~I'm dreaming of a white Christmas[Open]

[BRIDGETTE STANTON]

"Oh, the joys of Christmas time..." whispered the flushed-cheeked blonde as she Entered the cold dome room that held Las Vegas's famous ice rink. There was just something that made the illusion of coldness so appealing. Perhaps it was her greatest memory of back home, the smell of snow in the air, the coats, the flushed cheeks, the seen-air as you breathed. It just made her smile from ear to ear. Okay, so maybe the holiday skating rink wasn't EXACTLY the same thing as cold winters, but they did a good job making it seem like it, with the Christmas music, the beautiful decorative lights, all the people in their best winter gear to protect them from the cold of the ice. 

Bridgette had always loved ice skating from the time her parents taught her how when she was around the age of seven. She was fairly good at it too, picking up a few tricks along the way. Sliding onto the ice in her white, pink-lace-up skates, she floated with ease towards the center of the rink and stopped upon arrival, taking a good look at the crowds of families both watching and skating around her. Smiling to herself. She let he arms rise and began to do a spin. Suddenly though, she lost her footing and found herself sitting on the cold, solid ice, a frown on her face. 

Looking around, she smiled as if she hadn't just embarrassed herself and began looking for a way to get up. Perhaps she had been a little rusty since her last skating attempt. Normally, she hardly ever fell, and especially not during such a simple task as spinning. As she tried to push herself up, her blades skidded across the ice, forbidding her from standing. Her face turned a bright red, realizing she was stuck until someone gave her a hand. Looking around once more, she raised a hand and asked sheepishly. "Could anyone give me a hand?"

[JOSEPH FRENCH]

Even from a young age, the ice had always been somewhere that Joseph French felt comfortable. His stepmother had forced him into basically any sport or athletic activity she could, and ice skating was one of the few things that he enjoyed, and, surprisingly, was good at. After quickly lacing up his black-and-white skates, and sliding into a thin jacket, he stepped out onto the ice. He wobbled a bit, and gripped the edge of the rink until he got both feet firmly set. The blades cut into the thin ice, sending him sailing across the rink, in sync with the other skaters. 

One lap in, to his great amusement, the young man spotted a familiar blonde, making her way around the rink a few yards in front of him. Bridgette was an ice skater? Joey was about to speed up to her side, when she attempted a spin, and fell very dramatically. Her form was all wrong, Joey thought, shaking his head to himself. She looked helpless, sitting there on the ice, and Joey couldn't help but feel a pang of pity. No one enjoyed the feeling of landing on the frozen ground. And no one was rushing to help her.

Rolling his eyes, Joey skated to her, then around to her front, smiling and waving away the man in the orange vest that had just began turning around to come to help her. Not fast enough. With a sly smile, he extended a hand and pulled her to her feet in one, fluid motion. Jesus, did the women around here just not eat or something? It seemed like they were all very small, and frail. Like porcelain dolls or something.  

"Alright, Miss Stanton?" He asked, noticing her bright pink cheeks, but choosing not to comment. 

[BRIDGETTE STANTON]

After a moment, the flustered blonde began to feel the pathetic embarrassment of being ignored as she sat sprawled out on the ice, trying to hold back the tears building up from the pain from falling. It was beginning to really hurt. She'd have a bruise somewhere, no doubt about that. Sighing with a large huff, she glanced up one more time to see two people coming at her. One, a stranger in an absolutely hideous orange vest, and the other, a familiar brunette: Joey.

Smiling as he skated his way over to her, she forgot all about the pain and gave him a short wave, doing her best to hide all of her embarrassment. After all, he'd only seen her as the confident perfect Miss Stanton, not the clumsy Bridgey. As he pulled her up, she giggled for a moment, avoiding his face while she got herself together. He couldn't see her like this. It wasn't Bridgette. It was uncharacteristic, of her and that could not be seen. 

Gathering her balance and letting go of his hand, she finally turned back to him with a nonchalant shrug and a bright smile. No, she wasn't fine. Her backside hurt and she was this close from just running off and forgetting ice skating altogether. She obviously had forgotten some things since she had moved from New York. But, she would not tell him that. "Miss Stanton, hmm? I like that..." she began, waving a hand at him to follow her as she skated towards the outer circle of skaters. Waiting for him to get up to her, she turned to him and continued. "Of course I'm alright. Can't you see? Look at me. I'm a pro." she said, redoing her spin and succeeding this time. There  you go Bridgey....

Beaming from Ear to ear now, she gave a small bow followed by a giggle. She had redeemed herself. Looking up at Joey, she then opened her mouth to speak once again. "Why are you here all by your lonesome? Where's Blondie?" she asked in sort of a playful tone, but you could tell it was a bit condescending. She still didn't approve.

[JOSEPH FRENCH]

Bridgette was flustered. Joey could see her cheeks had the remnants of the trademark symbol of embarrassment in her flushed cheeks. Still, he had to be surprised. After all, he had never witness this woman display anything but the utmost collectivity and  maintain her stature. He had to give her kudos though, she was quick to redeem herself.

