Alexia's+NaNoWriMo

I wish that it ended a different way. I know for a fact that it could’ve. But I can’t go back in the past and change anything, and I can’t erase my memory either. I screwed up, and the chance I had is gone. That’s not to say that I’ll never have a chance again. I know I will. But the hopes that I had for this season, hoping that somehow, I could pull it together, putting the nerves aside and showing everyone what I was TRULY capable of.......... All of that is gone. This is the story of my season as an Intermediate level ice skater. Through the pain and joy and hope and fear that this season has brought me, I’ve learned a lot – about myself, about skating, and about life. I hope you can learn from this the same way that I have. Use it to your advantage. I’m hoping to do the same. - Skyler White

**Chapter One **

“Skyler. Skyler! Wake up! It’s 4:55. You’re going to be late to practice.”

I opened my eyes a crack, and saw Mom looming over me. Mom has dark brown eyes, and they sparkle when she smiles. She’s barely two inches taller than me and has straight brown hair that rests just past her shoulders.

“Mmmmmph…… Five more minutes...”

“Look at it this way, Skyler. Wake up now and make it to practice on time. Or stay in bed and get your butt kicked by Sara.”

That was enough to get me out of bed! I rushed past Mom to started getting ready for the day. It was 4:55 in the morning, and I was already twenty-five minutes behind schedule. As an ice skater, I do my training before school every day – and if I’m late, then I get to look forward to having my coach bite my head off.

I briskly got my skating clothes on, ate a rushed breakfast, and jumped in the car. I glanced at the clock, ready for the worst, and it said – 5:15. YES! As long as I warmed up quickly, my coach, Sara, wouldn’t know the difference.

We reached Pickwick and I scampered out of the car, dashing through the double doors and feeling a blast of cool air as I entered the main hallway. Pickwick is my second home, and has been since I first stepped through the doors when I was four. I’ve been skating for more than nine years now, and I know my rink better than I know my own home. That doesn’t surprise me, considering I spend six mornings and two afternoons here every week. The walls are made of brick, covered in thick layers of badly applied paint. It looks like two humungous cans of paint came and threw up on the walls, making the top half white and the bottom half a tacky green. The ground is made of cheap, black, “Blade-Safe” rubber, and it’s not so safe on the blades anymore – parts of the floor are gauged out from the wear-n-tear of time, revealing small concrete patches every few feet or so in all directions. There are glass displays in the main hallway, showing the awards we’ve won as Team LAFSC – Los Angeles Figure Skating Club - and as individuals that are part of the team. My name’s not on any of them yet, but I’m planning to change that.I ran and ran and I finally reached the second set of doors that lead to the rink itself and pushed the doors open. I turned the corner, sprinting at top speed – and bumped into someone, with enough force to knock them to the ground.

“Oh my gosh! Are you okay? Oh my gosh I’m so sorry,” I said, helping the person up. Then I see just who I knocked down. It was Sara, and she didn’t look too happy with me.Sara Lovett is a beautiful coach, but rather intimidating. She’s a foot taller than me at six feet tall, and for those moments where she’s staring down at me – like now, for instance – I feel more around two feet tall than five. Sara has sharp blue eyes, resembling splintered shards of ice. The problem is, those icy blue eyes can turn to balls of blazing fire as fast as you can say “But I didn’t mean to pop my double lutz!” And when you can see that change in the look of her eyes, you know when to: a) run away, or b) duck, because she’s getting ready to smack you. She has short blond hair that comes up to her shoulders, with curls at the end turning inward. Sara is really quite a loving coach, but she’s REALLY strict when she has to be! Luckily, if she’s strict with you, that means she really cares about you and thinks that you can go somewhere. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be wasting her time.

“Skyler? You realize it’s 5:35? And you’re late for off-ice with me? That’s the second time this week,” Sara said. Oh no. She started to narrow her eyes.

“I’m sorry Sara. Won’t happen again,” I managed to choke out. It’s a wonder I could even say that much right then. Those icy-hot glares still freak me out. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been scared into paralysis and then screamed at for ignoring her!

