            

“I requested a song so be prepared to go out there and danced.” I nodded and opened my mouth to say something but before I could the song came blasting on, the beat was kind of fast but once it was more into the song it picked up beat faster. But by the time that happened I was out on the rink dancing with my best friend. The one who would never hurt me; the one whole follows the “best friend” rules, the one who would never betray me. The lights flashed like a strobe and with as fast as we were going, both experienced from coming so much and myself from ice skating for a yea or two, it all seemed like blurs of reds and whites. I let my voice ring out as I sang out with the song and I heard Aleena’s high-pitched singing voice join in. I looked over and saw the shadows of about 5 kids come out from the corner. The first one coming out had a blue shirt that sagged over his shoulders easily; brown long strait hair, and baggy dark jeans. He looked dead serious as he skated onto the rink with the way the shadows fell over his eyes and how his smile hadn’t come into play yet. The other kids flocked behind him like a gang wearing blacks and whites with reds and blues. He looked up and his brown eyes sparkled in the flashing lights and he smiled his crooked smile; Grayson. He looked at me and his smile grew bigger.           

“Hey!” He called throwing up one arm. Not bothering to stop, because you don’t stop on the roller rink one and two, I could stop even if I wanted to. I threw up an arm.           

“Grayson my boy!” I called smiling. “I want a hug before I leave!” I laughed as I turned the corner I saw him nodding still smiling. He was younger, of course this is a roll rink for kids, and I had ‘adopted him’ as my son. And since I was with him, I was with the rest of friends and pretty much saved from the little rascals. Plus Aleena knew almost all of them, so we had connections, and had a right to be here with out glares from them for being a little too ‘grown up’. As the song progressed me and Aleeena’s dance moves grew more intense as the notes began to pump with our blood.            

I felt hands wrap around my waist and I slowed letting out a yelp of surprise, Aleena flew past not looking at me but I knew she understood completely. Ray stood behind me skating a little slower but kept his arms firm around me. I leaned back slightly smiling and he grinned.           

“What’s up?” He asked.           

“Nothing.” I replied and his hands ran down my sides and he grasped one hand in mine. I forced my hand with his up to my mouth and kissed it gently.            

“I love you.” I said honestly. It was as true as ever, I loved this boy…he understood so much. Almost like he was a female himself and every time I thought of it like that it made me laugh because Ray was totally the opposite of being a female.           

“I love you too.” He said in a voice so clear, so sweet, and so truthful it made my heart skip a beat like I was hearing it for the first time no matter how many times he’d say it. We’d been together for three months and we showed no sign of stopping. I gripped his hand tight and kissed it and together we fell out of bliss back into the beat of music while we sped by Aleena. Ray looked at me and let go of my hand while I crept on the other side of her. Ray hit her upside the head screaming and I flew past her other side letting out loud meowing noises. She grabbed her head and laughed trying to hit Ray right between his legs, only missing when his reflexes kicked in and he was by my side again. Ray sped away in front of us, again, totally understanding how much we all favor a little alone time with friend or even ourselves where Aleena and I were left to dance together for the rest of the song. As the song came to an end I saw Grayson smiling and waving at me as Aleena laughed and giggled about how much ‘we were going to bang each other tonight.’ And Ray sped behind me grabbing my waist gently laughing. And at that moment, it was pure happiness. My mind flew to how great my grades were, how many other friends I had made with my new confident and better social skills, and how much closer I’ve grown back to Aleena. For the first time in too long, I felt freedom from the chains I had tangled myself in.