Ice Skating Date: Toby Van-Der-Bilt and Erika Slade
 

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The frozen lake stretches far and wide in Wimbledon, London, perhaps even being the resting place for a few unlucky birds who slip and slide along their way to the edges. Despite the fact that you can see your breath as clear as daylight, the toasty sunlight plays across your red noses and cheeks, maybe even enough to bring some feeling back into them. Regardless that the are is empty, it is apparent that this is quite a popular place for people all around, if the footprints in the snow or engravings from skating boots on the frozen lake top are any indication, yet the best clues are the various snowman built around. Some are in the traditional styles, while others have their personal flares to them, quite obviously wanting to stand out in the crowd.

A bare and snow filled tree close by near the edge of the frozen water holds two sets of white ice skates, charmed to shrink or grow depending on your shoe size for a comfortable fit. There is also a wooden bench underneath to put them on so you aren't sitting in the snow, or if your tired after a long day of ice skating, feel free to sit back and enjoy the rest of your time while you catch your breath. The few birds flying around, singing their musical songs and the various squirrels and rabbits scurrying around across the wide open, and relatively bare for now, outdoors could surely give a conversation starter.

The frozen lake is sturdy to skate on, race around, jump upon, and even fall down on for the more inexperienced skaters. We promise though, none of the snowman will tell of your lack of balance. Skate around as far as you'd like, but last and not least, have fun!

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Erika had always laughed at the idea of matchmaking before. To her it had always seemed to be something that only two kinds of people did: Desperate people and people who weren't that serious. After all, how could you really be serious about loving someone when you have never even met said person before? Evene after the date, how could you say you loved someone after only knowing them for less than a day? So that left people who were desperate, maybe because they had been rejected by everyone else.

So was Erika in one of those two groups? Nah. But Zoe had been bugging her for years to try one of these. (Probably because she married someone in an activity very close to this) And also because Erika was lonely after the passing away of her sister. Who knew? It might actually work. But only if this person thought like her.

Erika pulled her hood over her head as she approached the skate area. She had skated before, though not for a couple of years now. She hoped she still remembered.

She wondered briefly if she would be first than her date, but then she saw him sitting on the bench. She raised her hand in greeting as she approached him.

Sorry for late response!
 

Slade quickened her pace as she approached him. He looked handsome, and she guessed that was good. Not that she judged by looks, but still. She briefly wondered if she was the type of person he was expecting. Probably not, unless this was also his first time doing this thing.

"Hi there!" She didn't know if this sounded right for the spot. She extended her hand. "I'm Erika Slade, this is my first time doing something like this. It's nice to meet you."

Erika smiled at him. He was cute, she supposed. "I am not sure I want to skate. This dress isn't really suited for that."

She approached him. "I hear you are a MLE. It must be exciting. I read what happened in the Ministry last year. Were you involved in taking down those villians?"