Secret Admiring

"Oh my gosh! You're, like, amazing!" I nearly screamed at Ryan after I saw him skate. 

He smiled brightly, "Thanks."

"No, seriously! You are really good and, dude, you have a good body. I mean- a good body." I said as we walked along. Well, it was more like he walked and I jumped alongside him, holding his arm for balance.

"Calm down," he said, "and thanks. I didn't realize you were checking me out." His signature wink followed. 

"Whatever, so what do you have to do next?" 

"Well, I have a small break. You want to grab a bite to eat?" 

I nodded as Ryan snaked his arm around my waist, leading me to the food area where I got a pretzel and a root beer. I finished the pretzel and was sipping on my root beer when I realized something. "You were right. The girls don't wear skirts, at least not like mine."

"Well, I hate to say 'I told you so,' but I told you so. They all wear shorts," he said as his eyes caught two girls in front of him. His eyes stayed on them until his head couldn't go around any further. 

"Do you always stare at girls when you're competing?" I asked, somewhat rhetorically. 

"Do you want me to lie to you?" He asked with a smirk, replaying an earlier conversation. 

"You know my answer- tell me what you want me to hear," I answered with a smirk before throwing away by empty cup into a trash can. 

"Well, if that's the case, nope. I never look at any girls."

"You're so full of it. Besides, I like how you look at girls when your arm is around me," I said sarcastically while pointing out that he still had a hold on me from earlier. 

"Well, that's how I roll." He pulled me closer so I faced him. We had stopped walking completely. My hand was on his shoulder as our foreheads were pressed together.

"You should be getting ready, sweetie, not entertaining little old me." I said lightly. 

"Why, darling, I find this much more delightful." 

"Really, hun, really?" 

"But, baby, of course. I find you to be so much more delightful." He gently pushed my bangs to the side of my face.

I smiled widely and left his grip leaving him speechless. I knew his mouth was probably wide open in disbelief. I started bouncing towards the direction of the next site. I called out from up ahead, "Better get going, Shecky, I think you're up soon."

It turned out that I was right. The day went by fast. Before I knew it, it was end. It was seven at night and time for the awards ceremony. 

The crowd had to stand behind barricades and so I stood towards the front. I was able to see every random skater get their award, climb on the pedestal, and have their picture taken. When Ryan's name was called, I knew I cheered the loudest, causing him to look my way and smile. He got an award or two or three in some category or another. 

At the end, it was a repeat of the walking/jumping incident earlier. I was so pumped and excited for him. He had a huge smile, but he wasn't as excited. It was probably because he was so used to winning awards and such.

 "I'm so happy for you!" 

"I can tell." He said as we crossed the parking lot to his truck. 

"You don't sound excited," I said as I stopped jumping and began trotting along beside him. 

"I'm just tired I guess." 

"Well, you should be you're the winner of, well, whatever that trophy's for," I said as we got to the car as he started putting his things in the backseat. 

"Yeah, I know. It is pretty awesome," he said with an unconvincing tone. He shut the car door and stood in front of me. 

"You sound so down in the dumps. You're no fun," I pouted before Ryan put his thumb through the belt loops of my skirt and rested his hands on my hips, pulling me closer.  

"Still think I'm no fun?"

I nodded with a smirk. "Yep, I think you're just using me as a pick-me-up."

Ryan kept his hands on my hips. He got even closer, backing me up against the car, raising a brow at me. "You think I would do that to you?" 

"You tell me, Shecky." I dared. Fortunately, he took me up on the dare. Before I knew it, he leaned down and was kissing me. His body pressed against mine as my hands found his waist. Our lips seemed to mesh together as if he was the only person on Earth I was meant to kiss. He brought his hands up to the side of my face and held it in his hands.  

"Now, do you think I would do that to you?" 

"No," I started before giving him a quick kiss once more and a wide smile, "and I never truly did."