Hiya! Happy reading!

Shout out to Zoe and Luke, fav Wattpad couple ever. iykyk

Remember to comment and show love! Also I've lost readers since part one, which is normal but it's sort of sad, like :(

Dinner went pretty smoothly. It turns out Jude majors in Sociology and Henry majors in History but mostly goes into Art History and Culture which I thought was really interesting. I told him about the galleries we went to and he seemed much more relaxed asking me questions about that than talking himself.

So I just chatted. He listened.

He was nice.

Jude was good, that's all I got from him. This warmness. The way he looked at Rayne when Rayne was speaking or looking at me, or at the menu or even just at Henry in conversation made me relax. Because the warmth of his eyes on Rayne is exactly how you want someone you have a crush on to look at you like.

So yeah, they'll be together soon I am sure.

After dinner we were just heading to the little ice rink which was round the corner. We were walking, Jude and I talking about extracurricular activities. I think I found someone that likes to keep himself just as busy as I do.

"Okay so I am part of music society." He replies to my question.

"What do you play?"

"Piano."

"Fancy." I smile and I look at Henry curious to see if he played. He just met my eyes and shook his head down at me.

Jude continues. "And I am part of the theatre company here, more like behind the scenes than in front of them though but I really enjoy writing so I have helped with scripts before."

"That is so cool. I would love to do that."

He smiles. "You a theatre kid?"

I shake my head. "I was always too self-conscious in high school, but I probably would now."

"Well just join the society, plus you do English Lit right?"

"Will do." I say.

He nods. "Yeah there's so many people apart of it. You should definitely come along."

I smile at him. "This is exciting."

"You just need not to fill up your calendar too much Em." Rayne says and I send him an amused smile.

"So I still have time for you right?" I grin.

He gives me a smile back. But I know it's because I tend to want to do all these things and then I have bad organisational skills so end up getting overwhelmed.

"What else do you do?" Henry asks.

I shrug. "Nothing very well." I reply. "Just things to keep me busy."

He hums in acknowledgment and Rayne throws me a look of amusement and I just send him a little secretive smile. His amusement widens.

I try not to squeal in cuteness and Rayne casually takes Jude's hand as they walk and Jude just stares at the side of his head a little but goes with it. That's such a big ass thing for Rayne.

I am just grinning to myself and I listen attentively as Jude and Rayne talk, Jude throwing the conversation back to me and Henry every so often.

We reach the little ring and it was pretty basic, ice, railings, a big Christmas tree and a little outside bar for hot chocolate or other refreshments. What made me happy was the Christmas lights and the fact that there were only two other little groups present. Which sort of made it feel cozy and low key.

Henry hangs back a little and I turn around curious, Rayne and Jude had already walked through the main entrance. He looks at me and nods for me to go in.

"I'll catch up."

"What ya up to?"

He scrunches his up at me. "Just having a smoke."

My eyebrows raise and he winces a little.

"I know." Is all he says. He nods for me to go in.

"I can wait out here with you." I say gently.

"You smoke?" He asks.

"No."

Henry shakes his head then. "I'll meet you inside. It's gross to second hand smoke."

I nod a little. I sorta agree. I was surprised he smoked. Honestly. He didn't seem the type.

I suppose that there is a little example of what is wrong with the world. Stereotypes. I've known the guy for an hour and a half.

I turn around and jog back up to meet with Jude and Rayne and Rayne smiles at me, making me feel welcome by wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

"You alright?" He asks.

"I am all good." I say.

"Rayne told me you weren't really feeling the idea of a double date." Jude says.

I look at him a little guiltily. "It wasn't that I didn't want to meet you I am just not really looking to date right now."

He nods at me and looks at Rayne. "What about you, are you open to dating?"

A small uncharacteristic smirk falls upon Rayne's mouth as I look up at him and he shrugs.

"I mean, I did ask you out pal." He says.

Jude raises his eyebrows in amusement. "Pal?"

"Mhm."

"Oh so this is a friendly date then huh?"