“Yeah? You just get your skates on so you can at least be on the ice on time.”“Yes ma’am,” I said, running past her to the Ice Café. The Ice Café, also known as “The Warm-Room,” is the only place at Pickwick that’s always above 48 degrees (The Ballet Rooms have thermostats inside them, but we have to change the temperature accordingly ourselves.). It’s where all the skaters boot-up, which is a skating term we use referring to when we tie our skates. I blasted through the door and rushed to a table, opening my skating bag and taking out my boots, when I heard a voice.

“Late again, Skyler?” the voice said playfully. The voice belonged to my best friend, Megan Evans. I’ve known her ever since I started doing group classes, when I was four. I remember the day we met for the first time. We were in the same “Skating School” class together, and that day, we were working on our two-foot spins. Well, everyone else managed to stay vertical, but I was the one to spin sideways and fall on my head. The coach that was teaching that day picked me up off the ice while I cried, and while all the kids kept skating, Megan got off the ice to make sure I was okay. She also gave me her pack of fun-sized M&M’s to make me feel better. Ever since then, we’ve stuck to each other like glue. It’s kinda funny, considering we’re pretty much polar opposites. I have curly brown hair, and she has straight blond hair. I have light brown eyes, and she has sparkling blue eyes. Megan is the sweet girl that can do no harm and lives in her innocent little bubble. Me, on the other hand – I’m bold and out there and absorbed in everything I do, whether it’s my skating or my school. At least, that’s the way I think I am.“Ha-ha Megan. Yeah, I’m late, and I’d watch out for Sara today. Why am I always the one to put her in those moods???” I said. To this day, I am STILL at a loss for how this is even possible. Literally, I’m the only one who can get Sara in that mood where she looks like she’s about ready to take off her skates and stab someone. Everyone else? She gets mad in their lesson and moves on, all happy in the next lesson. But me? She’s pissed for the WHOLE day and then if I’m not perfect the next day she stays pissed.

“Come on. Let’s get on the ice before Sara blows a fuse,” Megan said. With that note, we got on the ice, and started doing our warm-up edges together. We were about to start jumping together when Caroline Fray brushed in between us, barely avoiding contact between Megan and I.

“Can you believe her?” I asked Megan.

