As Ehvermaia walked toward the mental hospital where her father was, she noticed how hot it was and used her tote bag to shield herself from the heat. Upon arriving, she went to the reception desk to visit her father. The psychiatric nurse looked at her and asked about her relation to the patient. After a few minutes of discussion, the nurse led her to her father's new room. Ehvermaia realized he had been moved since her last visit; this wasn't the familiar direction.
When they reached her father's room, the nurse unlocked the door and Ehvermaia went inside. Her father, Chevon, was sitting on the bed, staring at the ceiling. He initially mistook her for another therapist.
"Another therapist you're sending?" he said, looking down and then realizing it was his daughter.
Ehvermaia sat beside him as the nurse locked the door and walked away. Chevon glanced at the door, then at his daughter. "Leaving someone with a crazy person and locking the door? Genius move," Ehvermaia retorted sarcastically, resting her chin on her hands, as she glanced at her father as he moved to sit in a chair opposite hid bed.
"Did you come to see if I've mastered the art of juggling invisible oranges yet?" Chevon joked sarcastically, leaning back in his chair opposite the bed.
"Well, maybe I should have taken that therapist course after all, Dad. Then maybe I could cure you," Ehvermaia quipped, observing her father as he stood up to get some paper and a pencil to draw.
She watched as he drew a bird with horns, not the typical bird one would see outside. Ehvermaia sighed. "Maybe try drawing something else," she suggested.
Chevon looked up from his drawing to meet her eyes. "And I thought you were the therapist. Why are you giving me an art lesson?"
Ehvermaia stood up, visibly annoyed. "Damn it, Dad, I'm not a therapist! How could I afford that course? Think, Dad, think... oh, wait, you can't."
After an hour, Ehvermaia checked the time; it was 1 PM, and she was hungry, having only eaten a leftover piece of bread from yesterday. She bid her father goodbye and realized the door was locked. Her father chuckled softly, "Look who's the idiot now." A minute later, the nurse arrived and unlocked the door, allowing Ehvermaia to leave.
Outside, the temperature was scorching, but with no money on hand, she couldn't do much about it. Glancing into her tote bag, she noticed one canvas left. "What if I drew portraits for money?" she wondered. Feeling embarrassed to ask people for portraits, she decided to walk home on the hot afternoon.
Upon arriving home, she gathered some money and walked to the store to buy groceries. Stepping outside her house, she saw the face she least wanted to see: Shevonne. He stood outside her house and let out a small scoff. Ehvermaia made a tired expression. "What? Don't ruin my afternoon."
"Now I'm the guy who's going to ruin your afternoon? Really?" Shevonne asked, opening the car door, observing Ehvermaia's annoyed expression. "Why the heck is this happening to me?"
Shevonne scratched the back of his head. "Come on, we're friends, aren't we?" He stared at Ehvermaia, trying to make her feel guilty. Reluctantly, Ehvermaia hopped into the car, thinking, "Why does he look down on me? I can walk on my own, idiot." Shevonne closed the door and got into the driver's seat, jokingly adding, "Please don't bully me in your mind," as he drove off towards a nearby grocery shop. As they drove, Shevonne couldn't stop thinking about Ehvermaia's father. "So you and your father live in different houses?"
Ehvermaia thought of a sarcastic response. "Oh yes, Dad is absolutely thrilled about his new digs at the mental hospital. They offer five-star service with daily therapy sessions and an exclusive lounge for existential crises."
Shevonne laughed uncertainly, not sure if she was joking. "He must have a nice life then," he said, glancing at Ehvermaia through the rear-view mirror, looking bewildered. "Wait, were you serious? Just don't say it sarcastically, or I might think you're joking, you... you know."
After a minute, they arrived at the grocery shop. They both got out of the car and entered. Ehvermaia headed for the cheap potatoes, while Shevonne followed her. "What happened to your mother, if you don't mind me asking?"
Ehvermaia turned to face Shevonne as she picked out potatoes. "She died of cancer." Shevonne raised his eyebrows, deciding not to pry into her personal life further. Ehvermaia moved to another section to grab some frozen meals. "My dad lost it after Mom died. He's just... dramatic."
"Were you always like this?" Shevonne asked, leaning against a wall and watching Ehvermaia choose frozen meals.