"Yup." Rayne says, challengingly and I look away and pull away from his side.

Ew. He reminds me of him.

Jude laughs and points with a small nod of his head at me. "You want a drink?"

"Me?" I ask confused.

He laughs. "Yep, Rayne doesn't deserve one right now."

Rayne's lips part. "And what have I done?"

"You just threatened the friend zone and I am unhappy. So I am going to go and get me and Emersyn a hot chocolate."

Rayne laughs and lifts his hands up in surrender and Jude smiles at me, gently grabbing my hand and pulling me away from Rayne.

"What does Rayne like?" He asks, dropping my hand as we walk up to the little stand.

I scan options. "Hot chocolate would do us all good." I offer.

"Yeah I agree." He says. Ordering us four hot chocolates, he scans his eyes for his friend I presume.

"He's out front, he was smoking."

His lips form a little Oo and he nods. "I practically had to drag him here. I couldn't figure out how to tell him about Rayne and not have it such a weird awkward thing, plus I was worried he would get awkward and then I would get defensive like- I just knew I needed it to be with other people and well it couldn't be at home because I have like a hundred siblings so-"

I nod.

He was just sharing.

And I sort of love it.

I like people without walls.

"A hundred siblings?" I ask amused.

He gives me a smile. "I have seven." He says and my eyebrows raise. He chuckles at my face. "I am um like fostered so I have lots of other foster brothers and sisters."

"Oh." I say. "Still fostered?"

He was in his last year of uni.

He smiles at me. "Fostered to adopt. So like- we're all just part of this big collected household. It's sort of cute. Actually it's great going home. But if I were to go home and get Henry to come and like talk to him about it then it would have been stressful as my house is chaos."

"I am sure. Well, he took it well."

"He did." Jude agrees and he just pays the man as we take the now ready cups of coco.

"You had to drag him here?" I ask as we start heading back to Rayne and Henry who looked to be easily conversing.

"Mhm." He hums. "He doesn't date either. So you can imagine how much effort it was to convince him to come. I had to say that Rayne refused to go on a date unless you were there and like I convinced him he needed to come for you."

I smile. "Well, he came through for you."

"That he did." He says. "Even if the poor guy looks utterly intimidated."

I look at him amused. "He really does. I am not that scary, am I?"

"Emersyn the whole female population is scary to Henry."

I smile at that. "Really?"

Jude just snorts.

"He's just shy."

I hum. "I see that."

"And you aren't." Jude smiles. "It's good though."

"Mm?"

"Just your confidence is comforting to him I suppose. You know, like I don't know. Henry's a great guy."

I laugh at that. "A great guy huh?"

"Mhm. And I am not just saying that because he's my childhood friend, like I can swear it."

"Oh sure sure." I laugh back, he was grinning at me.

"What ya talking about?" Rayne asks as soon as we step up to them and I extend one of the cups I had in my hand to Henry.

He gives me a thankful nod and takes a sip.

It must have burnt him, it was hot, but he just inwardly grimaces and moves on. Not drawing attention to him.

"I was just being talking Ree up."

"Ree?" I ask and look at Henry, who's eyes are trained in on Jude. Confused.

"Talking me up?" He repeats, his voice uncomfortable.

"I was saying just nice things." Jude says and Rayne catches his hand in his again. "And Ree is just what his mumma calls him."

Cue blush on poor Henry's cheeks again.

He lets out a heavy sigh and turns his head to the clouds. "It's supposed to snow."

"It'll help with the blush if it does."

His head drops to mine and I give him a little smile, amused, he looks slightly mortified and as I smile wider his lips tug up.

"Don't speak to me like you understand the burning on my cheeks."

I smile. I do. I so do. "You grow out of it. I promise."

He looks even more affronted and Rayne and Jude head to get changed into ice skates.

"I am older than you." Henry says. "I think anyway."

"No yeah. I am eighteen."

He chuckles. "So I am a whole lot older than you."

"What's a whole lot?" I ask.

"Only a couple of years."

I smile. "That's not that much."