“Well, we can’t really expect anything less from her, can we? That’s how she’s always been, and that’s just how she’s always going to be. I just can’t believe that she pretended to be friends with us for so long, and we actually fell for it,” Megan said, obviously hurt.Here’s the deal with Caroline. Megan and I are really good skaters, and together, we’re a very formidable pair. We push each other to be our best, always fully supportive and encouraging each other to skate our best. Caroline…. She’s jealous of what Megan and I have. We have a genuine friendship and we’re great skaters. And we //used to be// friends with Caroline. But Caroline turned on us. She sneered at us every time we tried to talk to her, and would make rude remarks to everything we had to say. That’s when things started really getting out of hand. She started aiming for us while we skated. When she saw us on the ice, especially if we made eye contact with her, she would dart in our path, brushing really close and just barely missing us each time. It’s been like this for a while now – and frankly, I’m really tired of it. Megan is too. I think in the back of our minds, Megan and I still hope that someday we can salvage that friendship and turn Caroline around, but I don’t see that happening any time soon.Anyway, Megan and I went back to our training and started going through our jumps together. Then Caroline came into our path, for the second time that morning - but this time, she was coming straight at us. Megan was skating backwards and couldn’t see her, but I could see Caroline coming. It looked like it was going to be just another Caroline-bit, coming so close that you can feel her shoulder brush past you, but never causing any damage.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Suddenly, everything felt like we were in slow motion.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Megan, move!” I screamed. I tried to warn Megan, and I tried to push her out of the way, but by the time I reached her, it was too late. Caroline was fully in the air, and when she landed, her blade sunk into Megan’s thigh.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan fell, her blood staining the ice under her red. Caroline’s blade left a red trail on the ice as she came back to Megan, a look of mock fear on her face.“Megan! Are you okay? I didn’t see you there. Maybe you should look out better next time,” Caroline said, a smug look plastered to her face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I could feel myself turning red with anger as I skated to Caroline. I slapped her across the face, leaving a pink mark on her cheek. I had the satisfaction of seeing a shocked look on Caroline’s face, and I would’ve stood there longer, basking in the pleasure of seeing her face turn from smug to enraged and embarrassed. But Megan needed help, so I went to her side, along with three other coaches, to see how much damage Caroline really did.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“How bad does it look?” Megan asked. She looked like she was in pain, but I could tell that she wasn’t going to cry for anything – she wasn’t going to let Caroline be a witness to that. Never in my life had I been so proud of Megan.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Sorry, Megan. It’s pretty deep. Looks like you’re going to need stitches. Skyler, wait here with Megan. I’ll bring something to help stop the bleeding before the paramedics get here,” said Sara. I watched her and the other coaches get off the ice, trying to make use of themselves.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, Skyler,” Megan said, a mischievous look on her face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, Megs?” I said, wondering what she had to say.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Nice slap,” she said with a grin. We both started laughing, and that’s when the paramedics came to take Megan to the hospital. I glided off the ice next to Megan on her gurney and looked at the clock for the first time that morning since I got in the car. 7:20. I had to get off the ice and go to school, but I didn’t want to leave Megan.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Mom, can we meet Megan at the hospital?” I asked, putting on my best puppy-dog face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No, Skyler, you have school to go to. We can see her after school, but right now you need to go get changed or you’re going to be late,” Mom said. I was disappointed, but it wasn’t like I didn’t know that was the response I would get. I caught up with Megan’s gurney just as they were rolling her out of Pickwick.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Megan, I’m sorry, but I have to go to school. Can I visit you later?” I asked, feeling like a terrible friend.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Of course! But, would you mind bringing today’s homework? Maybe we can work on it together,” Megan said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Anything for you, Megs,” I said, smiling at her one last time before she was rolled away.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Be strong!” I called after her, taking one last glance before I rushed back inside. I ran to the bathroom and changed for school, and then we were off. It was 7:55, and I had to rush or I was going to be late for my first class.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Bye Mom!” I called over my shoulder, seeing Mom wave good-bye and walk back to the car.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I slide into my seat right as the bell rings, //almost// late, but luckily, not quite. I look around the room and see my math teacher, Mrs. Anderson, scanning the room as she filled out her attendance sheet. I also see Caroline, the pink mark gone, unfortunately. I hoped that it still stung, even if it wasn’t visible to everyone else.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler, Caroline, where’s Megan today?” Mrs. Anderson asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Caroline and I stared each other down. Caroline was about to say something, but I cut her off. “She’s in the Emergency Room, Mrs. Anderson.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Mrs. Anderson gasped, and Caroline and I kept glaring at each other.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh my, did she hurt herself ice skating? I told you girls to be careful-“We never got to hear Mrs. Anderson finish her statement, because Caroline and I erupted into a heated debate over the events of this morning.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You had NO RIGHT -“

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I had EVERY RIGHT –“

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“YOU INJURED HER!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“SHE DESERVED WHAT WAS COMING!"

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“WHAT HAS SHE EVER DONE TO YOU –“

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“GIRLS SHUT YOUR MOUTHS OR YOU’RE BOTH GOING TO THE PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE!” Mrs. Anderson screamed over us. We both fell into silence, but the malice in our eyes didn’t fade. We sat there and glared at each other just as we did before.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Now, listen. I realize that you have your differences –“

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“She’s CRAZY –“

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“She’s A WITCH –“

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“STOP IT AND LISTEN! Obviously, something happened this morning that I don’t know about. And frankly, after that display, I don’t want to know! If you say one word to each other before class is over, then both of you are getting referrals. Now, class, today we’re on section 3.4……”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I couldn’t focus on math right then. The only thing I could think about was Caroline, and how she just sent my best friend to the hospital without a hint of guilt! I was imagining how good it would feel to give her a taste of her own medicine when someone interrupted my thoughts.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Gosh, I take one morning off, and all hell breaks loose!” said Spencer. Spencer! I realized that in the thick of things this morning, I didn’t notice that Spencer wasn’t there. Spencer is in Novice, and he’s an AMAZING ice skater. He’s already working on his triple lutz! He has this nice fluidity to his skating; his skating style is laid-back, not rushed, nice and paced. Spencer is my age, thirteen, and he has short black hair. His bangs hang just above his chocolate brown eyes, with all his features are perfectly proportioned. If I didn’t still think boys were icky, I would have no trouble calling him cute.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You got that right….” I muttered under my breath.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Stop talking back there!” Mrs. Anderson reprimanded.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I continued absent-mindedly taking notes, copying what was on the board, but not paying attention to what the words meant. A piece of folder paper landed in the center of my notebook. I opened it up and saw a note scrawled in the messy handwriting that belongs to Spencer. It said:

What happened to Megan this morning? And why do you and Caroline look like you’re about to kill each other?

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I wrote back and tossed the note to his desk. I had written:

Someone landed a jump this morning and her blade just happened to sink into Megan’s thigh, and now she

needs stitches. Guess who did it?

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Plop! //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The note landed back on my desk again, this time with something in it. I opened it up, and a little origami flower fell out.

No way! Would Caroline really do that? I mean, I know there’s

some tension between you guys, but I would never expect her to go

so low… Give the flower to Megan. Tell her to get better soon for

me J

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I looked at the paper flower and smiled. //This will make Megan happy,// I thought to myself as I wrote back:

I’ll tell her J And Caroline? It’s more than a little tension at this point.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We went back and forth like this for the rest of class, and soon enough Geometry was over. I walked through the hallway towards my next class – English with Mr. Keating. Thankfully, it was one of my classes that I didn’t share with Caroline. I walked in the room and took my seat in the back of the classroom.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, Jason,” I said. “How’s your morning been?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Decent, for a morning. You?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Don’t even get me started…….” I said. Jason is one of my life-long school friends. We’ve known each other since pre-school. He’s a quiet kind of kid, and doesn’t openly talk to anyone except for his close friends – Megan and me. He has short hair, exactly like Spencer’s, except blond. He has green eyes, the color of healthy grass. There’s a light sprinkle of freckles running over his cheeks and the bridge of his nose. He, like Spencer, can be considered “cute.” But I just can’t think of either of them that way. We’ve been friends for way too long, and that would be weird.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Let me guess. Skating drama?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You’ve guessed correctly,” I answered, putting my head on my desk. I was feeling exhausted. It had already been a very emotionally draining day, and I was ready to fall asleep – and it was only 9:55.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Good morning, Period Two!” Mr. Keating said, a bright smile on his face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Good morning Mr. Keating,” the class back.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, where’s Megan?” Jason whispered as Mr. Keating started his lesson on dependent and independent clauses.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you at Nutrition,” I answered. The lesson in class today was all review, and I was getting REALLY bored. That, combined with my exhaustion, led to one ice skater snoring on a desk. Luckily, Jason shook me awake, right before Mr. Keating sprung a question on me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler, can you tell me if this is a dependent or independent clause?” Mr. Keating asked, pointing to a question written on the board.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Independent clause,” I answered.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“And why is it an independent clause?” Mr. Keating asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Because it is a complete thought that can stand alone,” I replied.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Very good! Moving on,” said Mr. Keating, continuing with his lesson.I managed to stay awake for the rest of class, but I wasn’t alert, and I was counting down the minutes until Nutrition. Finally the bell rang, and Jason and I walked out of class together. I explained to him what happened that morning, and he had a shocked look on his face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Didn’t anyone say anything to Caroline about it? Shouldn’t she be in big trouble right now?” Jason asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“To tell you the truth, I haven’t really thought about it. We were all so busy trying to help Megan that we completely forgot about Caroline,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I hope that she gets into some major trouble….” Jase said. “Hey, can I come with you when you visit Megan after school?” he asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Sure. I’ll have my mom pick you up,” I replied.

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ring ring ring!!! //

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I have to get to History. See you later, Skyler,” Jase said, walking across the field to his next class, while I walked to mine.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The rest of the day was going by really fast. I went through my elective and P.E. without thinking about Caroline once, and I was slowly but surely gaining my energy back. The bell rang for lunch and I walked to the lower field and sat with Jase next to “The Big Tree.” The Big Tree is where all the eighth graders have lunch. We eat on the benches, and when we’re done eating, we go from group to group talking to each other. Today, I was in a group with Jase and two other girls, talking about Miss Henserman’s unfair grading system when someone pushed me from behind. I turned around, and you know who it was?