Ehvermaia didn't look at him, responding straightforwardly, "Sarcastic and crazy? Yeah, that's always been me."
Shevonne put his hands in his pockets, stopping his lean against the wall as he examined the frozen meals. "Now that I see ice, what was your friend talking about earlier?"
Ehvermaia grew annoyed by his questions, choosing not to respond. Instead, she walked away to pay for her groceries. She stood in line, paid for her items, and carried a large bag full of potatoes and frozen meals. Shevonne took the bag of potatoes from her hands, and they loaded the groceries into the trunk of his car. As Ehvermaia placed the frozen meals in the trunk, she shot Shevonne a familiar annoyed look.
"My mother once told me never to step foot in an ice rink or fall in love with someone who dances on ice," Ehvermaia said with a serious expression.
Shevonne looked confused but smirked at the same time. "Never fall in love, huh? Why's that?"
They both got into the car, with Ehvermaia sitting in the front passenger seat. "My mother never loved my father. It's a long story, let's not talk about it."
Shevonne was intrigued by the story she hinted at. "Tell me. I'm interested in hearing this long story."
"My mother never loved my father. Their marriage was arranged. Before she married him, she was in love with someone who skated," Ehvermaia began, gazing out of the window at the birds flying in the sky. "Her first love taught her how to skate. One day, while he was practicing with his partner on the rink, my mother approached them. His partner pulled him away from her, causing my mother to slip and hit her head on the ice. That accident eventually led to her developing brain cancer."
"So how can you say your mother didn't love your father?" Shevonne asked, looking at Ehvermaia, who was staring out of the car window.
"My mother was poor, and that first love jerk was rich. You can imagine how rich parents react when their kids are crazy enough to date a poor person—let's just say 'beggar' from their perspective," Ehvermaia replied sarcastically.
Shevonne raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "Woah, woah, woah! Are you calling me a jerk? I think you are," he chuckled lightly.
"My mother's first love ended up marrying his dance partner, which turned my mother bitter. And then, out of nowhere, she married her best friend, who happens to be my father," Ehvermaia continued sarcastically, rolling her eyes as she glanced at Shevonne. Shevonne playfully nudged her. "Idiot."
When they arrived at Ehvermaia's home, Shevonne opened the car trunk, and Ehvermaia grabbed the groceries she had bought. As she walked towards her house, she turned around with a displeased expression. "I hate you just because your name sounds like my father's," she said, then went inside and closed the door, leaving Shevonne standing outside by his car.
Shevonne checked the time and got into his car to head to the ice rink stadium. While driving, he spotted Valerie walking and hesitated before deciding to offer her a ride. Valerie opened the front door and sat down, thanking him.
"Don't get any ideas. I'm only giving you a ride out of pity, and pity isn't exactly a compliment, so don't mistake it for something more," Shevonne said with a raised eyebrow, then drove off, visibly annoyed. Valerie rolled her eyes. "Why do you hate me so much? Or is this an enemies-to-lovers thing?"
Shevonne sighed in exasperation. "Just keep quiet, or you'll end up walking again."
Valerie noticed two canvases in the backseat through the rearview mirror but didn't bother to ask about them.
When they arrived at the stadium, they began practicing for the upcoming figure skating competition next month. Shevonne was eager to impress Ehvermaia by showing off his skills. During practice, Valerie noticed a paint stain on Shevonne's hands and asked curiously about it. Despite Shevonne's clear disinterest, Valerie still harbored feelings for him, especially since he had helped her improve in skating by teaching her as potential dance partners.
As Shevonne heard her question, he looked away and continued with the practice. Valerie couldn't help but think, "He must be with that bitch again. This is so frustrating," echoing in her mind.
After they finished practicing, Shevonne sat down exhausted on a chair. Valerie approached him, visibly annoyed by his changed behavior. "Why do you hate me so much now? You were never like this before. Is it because of that woman?"
"Don't misunderstand, Valerie. I've already told you, I pity you. I've never had any feelings for you. Think of yourself as just another fan seeking attention, nothing more," Shevonne said sternly, leaning back in his chair.