"Mhm." He hums. "But it for sure doesn't make me feel better about feeling flustered."

"I think it's cute." I say.

He throws me another mortified look and I laugh, grinning at him and he just lets out a sigh.

"At some point I know I need to except I give off nice, shy guy vibes. But honestly I can be cold and brooding I promise."

I smile at him a little, sobering up. "You're more interesting as who you are."

He looks at me then, his eyebrows furrowed, and I just step away, telling the lovely lady my size and she hands over some skates, Henry does the same and we take a seat down to get changed.

"I cannot skate." He admits.

I smile a little to myself. I like that he cannot skate.

I didn't realise he was serious serious though. As Jude held onto Rayne securely and pulled him around the rink, Henry was honestly the optimum of Bambi on ice. Just with longer limbs.

I skated easily next to him, trying to encourage, explain.

He just really had little co-ordination.

"You know." He says and he looks up at me. "This is why I like art and not sport."

I grin. "You have to be a little co-ordinated to do art."

He sends me an unimpressed face. "That probably explains why my attempts of art look like a five-year-old got hold of the brushes."

I smile. "So just an admirer?" I ask.

"God created me to admire beautiful things, not take part in such rarities."

I look at him surprised and he just is staring at his shoes, concentrating.

His cheeks are flushed, but not from embarrassment this time, just the cold and pure concentration. His nose pink on the end too and it seemed a little goofily too big for his face, but not in an unattractive way. Henry had dark deep eyes and pretty pale skin, dotted with moles- freckles that were a little too big to hide. But they made his face interesting, the strong lines on his face seem sharper, more defined.

Realising I just sort of admired the boy... I tell myself no.

Just no.

"Please help me." Henry admits, throwing me an exhausted smile and I laugh, easily taking his hand in mine and skating in front of him to face him.

His cheeks once red from the cold go deeper as I reach for both of his hands. Is this not what he meant by help? He was blushing and I sort of like that I have this effect.

Is that vein to consider? That he might be flustered because I am holding his hands.

I skate backwards, holding his hands in mine and dragging him along with me, trying to get him to understand the motion.

"You said that thing about God." I say looking directly at his face, and his eyes don't meet my eye contact. They never really do.

"Mm?" He hums, concentrating.

"You believe in God?" I ask.

Henry frowns a little. "Are you asking my religion?"

"Um, oh, I guess so."

"My parents are religious. Christian."

I nod. "That didn't really answer my question." I say.

"Um yeah okay so I am, but I don't want you to get the wrong impression. It's sorta low key."

I wait for him to elaborate.

"We have a certain set of values, but like it's just sort of what I live my life by. I don't judge or believe others should do the same if they don't."

I nod a little, squeezing his hands and he adjusts his hold so it wasn't him just panic holding, that he was actually holding my hands back, letting me pull him.

What if he has horrible views about things?

"I feel like a few screening questions have to be asked now." He says.

And I stop skating. Looking up at him shocked. He struggles to stop, looking at me wide eyes as my sudden pause brought us closer. We both stepped apart.

"Pardon?"

"You have questions. Assumptions of religious people." Henry states. "And that's okay. You can ask them. I'll just tell you what I believe in relation to them."

"It's a little heavy isn't it?" I ask.

He immediately looks insecure. "Yeah, you're right. I guess I just like heavy conversations. I can deal with them better than small talk."

"No, no." I say. "Don't get me wrong. I am interested now. I just dunno was surprised."

He sends an awkward smile and I pull him over to the side, letting him lean against the railing.

He happily leans.

I just watch him carefully. May as well ask the big questions right? The opinions to which would make me consider not associating with people whose beliefs may differ to mine.

"Ok. Gay marriage."

An amused smile graces his lips and he looks over to Rayne and Jude who are hand in hand, messing around across the ice. Rayne had gotten the hang of it now.

"God made people the way they are, he doesn't make mistakes. To question that, to try and force people not to love one another is- so backwards in what it's all about. That is just what we sort of think."

I nod a little. "So like you were brought up accepting that?"

