Ridley’s hoodie is pulled down so low over his eyes, I can’t even see them. He looks small, folded up like that, a little stress ball in a slightly too big sweatshirt. He glances up when he hears me, pulling back his hood, his eyes widening to match his smile. His hands are tucked into his pockets, but he jumps down without losing his balance.

“You came,” he says, like he can’t believe it.

“You knew I was coming!”

“I wasn’t sure.” He chews on his lip.

“I said I couldn’t wait.”

“I know, but.”

I poke his shoulder, making him look up at me. “But what?”

“I’m kind of still waiting for the other shoe to drop, I guess.”

“Well, it’s not going to.” I notice his skateboard tucked into his backpack beside the table, one wheel rolling lazily in the wind. He’s had his board at the shop before, but I’ve never really gotten to see him skate. “Did you skate here?”

“Yeah,” he says, a little shy, like I’ll think that’s dorky or something. I don’t. I love it.

“I always wanted to learn. Show me?”

He pulls his board out and carries it over to a flat area away from the cobblestones, then changes his mind and walks down farther to the parking lot. “Have you ever skated before?”

“Once,” I say, “but it doesn’t count.”

“Why not?”

“Because it wasn’t with you.” I meant it to be funny, but it comes out sounding sincere.

He blushes at my answer, ducking his head as I step onto the board. “Do you want to learn, or do you just want me to pull you along?”

“Both.” I laugh.

“Okay, get your feet comfortable. Move them so they’re kind of like this,” he says, demonstrating on the ground.

I do as I’m told, marveling at how much warmer it feels when someone you like is giving you skateboarding lessons, even in an empty parking lot on the last day of March.

“Okay, push off,” he says, reaching his arms out. I give it a shove, locking my arms on his when I start to lose my balance. “I won’t let you fall.”

I look up, startled, and he’s smiling when our eyes meet, one dimple visible under the cold sun. We practice a few more times, until I start to figure it out, using his arms less and less as my confidence grows.

“What do you think?” he asks. “Should we give it a go?”

“Absolutely,” I say, a little too enthusiastically. He chuckles, and then it’s my turn to look down, embarrassed. “I mean, yeah. I think I’ve got this.”