What to Learn

                                    

                                          
The slivery clouds crowded to see her do the Ollie. Sissi smoothly glided on the pavement, stomped the board, kicked it up, and slammed the stake board back down as she glided past Sam. "Yeah, there we go. A little more practice and you'll get the hang of it in no time. Have you been practicing your turns?"
                          
"You mean my crashes?" Sissi remarked. Sam giggled. "Yeah, I have. It would be easier if I had more space."
                          
"I told you about the new skating park."
                          
"And I told you I don't like falling in front of that many people."
                          
"You worry too much about what other people think," Sam said, "But I guess being the principal's daughter isn't easy."
                          
"I knew you were smart," Sissi smirked. Giggling, the girls went on with their practice routine just outside a weed-torn parking lot. Suddenly, Sissi took a tumble and her back struck the ground. "Dah! Hmmm, that's gonna sting."
                          
"Are you okay?"
                          
"I'll be fine," Sissi sighed, getting up with Sam's help.
                          
"I think that's enough for now."
                          
"Sure?"
                          
"Yeah, I don't want you to push yourself too hard. I can't be responsible for putting the principal's daughter in the hospital." Sissi rolled her eyes with a huff. "By the way, why do you want to learn skateboarding?"
                          
"Everyone I know rides on something. Since having a motorcycle was out of the question, I decided skateboarding was the next best thing."
                          
"Hahaha, I thought the principal's daughter had perks."
                          
Sissi gave a small smile, "Not really." After giving Sam her skateboard back, Sissi grabbed her cane. Sam glanced at her cane.
                          
"Does... it hurt?"
                          
"Oh no, no, no," Sissi interjected, "Well, not as much. It's more like a lingering pain that just doesn't seem to go away."
                          
"And you think skateboarding is safer?"
                          
"I'm not crippled."
                          
"Hehe," Sam smiled. "I don't doubt that,"
                          
"Anyway, I should get back to- AHHH!"
                          
"Sissi?"
                          
"I'm fine! I'm not hurting. This leg just gives out at the strangest times," Sissi looked down at her leg. If the traitor–the leg–kept this up, she might just look into prosthetics. "I'll be fine."
                          
"Why don't I walk you back to school?" Sam offered.
                          
"I told you. I'm not crippled."
                          
"Just let me help, limp-shot."
                          
Sissi huffed, "Fine. But don't tell the others about this. And don't tell Odd about the limp-shot nickname. He'll never let me live it down."
                          
"Hehe, okay," Sam smiled warmly. They walked back under the cloudy sky. Sundays were the best. Buses and cars lazily moved by to the slow hours of the sun. As they neared the school gate, with Sissi walking in front, they caught a glimpse of a purple-wearing small teen leaning by the arch entryway.
                          
"Odd?"
                          
"Ah, Your Majesty. And where were you this fine day?"
                          
"Odd?"
                          
"Samantha!" The blonde fell flat on his back. Because Odd was leaning on the gate arch and the girls came up the road facing his back, he didn't see Sam at first. Sissi and Sam hovered over the forlorn Odd while Kiwi licked his face. "Wh-wha-what are you doing here?"