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Caroline Fray.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Don’t touch me, Caroline!” I growled. “Just because you put Megan in the hospital doesn’t mean I have to join her.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You listen to me, Skyler White. If you try spreading rumors about me, telling everyone that I //meant// to hit Megan, then //both of you// are going to get it next time. And I’ll //really// have meant it,” Caroline said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Caroline! I SAW you coming at us! We made EYE CONTACT! You know as well as I do that what happened this morning was NOT a mistake on your part. So if I told anyone, it wouldn’t be a lie OR a rumor. It would be fact.” I snapped. “Do you honestly think that I’m stupid enough to believe that what you did was a mistake? Or did I slap you so hard that you can’t remember JUST WHO YOU’RE DEALING WITH?” A group had formed around us, and Caroline’s face was turning red, and whether it was from anger or embarrassment, I don’t know. Either way, she chose to end the conversation there and walked back to her snobby entourage of girls that are just like her – shallow and conceited. I could see them pointing at me and making faces and I knew that they were talking about me. But it made no difference. I knew that Caroline had just gotten a taste of what she would be up against the next time she tried to pull a stunt like that.The group that surrounded Caroline and I dispersed, and it was back to just me, Jase, and the other two girls again. I tried to strike up our conversation again, but they were all too busy staring at me, their eyes wide open.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What is it?! Have you never seen a girl stand up for herself before?” I asked. They continued to stare at me. “Gosh, you guys, get over it! It wasn’t that big of a deal. If I need to stand up for myself and my friends, them I’m going to do it!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">They continued their staring.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“If you guys don’t stop staring at me, then I’m leaving,” I said, crossing my arms and leaning to one side.“Fine then! I’m going!” I said, stomping off in the other direction.Thankfully, the rest of the day went by really fast after lunch. Yeah, my last two classes had Caroline in them, but she didn’t have anything to say to me. It’s a good thing too, because I think I would’ve slapped her again if she tried anything again, and I couldn’t do that at school or I would get suspended. So, I got through my classes, and when the bell rang, I found Jase and walked to my mom’s car with him.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey Mom? Can we take Jase to the hospital with us?” I asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Sure, honey. How was your day, you two?” Mom asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Jase and I looked at each other with a knowing look, and I told Mom about the fiasco at lunch.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">As I told her all the details, her face turned pale, and I was worried that somehow, I was the one in trouble. I finally finished the story, and Mom was still pale, her knuckles white from clutching the wheel so tight. She pulled over, and I though, //Oh boy, I’m in trouble. But for what?//

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Mom turned around in her seat and looked at me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler, did Caroline really threaten you like that?” Mom asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah….” I replied, unsure of where this was going.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Mom pulled back on the road, taking a deep breath. "Caroline is one nasty little girl, and I'm sorry you have to deal with her. I just can't believe that she had the NERVE to speak to you like that!"

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">"It's okay, Mom," I said. "You know that I can handle girls like that."

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">"I know you can, honey. But the next time she threatens you like that, I'M going to be the one to slap her."“You have the coolest mom ever,” Jase said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, yeah, let’s just get to the hospital,” I said, a tiny smile on face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Megs! Are you feeling okay? What did they have to do? How fast will you heal?” I said, bombarding my best friend with questions.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler, give your friend a chance to breathe! Megan, how are you feeling, dear?” Mom asked

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Don’t worry Mrs. White, Skyler is by no means a problem. And thank you for asking, I’m feeling good,” said Megan. Jase walked in the room, holding a flower basket and a teddy bear that we got for Megan on the way to the hospital.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Jase! Oh am I happy to see you!” Megan exclaimed.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I’ll just leave you kids alone,” Mom said, exiting the room with a smile.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You guys are such amazing friends. You didn’t have to do all this for me…” Megan said. Her eyes were welling up with tears.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, don’t start crying on me now! Now, answer my questions please! I’ve been worries sick about you all day!” I said. Megan wiped her eyes and took a deep breath.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay. I’m feeling better now, but I wasn’t feeling good at all earlier. They had to perform surgery –“

