When Hope Begins to Fade

“Wake up! Wake up! WAKE UP!” Ali was saying to me. I groaned before rubbing my eyes.

“What?” I asked. I was still tired and wanted to sleep.

“Daddy is taking us skating so get up!” Ali exclaimed.

I arched an eyebrow. “Since when do you skate?”

“Well daddy asked last night if I wanted to and I said yes.” Ali was smiling.

“Whatever.” I groaned as I got out of bed.

Ali left my room so I went ahead and got dressed. After I got ready I went downstairs. Daddy, Jimmy, and Ali were at the table eating cereal. There was a bowl out for me so all I had to do is pick a cereal and pour milk on it. I picked Trix. Daddy and Jimmy were talking while Ali and I ate out cereal in silence.

“So, do either of you know how to skate?” daddy asked.

“I do!” I said a little bit too loudly. The one time mommy took Ali and I skating, I had quickly taught myself.

“Of course you would.” daddy said smiling.

“I don’t really know how. I always fall down.” Ali finally spoke.

“It’s alright. I’ll teach you.” Daddy said.

We finished eating and then left to go to the skating rink. We got there and went inside. Daddy got our skates and his. We sat down and took our shoes off before putting on our skates. Daddy tied them for us so that they wouldn’t come untied while skating. I got up and waited for daddy and Ali. Ali had stood up and almost fell. I began to slowly skate my way to the rink. I stopped by a wall to look back at Ali and daddy. Ali was barely even moving and daddy was about as bad as Ali. I began laughing when daddy fell and grabbed onto Ali which caused her to fall. It was funnier when they both tried to get up. I had to sit down on the floor since I was laughing so much. Once I stopped laughing I looked back over to them. They were standing now and both trying to skate over to me. I skated to them and got between them.

“I guess I will help you since neither of you can skate.” I smirked.

I slowly skated but got them to where I was a few minutes ago against the wall. I told that they could hold onto the wall for support to go around. I began to skate around the rink in a circle. When I got back to them they hadn’t moved very far. I smiled to myself.

“You guys are slow.” I said as I passed them.

I skated past them a few more times. When I passed the entrance way the next time I had looked in there. I saw Jimmy and almost made myself fall from stopping so fast. I regained my balance and skated to Jimmy.

“Jimmy!” I hugged him.

“Where is your sister and dad at?” he asked as he got a pair of skates.

“Somewhere in there.” I told him as pointed to the rink.

“And why aren’t you with them?”

“Because neither of them can skate. Plus I saw you.” I smiled.

I sat down by him as he put on the skates. I told him about how Daddy and Ali both fell and how I couldn’t stop laughing. He stood up and we skated into the rink. At least Jimmy could skate. It didn’t take us long to get by Daddy and Ali. I don’t think they have made it around the rink once.

“Jimmy!” Ali exclaimed when she saw us. She had tried to skate to Jimmy but almost fell again. Luckily Jimmy caught her.

“What are you doing here?” Daddy asked Jimmy.

“I was bored. Oh, and I heard about you falling down.” Jimmy smiled big. Daddy playfully glared at me and I giggled.

I left them and began skating on my own again. I passed the three of them a few times. Jimmy finally started skating with me.

“You skate good.” Jimmy told me.

“I know. It was easy to do. This is only my second time skating and I haven’t fell yet.” I told him.

Jimmy and I kept skating around and talking. Every time we passed Daddy and Ali we would wave or make a face at them. They had probably made it around three times now and were going faster than before. I think they were both afraid of falling down. We all finally just skated together even though we were slowly skating. We were all hungry and went to go get something to eat. Daddy and Ali took off their skates but Jimmy and I didn’t. We waited as they did that. We went to the snack bar and got something to eat and drink. We went back to the table to eat our food. Of course Jimmy and I finished first so we went back out to skate while Ali and Dad finished eating and put their skates back on.

X

“Are you having fun Ali?” I asked her once Jimmy and Maddy went back to skate. Most of the time they left us by ourselves anyway since we couldn’t skate well.

Ali looked up at me and smiled. “Yes I am.”

I smiled back. “I’m sorry for before. It wasn’t fair.” She told me that it was alright and that she forgave me.

