"Hey! Maybe we could go skating!" Nawe said just after we had finished eating. Are you kidding me? We just met, we had lunch and now you want to take me skating?

"Sure, but I don't have any skates," I answered.

"Ah, that's alright, I have two pairs." He grabbed two pairs of skates, one for him and one for myself.

Nawe took my hand and led me to the Pine Forest. In a small clearing, there stood a single willow tree, looming over a frozen pond. There were a few boulders outlining the far end of the pond. Pine trees tightly wrapped around the little clearing, and I stood there, taking it in in all it's glory. 

I sat on one of the boulders while Nawe adjusted the skates to fit my feet. Walking through the few feet of snow to the pond was difficult and I almost fell a few times, luckily I had Nawe by my side. About two inches from the ice, we both fell over in the snow. 

Nawe stood right behind me, holding me up by my waist. "I'll guide you, just stay up," he said. 

I stood up with my knees slightly bent, and fell over. Nawe helped me up. "It's like a dance," he explained. 

"One that isn't easy!" I exclaimed. 

"No, no, it's easy. Once you get the steps down, it'll be a piece of cake," Nawe said, but I didn't believe him.

"I don't even know the steps!"

"Sit down over there," he pointed to one of the rocks, "and I'll show you."

I did as I was told, but it was Nawe doing all of the work. I sat down and watched him patiently. 

"The movements are simple," he began skating around. "Push off and glide. Push off and glide," he said as he showed me his graceful moves.

"I think I can do that?" it was more of a question than anything else.

"Well let's see." Nawe picked me up by the waist and placed me on the ice. "You can do it."

"No I can't!" My knees buckled and I started slipping. I ended up in the splits. "Ow."

"Try and get up." Nawe nudged me.

"You think I can get up from this?" I asked.

"I know you can."

"You're not very helpful!" I put my hands on the ice in front of me and used all my strength to get back on my feet.

"See! You're doing it!" Nawe gestured towards me.

I was able to stand up straight, so I started doing what he had told me to do; push off and glide. I was very wobbly at first, then I got the hang of it.

"You're doing great!" Nawe applauded me. 

I felt like I was a master. I skated around like a pro! I closed my eyes and imagined skating in front of a crowd.

"Khass! Looks out!" Nawe yelled as soon as I fell in a snow pile. Nawe skated over to me.

"Are you okay?" he asked. 

"I'm not hurt, but there is snow in my shirt!" I yelled at him. "It's so cold."

"Let's make it fair."

"What?!"

Nawe face-planted in the snow beside me. We both laughed. "Now to make it even more fair." Nawe shoved some snow down the front of his shirt. "Why'd I do that?! It's so cold!"

"We should get back."

"Yeah." Nawe took my hand and helped me out of the snow.

We walked back home together, hand in hand.