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“SURGERY?!?!??!?!?!??!!!!! OH MY GOSH WHAT DID CAROLINE DO TO YOU THE NEXT TIME I SEE HER SHE WON’T KNOW WHAT –“

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“It’s okay Skyler! It wasn’t just stitches that I needed, but it wasn’t a heavy duty operation, either. Now, as for how fast I’ll heal….” Megan began.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I began another one of my signature rants: “IF CAROLINE DID PERMAMENT DAMAGE I SWEAR I’M GOING TO –“

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“SKYLER! She just told us it was nothing major, so even though Caroline deserves whatever you were about to say you were going to do to her, Megan is not permanently damaged,” Jase said, trying to calm me down.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Thank you, Jase. But, um…. The thing is…. I have to keep the outside stitches in for two months -“

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“WHAT?!?!?! But competition season starts soon!” I interrupted.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“- and I’m not allowed to skate until a month after the stitches are out,” Megan finally finished.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I swear, right at that moment, I could hear my heart drop to me feet and smash to bits.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“But….. That means….. You’re knocked out of…. Caroline knocked you out of this competitions season…” I said, practically at a whisper.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah. You could say that,” Megan said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Right then I remembered the flower Ashton said to give to Megan.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Here. It’s from Ashton. He told me to give it to you and to tell you to get better soon…” I said. I gave her the crumpled origami flower, and Megan’s face lit up, the exact way I thought it would. I chuckled slightly, and then I started laughing, and then we all started laughing.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay Megan, here’s your homework. Let me explain math. It was a little difficult today,” I said. We got to work, and we finished all our work together at the hospital. Then Mom came and said it was time for Jase and I to go home.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Can’t we stay a little bit longer Mom, please?” I begged. Even Jase said “Just a little longer?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Sorry guys, no. But we’ll be sure to visit Megan more, if that’s okay with her?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Of course it is, Mrs. White,” Megan said with a smile. “I’ll be going home after tomorrow, so the next time you see me I’ll be out of these ugly hospital scrubs.”We all laughed at that, and Jase and I gave Megan a hug good-bye.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“We’ll miss you Megan!” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Aw, you guys will be fine without me. Just don’t be late tomorrow, or Sara will put you in the bed next to me,” Megan said, a playful glint in her eyes.We dropped off Jase at his house and I went to bed. Sleep came within seconds after I hit the pillow.

**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Chapter Two ** //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Beep beep beep bee- //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">SMASH. I woke up and threw my alarm clock across the room. At least I actually woke up on time this morning. I got out of bed and got ready, picking out a dark blue shirt and black skater pants. Mom did my hair and we pack up the car, same as usual – except when I look at the clock today, the time is 4:50. HA! Sara can’t say that I was late today.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We got to Pickwick by 5:00, and I began my warm-up. Two-hundred jump rope jumpy-thingies, head rolls, shoulder rolls, arm circles, hand circles, quad stretch, calve stretches, thigh stretches, ankle rolls, and rotations. All of this took twenty minutes, so I booted up and got on the ice early. I began doing my edges, and, as usual, Caroline skated by too close for comfort. I did a lap and skated right past Caroline, our shoulders touching as I skated by. She shot an evil look at me, but I kept on skating. I started warming up my jumps, and I got to my double loop when I saw Sara approaching the ice. I waited for her by the entrance the way I usually do, and when she got to the entrance, I gave her a big hug – as usual. Everything about my morning routine was going the same way it usually did, except for one thing – Megan wasn’t with me. I knew now that I could never forgive Caroline, for anything that happened between us.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler, can you come off the ice for a second?” Sara said. I followed her off the ice, putting on my guards to protect my blades, and walked into the Coaches Room. Usually, students, parents, and anyone that isn’t a coach isn’t allowed inside that room. But, when a coach gives you permission (or when you’re sure none of the stickler-for-rules coaches are in there) you can go in. Most kids probably think about it the same way they think of the Teacher’s Lounge – one big party room for the teachers between classes. People, I’ve seen both – THEY AIN’T THAT SPECIAL.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What’s wrong, Sara?” I asked. Something had to be really wrong if Sara was taking me off the ice. She would NEVER take me off the ice for ANYTHING. Usually, she’s keeping me ON the ice for as long as she’s allowed to, and sometimes even more than that. So what required me being off the ice?

