We showed up at the rink at about 10:45 and were told we had to wait 45 minutes for the private sessions to end and the zamboni to smooth the ice. We watched the private skaters and the BYU hockey team for a while before we headed downstairs where we bought a soda for $1.25.
45 minutes passed and the man at the counter let us know we could now go skate. He told us the admission fee plus the price of renting skates, we counted our money... and we were a dollar short. We mumbled to ourselves about the fact our Sprite cost us a day ice skating and went over to get our shoes.
Neither Sam nor Ally's parents wanted to pick us up, so we found ourselves stranded at Seven Peaks with only 18 dollars.
"Let's just go ride the bus home," Sam suggested.
Ally planted her feet in the ground, refusing to leave.
"We're going now Ally... bye!" Sam and I said. She soon followed us out the doors realizing she really had no choice.
A few blocks down we found the bus stop. The sign said it ran every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. The sign also said the bus was supposed to have come 2 minutes before the time we arrived at the stop.
"I didn't see a bus go by," Sam pointed out. We called the number on the sign and an automated voice told us the buses and trax weren't running today. Thoroughly frustrated, we sat down in the grass, calling our parents. No one picked up. I called my mom's phone and my dad's and my sister's... no answer.
...Now what?
We sat in the grass, feeling rather hopeless.
A woman drove by and thought we were waiting for the bus. She pulled over. "Sorry... the buses aren't going today. My son already tried to get a bus ride."
"Yeah, we know, we called the number on the sign. No one at home is picking up their phones."
"Do you guys need a ride?"
There was silence. Ally and I looked at each other, shaking our heads. All our lives they taught us NOT to do this very thing. Sam looked us right in the eyes. She looked serious. "I have a feeling it's going to be okay."
We didn't tell the woman our names or ages and just told her to drop us off at Macey's grocery store in Orem.
"This is the stupidest thing I've ever done," I told Sam, matter-of-factly.
The whole ride the woman was very nice and just talked about how she was cleaning her house this morning in honor of the holiday.
She pulled up to the Macey's curb and we thanked her profusely for the ride while I also thanked Heavenly Father over and over in my heart that we got there safe.
We got in the store, bought bagels, ate bagels, and talked about how weird our day had been. Soon we were walking back to Ally's. After we watched a movie I walked home. As my family always says: "It's been real, and it's been fun, but it hasn't been real fun."
The instant I got home people asked me how my day was. I told them the story except said Sam's mom brought us home. It nagged at me. I sat at the computer listening to music as my mom sewed behind me. I have to tell her. My eyes teared up at the very thought of what might happen. I could be grounded for the rest of my eternity. But rescuing my soul from a cruel fate still wasn't worth lying to my mother.
"Mom..." my voice was trembling.
"What?" her eyes didn't move from her sewing.
"Well, when we were at the bus stop, Sam's mom didn't pick us up..." I then proceeded to tell her the whole story, on the verge of sobbing.
"I'm glad you told me," she said, "but I wish you had told me from the start." I couldn't have been more relieved. But she said if she has found it out later by anyone else, she would have probably thrown me in a guillotine and sold my head to traveling gypsies. I would've deserved that.
Today was a messed up day. But I hope you've all learned a valuable lesson. Don't lie, don't talk to strangers, carry your phone with you at all times, bring more than enough money, and the cherry bagels at Macey's are delicious.
I'm so sorry Tessa. My phone was still in my school bag on vibrate or I would have rescued you and brought you a dollar.
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