He nods. "Yep."

I narrow my eyes.

"Abortion."

He winces but smiles a little. "I am not a woman so I don't get to have an opinion."

I laugh. "That answer seems very rehearsed."

He smiles at me. "It's sort of true though. Like I can't have an opinion about something that I can't ever be able to relate to."

"You had an opinion about same sex marriage though."

He nods. "Okay so honestly... I think all life creation should be valued." He says and I nod slowly. "But I don't believe that should ever stop a woman from having the choice to choose."

I cock my head, waiting for him to say more and I am sure he sort of hates me for it.

He continues. "Like I understand why some religious people feel the way they do about abortion and contraception, but I also understand that a collection of cells does not equate to a living breathing human."

I nod. "So...?"

"So if I was a female and entitled to an opinion on this, then I guess I definitely fall down on pro-choice side, I would just personally choose to keep the baby because of my own beliefs. But it doesn't mean I would judge anyone if they made a different decision."

I nod.

"I don't know any other big controversies." I say. "Related to the church."

He smiles at me and pushes away from the bar, very ungracefully wobbling as he does so. I push off too, skating patiently besides him as he tries very hard to stay upright.

"I am guessing you aren't religious?" He says.

I smile and shake my head. "Only thing I believe in is the moon."

He smiles.

"No. I'm just being cynical." I say. "My dad is religious, we go to church when he wants to. He's not at all a practicing Christian, not really, but I think he prays. Like he believes it."

Henry nods. "You go to midnight mass?" Henry asks.

I look at him and shake my head, sort of amused. "We go to Christingle."

He snorts and nods, amused. Christingle is like the child's service on Christmas Eve.

"That's cute." Is all he says and he turns around to find Rayne and Jude.

He looks at me. "Did I pass those two questions Emersyn?"

I shrug. "I think so. We can be friends."

He smiles a little and nods towards the boys. "Let's catch up with them."

"Okay."

And so we make our way over to the Rayne and Jude and I feel happier with the comfortable knowledge that I fully just friend zoned him. It sort of just felt necessary.

....

"Mum?" I call out.

My dad hates that, that the first name I call when I get home is always hers.

"Hey in the kitchen hon, how was your night?"

I busy myself with getting my shoes off and my coat, putting the hated scarf and gloves in the chest by the front door. I hate winter clothes, it's so claustrophobic.

"It was actually really good. Surprisingly." I call back.

We do this.

Even if she was upstairs no move would be made for her to come down to greet me, we just shout across the house until I am ready to go and find her.

We talked about everything over the phone, about how although I agree I wasn't exactly the most put together, it was sort of the intensity I felt from them and then the influence of August that was making me spin out so much.

I had been utterly okay and put together since I went away with Luella.

I actually sort of strived where I probably should have been exhausted. Lue organised us, I just kept the energy up, the drive and excitement.

"Hey." I say as I walk into the kitchen. "Your food smells good." I tell her and as soon as I step through the door my head turns in surprise to my dad and August sat at the kitchen table.

"Oh." I say. I swallow and give them both a little polite smile. "Hi."

August rubs his eyes and nods once back, dropping his eyes from me and he starts to put his things away.

My dad watches him curiously. "We aren't done August."

August looks up to him and I shake it off, walking round the counter to mum.

"What did you do tonight?" She asks.

I pick a piece of pepper that she was cutting for what I assume will be a stir fry after she finishes making the sauce, up and take a bite.

"Ice-skating, dinner." I say. "Rayne's friends were nice in the end."

"Oh good." She hums.

"August." My dad states and August just zips his bag up, after placing his laptop in it. "You alright?"

He just frowns at my dad. "Look I am good, it's just time to go."

I would tell them that it's okay to stay. My niceness is tightening around my throat, trying to make us both less uncomfortable.

But instead, my head is down, looking at the very interesting countertop.

Mum looks at me. "Who did you go out with again?"

"Um, just Rayne and then Rayne's new love interest." I smile at her as she laughs at my way of putting it. "And then Jude's friend Henry."