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I need to know, from you – did Caroline really mean to hit Megan yesterday?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Whoa. That caught me off-guard.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh. Um, yeah, I think so. She made eye contact with us right before she jumped,” I said. “She threatened me and Megan at school yesterday, saying that she could make it happen on purpose ‘next time’ if I told anyone that I thought it was on purpose.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Now it was Sara’s turn to have her face turn pale.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What? This is worse than I thought…..”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What do you mean?” I asked. I mean, things were already pretty bad from my perspective. My arch-nemesis just sent my best friend to the ER, she threatened BOTH OF US after that, and we found out that because of what she did, my best friend can’t skate for the rest of the season. How could things get any worse?

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler, we think that Caroline’s coach was the one who told her to do that…” Sara said.There was a bit of a shocked silence. I couldn’t quite grasp what that meant until about a minute passed.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Are you saying that Clarissa told Caroline to injure one of your students?” I asked, practically in a whisper. Clarissa, that sweet old lady telling that nasty little girl to injure someone? I couldn’t believe it.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“That’s a possibility,” Sara said. She looked around, as if making sure no one was there to hear what she was about to say. “You cannot repeat what I’m about to say to ANYONE, do you hear me?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yes, ma’am.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Clarissa did this once before. The USFS didn’t believe that she could do something like that based on the evidence, but to be safe, they suspended her from coaching for eight months. It was pretty much warning for her to be careful with her skaters. You wouldn’t remember this; this was from when you first started skating.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“It seems that whenever I coach a good skater, one of Clarissa’s students interferes with their training. The other coaches have good students, but Clarissa’s students have only ever come after mine.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The room started to spin. My legs could barely support me, and even then I had to lean against the wall to stay vertical.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Are you saying….? Megan is in the ER…. Because Clarissa wanted….She wanted…. To get rid of her skater’s…. competition?” I thought back. Caroline was a good friend of mine and Megan until around the time we turned nine. That was when Caroline switched coaches, and started taking from Clarissa.

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">None of this is Caroline’s fault… She’s just listening to her coach… //

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler, the only reason I told you this is because I want you to be safe. You have to be careful with Clarissa while you’re on the ice, at least until I can sort things out with her. Okay?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Sara? Caroline did it on purpose. But she didn’t do it because she wanted to. She had to have done it because Clarissa forced her to.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I know, Skyler. I know.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Things were clicking into place. All those times when Caroline seemed to be acting nicer towards us…. Those were always times when Clarissa was away. And when Clarissa came back – that’s when she started being nasty again. All those times that I thought she was just toying with our emotions for the fun of it, she was just trying to reach through to us.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">None of this was Caroline’s fault.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Just make sure of one thing, Sara,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“If Clarissa gets in trouble, don’t let Caroline get in trouble,” I said. I never thought I would say anything like that. But things were clear then, and I had to make sure that Caroline was protected from the cruelty of whatever she was being subjected to. She couldn’t be punished anymore for the mistakes of the elders in her life.