Ali had put her skates back on and I was putting mine on. Ali had been smiling, so when I saw her frown out of the corner of my eye I had to look up. I followed her gaze and saw Michelle, Val, Matt, and Brian. They saw us and smiled before walking over. I had a feeling that things were about to turn bad. I looked over to Ali. She was now staring at the floor.

“Hey ZV, hey Ali.” Brian said once he was right in front of us.

“Hey, what are you doing here?” I asked.

“Jimmy said he was going skating so we thought we would join him. Didn’t know you’d be here though.” Michelle answered.

“Oh.” I replied. I didn’t really care for them being here. I knew something was going to happen and that it involved Ali.

The four of them walked off to get skates. I finished tying mine and stood up. I took Ali’s hand and we went into the rink. Once in the rink, Ali began to smile again. Maddy and Jimmy skated backwards past us. I guess that didn’t know who was here yet. Ali and I continued skating slowly. A few minutes later and Brian was beside us skating.

“What’s wrong Zack? Can’t skate well?” Brian chuckled. I glared at him and he smirked. He skated away from us and to Jimmy and Maddy.

Jimmy had came to us once he caught up.

“Can you two seriously not skate faster?” he asked.

“I’m afraid of falling.” Ali spoke.

“I promise you won’t fall.” Jimmy said as he reached his hand out for Ali to take. She hesitated at first but took his hand.

Jimmy took Ali and they both began skating away from me. Ali hadn’t fell yet.

“Great! Everyone leaves me by myself.” I mumbled.

X

Jimmy and I had skated faster. I hadn’t fell yet. Jimmy held my hand and made sure I didn’t. We soon caught up to Maddy and Brian. Brian had decided to do tricks. He had failed and fell right in front of us. Maddy jumped over him and didn’t even fall. She had stopped not far away from him and began laughing. Jimmy had picked me up right before we fell over Brian. We both began laughing. Maddy was now laughing harder since we fell on top of Brian. Brian just groaned.

“Get off of me!” Brian growled.

Jimmy picked me up so I was standing again. He then got up. He reached his hand out for Brian to take but Brian just ignored him and got up himself.

“Nice trick you did there!” Jimmy smirked.

“Think you can do better?” Brian mumbled to Jimmy.

Jimmy said that he could and told Brian to hold my hand so that I didn’t fall. He did and I didn’t really like it very well. Jimmy skated to Maddy and picked her up.

“Jimmy, put me down!” she shrieked.

Jimmy began skating backward while Maddy was thrown over his shoulder.

“That’s not even a trick!” Brian yelled to Jimmy. He then looked down at me. “Will you trust me enough to put you on my shoulders and skate?”

My eyes went wide. “No! Not after you fell I don’t.”

Brian chuckled. “I promise I won’t fall or drop you.” I shook my head no. “Please? Don’t you wanna beat Jimmy and your sister?” I sighed and gave in.

Brian picked me up and he began skating to where Matt and Val were standing at.

“Hey Matt, put her on my shoulders.” Brian said as he gave me over to Matt. Val’s eyes went wide.

“Brian Haner! You better not do that.” Val told him.

Matt me on Brian’s shoulders. It was scary and I really didn’t even trust him. I leaned forward some and held onto his hair lightly. I was terrified that he would drop me. He began skating. I began to become more afraid.

“Brian. Put me down.” I said.

“You’re fine sweetheart. I promise that I won’t drop you.” Brian said. He then held onto my legs tighter as if to reassure me that he wasn’t going to drop me.

X

I watched as Jimmy had Maddy and skated backwards past me.

“Jimmy! Be careful with her.” I scolded him.

I then wondered where Ali was. I knew she didn’t really like Matt, Brian or Michelle. She kind of like Val so I was hoping she was with her. I continued skating until I saw Matt and Val. Val was standing there with her eyes wide. Matt was just staring. I followed my gaze and saw Ali on Brian’s shoulders while he was skating. I knew this wasn’t going to end well.

“What the fuck is he doing?” I asked Matt when I got to them. My eyes never left Brian and Ali.

“Skating with Ali on his shoulders.” Matt spoke.

“No shit! Why?” I asked.

“I don’t know.” Matt replied.

“I told Brian it was a bad idea but he didn’t listen.” Val spoke.

I watched as Jimmy and Maddy got closer to Ali and Brian. Right then I knew what was exactly was going to happen.