Valerie persisted, still curious about Ehvermaia and what made her so special. Shevonne was annoyed and decided to change out of his skates and get ready to leave. Outside, he waited for Coach Lee to come out. When he heard footsteps approaching, he turned and saw Coach Lee and Valerie. Shevonne was annoyed but got into the car with them. The ride was silent until they arrived at Shevonne's house.
Getting out of the car, Shevonne's mother, Shella, came out of the house. "Coach Lee, please join us for dinner."
Valerie ended up having dinner with Shevonne's family and Coach Lee. Shevonne's father, Arthur, looked at her and remarked, "You look different. Are you a different person?"
Valerie was puzzled by his comment and smiled uncertainly. "What do you mean, sir? Is that a compliment?"
Shevonne sighed and intervened, "No, Dad. She's my figure skating partner. The woman you met long ago was Ehvermaia." Valerie was taken aback by Ehvermaia's name being brought up again. "She was here before?"
Arthur chuckled and said to Valerie, "Thank goodness you're not her. I never liked her."
Valerie laughed nervously upon hearing Arthur's dislike for Ehvermaia. "Oh, really? I don't like her either."
Coach Lee was taken aback by Valerie's response but continued eating without commenting. Shevonne overheard their conversation and was irritated. Shella was quiet, visibly disapproving of her husband's behavior but didn't intervene.
Shaylene, Shevonne's sister, suddenly stopped eating and looked at Valerie. "What's so special about you? You just skate, that's all," she remarked bluntly, leaving Valerie stunned.
"The girl who was here the other day was prettier than you. And not just that, she painted my brother so realistically. Can you do that? Probably not," Shaylene continued, eating without a care.
Valerie was annoyed by Shaylene's comments questioning her uniqueness. Arthur laughed and ran his fingers through his hair. "This girl is rich. The other one you mentioned wasn't. You must look good if both of you are dating."
Shaylene snapped, "Father! Have you lost your mind?" Shevonne stood up angrily, leaving his food behind, and Shaylene followed him, also upset by her father's behavior. Both of them ended up in Shevonne's room, glaring at each other.
Shevonne sat on his bed, and Shaylene took a seat on a chair. She looked at the two paintings on the wall—one of a woman figure skating and another of the two of them painting together in a park. "Just looking at these, I can tell which one is yours and which one isn't," she remarked.
Shevonne sighed and looked at his sister. "Can I ask you something? I've been overthinking because of that annoying girl," he said, staring at Shaylene, who looked dumbfounded.
"Huh, go ahead. Don't stop now; you're making me think too much," Shaylene replied, intrigued.
"I asked her if she thought figure skating was a sport or an art. She said it's art and explained, 'When you step onto the rink, you become art. When you dance, it's a masterpiece.' I was impressed, but I don't really understand what she meant," Shevonne confessed.
Shaylene burst out laughing. "Why are you impressed? You asked her to explain, and now you're falling for her explanations?" She covered her face, laughing uncontrollably.
Shevonne stared at his sister, who was laughing, and sighed. "You're no help. Just tell me what it means."
"You really are clueless, Shevonne. That girl is just passionate about art, but it's not about flirting. She's just expressing what she sees in figure skating," Shaylene explained, removing her hands from her face and looking at her brother.
"She even told me that every time she sees me, it annoys her. Earlier, she said she hates me because my name sounds like her father's name. I've never met anyone like her," Shevonne sighed loudly as his sister stared at him.
"Shevonne, do you like her?" Shaylene asked, her eyes fixed on him.
Shevonne hesitated, unsure of how to respond. He didn't have romantic feelings for Ehvermaia, but he enjoyed teasing her and found her intriguing. "I don't know. I don't... I just find her interesting."
"So, you are interested in her, which means you do like her. Just admit it, Shevonne. It's not like I'm going to kidnap her and forbid you from liking 'weird' girls. I'm not like Dad, Shevonne. Please don't compare me to him; it upsets me," Shaylene said, clearly upset.
"But I'm being honest. I don't like her. She's so sarcastic that I just want to hear those words come out of her mouth again. Even things that aren't supposed to be sarcastic, she finds a way to make them so, but I don't like her," Shevonne tried to explain to Shaylene that he never had romantic feelings for Ehvermaia.
"Lie all you want, Shevonne. Your eyes tell the opposite," Shaylene said firmly, observing her brother closely.