And so, winter break commenced. The students and professors traveled to their home county or state, and would remain there for the next month and a half.
Richie, Kory, Bee, and Vic lived a couple cities away from campus (at most a half-hour drive), Wally lived a while up north, Jay was from the far east side. Garfield and Rachel were based remotely close to each other.
A Friday evening it was, and Garfield and Rachel decided to kick off their break with a bonding activity.
The pair arrived at Payton's Rink a little short of six o'clock. The ice-skating rink was outdoor, right in the heart of Star City. The rink was vast, and not at all crowded. The sky was dark blue, the patch where the sun set was colored in a pastel yellow.
Lights hung like banners from lamp post to lamp post, which bordered the exterior of the rink. On the ice, some people held hands while skating, and others swept across the ice with ease.
Rachel is padded in winter clothes.
She has on a thermal shirt, a hoodie that matches Garfield's, a black coat, and leggings; because she was only cold from waist up. The girl also wears a snug, green hat over her head, which coincidentally correlated with her and Garfield's aesthetic. Her slender, pale hands are in the comfort of white gloves.
Garfield has a long-sleeved graphic tee under the matching sweatshirt, a blue coat, scarf and jeans. Garfield doesn't really like wearing hats and gloves, it makes him feel clustered. He never needed it either, when he went hatless and gloveless, he remained immune to winter colds.
"Rae, you alright?" Garfield asks.
The duo recently received their skates, and were finding a seating area to put them on.
"Yeah, why?"
"Just checking in."
"Thanks. Are you okay?"
"Yuh-huh. I'm with you, and that makes me more than okay." Garfield smiles warmly as they sit on a bench.
"The feeling is mutual. These things are extremely sharp." Rachel shyly taps her finger against the blade of the skate.
"Don't worry about it, Rach."
"Are you sure? I don't want them cutting me or anything."
"You won't hurt yourself. Besides, if you manage to, I'll put a bandaid on your boo-boo, then lil' kiss, and you'll feel aaaaall better."
She rolls her eyes, mumbling something sarcastic.
Garfield swiftly ties his skates on, then bends down in front of his partner.
"I'll do it for ya." he loops his hands smoothly, tying one skate on Rachel's foot, then doing the other.
Rachel watches him, a thin film of blush filling her cheeks. Before she realizes, he is staring right back at her, with slightly lidded, soft eyes.
Rachel gets awkward, then adorably thanks Garfield for his help. He assists her to a full stance. She struggles to maintain her balance, instantly holding onto Garfield for support.
"Easy does it, Rae." he holds her hand as they proceed to the rink.
Garfield steps on the ice, guiding Rachel in his footsteps. Rachel's legs tremble as she attempts to maintain balance.
"Rae." he looks down at her.
"Yeah?"
"I need you to breathe. You're nervous and tense. You are also stressing yourself out. Just let go, and let yourself flow. Ice-skating isn't supposed to be nerve-racking, you're supposed to enjoy it."
"I just... don't want to fall. That would be not only embarrassing, but painful."
"Rae, my babygirl,"
She looks at him, a flurry of butterflies growing in her stomach. His dark, but somehow bright emerald eyes contrast against the shade of the sky. His mouth is angled into that fun-loving, cozy smile, that was just enough to make her knees buckle.
"I'll catch you before you even get the chance to fall."
His reassurance was so solid, Rachel was unable to find a reply. All she could manage to do was look back at him with a timid, loving expression.
Rachel takes a deep breath, and trusts Garfield. She's trusted him plenty of times before, and each time he supported her. Garfield was a man of his words, and always followed through with his promises.
She holds Garfield's hand, outstretching herself a bit away from him.
"Wooaah!" she shakes again.
"I gotchya, don't worry. Just hold on, we're in no rush. It's like walking, Rae. One foot in front of the other, but you gotsa add a glide to it. One, two. One, two."
Garfield demonstrates, coaching the girl patiently. He was a proficient skater, and to be honest, Rachel expected Garfield to get bored and frustrated.