Joey clapped as she spun, successfully, his eyebrow arching high as she claimed to be a pro. He was going to show off, but the rink was full of everyday people; slow children clinging to the side, young couples holding hands and taking their own sweet time around the rink, and the sorts. So the most he could do without hurting someone was mimic her small spin, and the curt bow that followed, his smirk widening with every moment on the ice.

Bridgette's tone made Joey cringe internally, but his flawless, bright smile didn't even waver. "Blondie? He's at home, something about lace snowflakes or something. Besides, if he had come, that weird guy would've had to help you up," He joked, nodding over their shoulders at the ice rink staff member, in his rental skates and neon orange vest. Even though fashion was the last thing on Joey's mind, he was not impressed by this man's lack of wardrobe coordination.

Shuddering melodramatically, he spun around, skating backwards. "What about you? No Mitchie?" He asked, inquiringly.

[/font][/size]

[BRIDGETTE STANTON]

The sassy blonde sort of felt guilty for the little insult she had given towards Dorian. Yes, after all, they hadn't really gotten to know each other, and name-calling was hardly mature. However, Bridgette mostly felt guilty saying it to Joey instead. She wasn't exactly sure why, but she wanted to prove to him that she was the nice one and not Dorian. Well, that plan went straight to hell. The look on Joey's face was far from that of admire. 

Shrugging innocently as he questioned the silly nickname, Bridgette followed him as the brunette skated backwards, trying to get in earshot of his words. The ice rink was rather loud with voices, and his was unusually hard to hear over the giddy screams and Christmas music playing. The thought of Joey always having his attention on Dorian drove her absolutely nuts, especially the thought of him ignoring her fall to keep Dorian happy. Rolling her eyes, she looked up at the tall boy, crossing her arms across her chest and slowing to a stop in front of him. "You know, being rude to your friends to keep your boyfriend all-sunshine-and-rainbows isn't exactly becoming. Isn't there a saying for that?  Bros before hoes?" she said in a joking manner, though she still made it clear she was not happy with his answer. 

Beginning to skate again, she continued talking, looking down at her feet as if she was depressed. "Mitchie's in Canada with his family. He would be here with me if it weren't for the holidays and whatnot." she said, looking towards Joey again. "You know maybe I should stop talking to you. After all, I'm supposed to be keeping myself away from you." she finished, slipping him a quick wink.

[JOSEPH FRENCH]

"Oh, we're bros now?" The tall male asked, with a sly smirk. It was true, of course, that Dorian wouldn't be pleased if Joey left his side to help the fallen blonde girl, but if they were 'bros'... "That changes everything then, doesn't it?" With a hearty laugh, Joey skated in a circle around her, trying to release some of his restlessness, and listening closely as the girl spoke. 

His eyebrow rose, in sudden curiosity. "I didn't realize you took orders from Dorian," Joey said, glancing upward casually. Bridgette would do whatever the fuck she wanted to do. That's just who this girl was. Fierce. Independent. And, evidently, lonely. What girl came to the ice rink alone? It was a place with so much love in the air, it was almost suffocating. Couples were gripping each other's hands, and giggling as they slid along the edge of the slab of ice. He rolled his eyes and skated smoothly back to her side. "I'm allowed to have friends," He stated plainly. "Bros, even," Joey played, with a half shrug. Dorian would be able to handle it. The blonde girl and Joey were just friends.

The lean boy stretched and placed his arms behind his head, yawning and unsettling his dark hair as his fingers slid through it. "How about a friendly race?" He suggested, with a feisty grin, adding in his proposal. "To the end of the rink, and loser buys coffee?" 

Notes: Sorry I totes forgot I /didn't/ reply. So then I found half of it. The rest of it was who-the-fuck-knows-where c: and as we all know, I HATE REWRITING THINGS.

[BRIDGETTE STANTON]

She had to admit, the word "bros" coming out of her mouth was something very uncharacteristic, though Bridgette wouldn't show any sign of regret. Raising her eyes and biting her lip, as if pondering the thought of whether or not she actually considered them "bros", she stopped talking for a moment before looking back at the slender male. "....Yeah, I think I'd say we were." she replied, a light smile playing on her lips. Maybe he was right. Maybe Dorian's opinion on their friendship didn't matter. 

Of course it didn't. It didn't matter what Dorian thought of Bridgette hanging around his precious little boy toy. Actually, the more Dorian hated it, the more Bridgette wanted to talk to Joey. It was kind of fun watching the boy in the skirt squirm. "I'm not taking orders from Dorian!" the blonde continued, her eyes watching him as he circled. "If I was, I would've ignored your request to help me....you know, because I'm so nice as to let Dorian sleep soundly at night knowing he doesn't have competition." the blonde said, before winking at Joey. "Even though I hardly consider myself his competition." She added.

At the mention of a skating competition, Bridgette's sly smirk widened and she was relieved the topic of Dorian was over. "I am, however, competition for you. Because, after all, I am a pro at skating and I don't intend on buying you coffee. So, ready....setGO!" she said, Taking a head start, skating slowly and unsteadily towards the edge of the rink. "you're going to lose!" she shouted over her shoulder, though she wasn't making much progress, and it seemed pretty evident that he would catch up with his "experience" and what not.