But, he didn't.
He held her hand, made adjustments for her comfort, and did anything he could to teach Rachel, while helping her enjoy the experience.
It was similar to their carnal activities.
Rachel was often uneasy on how to handle the task at hand, but Garfield was right there to steer everything in the right direction. She learned to express herself and find security in him, as he learned to take care of her and love her.
Garfield had his relief, too.
Rachel was fully committed to him, he had no doubts that she would let them down. Even in her vulnerable state, she still managed to brighten his days, and make him forget his struggles (even if it were for a little bit). He knew just as he would help Rachel up after a fall, that she would to the same for him.
"How exactly did you become so good at this?" Rachel queries.
"My mom used to take me ice skating a lot when I was younger. She was a pro, I honestly think she should have been an Olympic Star."
Rachel slips again, maintaining a deathly grip on her boyfriend. She laughs, finding amusement in her clumsiness, and he does, too.
"Some people ice skate so effortlessly. I've seen videos of people doing backflips and spins on ice, I mean, I'm just mind-blowing at the whole idea." she declares, scanning her eyes across some experienced skaters in her surroundings.
"Y'know, I've gotta ask Richie to teach me how to do a backflip. He does them like it's nothin'."
"Hehe, apparently his parents were gymnasts, that's where he got that from."
Garfield nods, moving from the side, to in front of Rachel. He holds both of her hands, watching his back for safety.
Rachel shakes a bit, her gloved hands stuck onto his like paper and glue.
"You're doing great. Remember, just breathe, and have fun. I'm not gonna let you get hurt." Garfield encourages.
Rachel lets out another sharp breath, the frosty air leaving her pink lips.
The metal crushing on the ice, and the laughter and chatter of others brought an ease to Rachel. The cold, wintry sensation that tainted a numb red on Rachel's nose and cheeks; and the firm hold her boyfriend had on her, assuaged her anxieties as well.
"This is... fun." she breathily admits, another smile etching on her face.
"It is, isn't it?" Garfield cheerily grins, his warm happiness was enough to melt the whole rink.
Rachel asserts, "You're so happy, and I love it."
He lifts her hand up, slowly twirling it so her body could follow.
"You're spinning me, I really don't like that you're spinning me!" she giggles as she turns in a full circle.
Garfield draws her back into arms reach.
"Mhm, that's why you were laughing just now."
Rachel makes a misstep, falling right into Garfield's arms.
She bursts into another fit of laughter, "What was that sound you just made?"
"What noise?"
"When I tripped, you make this "Ah!" sound, but that wasn't exactly it. Sounded like a parrot screeching." they both laugh again.
"The animal lover in me is jumping out. I've been around animals for so long, I'm probably turning into one."
"Who's to know for sure?"
"Heh." Garfield winks, smirking at Rachel.
"Not the time." she playfully swings a fist into his arm.
"OUCH! Rach, don't forget I'm your iceskating rink-chauffer here."
"Well, I don't want my personal guide to shoot innuendos at me while I'm hanging on for dear life."
"C'mon, it was only oooooooone teensy-weensy, harmful joke."
Garfield smiles, raking away the few loose strands in front of Rachel's face, while maintaining a graceful, steady glide on the ice.
"Wanna go out for some hot cocoa after this?" Rachel asks.
The green teen rejects, "Nuh-uh, I need some ice-cream."
"You're ridiculous." she huffs cutely.
"No, I'm not."
"Who gets something cold after already being cold?" Rachel grins, knitting her eyebrows slightly.
His tone sounds like a brag, "Me."
"Why won't we just get both? There's plenty of spots around here to satisfy us."
"Sure thing."
Rachel holds Garfield's hands again, regaining her posture.
It's their world, they appear to be the only ones on the glacial sheet of white. The lights around the couple blur, and every sound becomes background noise. Parts of their bodies feel frostbitten and their legs have grown a bit weary from circling the rink multiple times.
Even in such a cold climate, Rachel and Garfield continue to be each other's warmth.