**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Chapter Three **

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I can’t remember how my skate went that day. The only thing I can remember is the fact that I stayed out of Caroline’s way, and when I didn’t react to her darting in front of me, I could see a confused look on her face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I also remember getting to school, feeling like I was going to EXPLODE if I didn’t get to tell someone. But Sara trusted me not to tell anyone…. I couldn’t betray that trust.But…. It was also REALLY unhealthy for me to keep it all to myself…. Whenever I thought about the whole scenario and how torn Caroline must’ve felt about it, I would get dizzy, and the only way I could stay standing was if I had the support of something to lean against.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I was like that for the first two periods of the day, and I recall Jase looking at me, trying to figure out what was going on in my head, trying to see if he could help. It was then that I decided I could trust him to keep a secret.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The bell rang, and when Jase walked towards the door, I held him back, still sitting in my seat.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Jase, there’s something I really need to talk to you about,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Sure. What about?” he asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Caroline.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I took him to the very edge of the lower field where nobody was around, and I spilled.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Caroline isn’t a witch with a capital B because she wants to be. It’s Clarissa, her coach, she’s the reason Megan can’t skate this season and the reason Caroline can’t be friends with us,” I said, not even bothering to take a breath between words.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">It took Jason a minute to respond. “What the heck are you talking about, Skyler?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I inhaled deeply, realizing that I should probably explain a little more. I told him everything that Sara said, and I felt really guilty about it. But I knew that it wasn’t fair to Caroline for nobody to know that she wasn’t herself. She was being forced to act like a different person, facing the threat of having to quit skating if she didn’t obey her coach… //Somebody// had to know about the position she was in.This time, Jase understood what I was saying, and realized the severity of it.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler, you have to talk to Caroline about this,” he said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What? No! I mean, I guess I can see why you would want me to, but –“

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler. This is not something that can just be left alone. Think about poor Caroline right now! She needs a REAL friend right now, not one that’s part of her snobby group of fakes. You should talk to her and let her know that she doesn’t need to pretend with you anymore.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The bell rang, and we had to go to our separate classes.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Think about it, Skyler,” Jase said as he walked away.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I walked to my next class thinking about what Jase said. I knew that what he said was true, but it was one thing to betray Sara’s trust and tell him, let alone Caroline.I made it through my next two periods as I usually did. There were so many distractions I didn’t even have time to think about Caroline. And then lunch came.I walked down to the lower field, and I tried to enjoy my lunch the way I usually did. But I felt Caroline’s icy glares digging into my back, and I finally couldn’t take it anymore. I dismissed myself from the group I was in and ran to Caroline’s group.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Caroline? We need to talk,” I said. Caroline snorted and gave me a look.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“There’s NOTHING I want to say to you,” Caroline retorted.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Caroline, please, this is important, okay?” I said pleadingly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Ugh. Fine. Girls, I’ll be right back. This shouldn’t take long,” Caroline said, rolling her eyes. I walked her to the corner of the field and looked her in the eyes.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Caroline. I know why you’re acting like this,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Acting like what?” she said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“We used to be friends –“

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Keywords being ‘used to be’-“

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“But I know what happened that ended it all. I know Clarissa has been forcing you against Megan and I. I just wanted you to know that –“

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“W-w-what are you t-t-talking about? W-what? No. Where would you get such a crazy idea from anyway? I’m the way I am because I choose to be,” Caroline said frantically. She ran away, back to her snob squad, while I thought about what just happened. I realized right at that moment that everything Sara and I thought was true. There’s no way

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Caroline would’ve reacted that way otherwise.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I got through the rest of my day and I hopped into the car, accompanied by Jase again.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey kids! How was your day?” Mom asked. This time I couldn’t tell her what really happened at school today. The events of the day had to be kept to me, Jase, and Caroline, and us only. So, I used the standard teenage response to this question –

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Good. Hey, do we get to visit Megan at home today?” I asked, trying to steer the conversation down a different path.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yes, we get to Megan today. We just can’t stay for too long. She has to get her rest, okay?” Mom said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Got it,” I replied.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Jase and I got into a half-hearted discussion about the math homework that we go that day, and then we finally pulled into Megan’s driveway. Mom went ahead of us, and we lagged behind her.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Should we tell Megan?” I whispered.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I don’t know, Skyler. It’s your call,” he said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Well, that didn’t help me in the slightest.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We were greeted at the door by Mrs. Evans, I kindly lady, and were guided to Megan in her room. I was overwhelmed by an explosion of pink, and I thought for a second that I was going to go blind, but my eyes adjusted the way they usually did every time I went to Megan’s house and hung out in her room.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler! Jase! You guys have no idea how much it means to me that you’re here. I’ve been missing school so much and I can’t wait to get back –“

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Megan? There’s something kinda important we need to talk to you about,” I said. I had worked up the courage and decided it was in her best interest for her to know the truth about what happened – and more importantly, why.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh. Um, okay. What do you need to talk to me about?” Megan asked, a bit of a confused smile on her face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I explained to her everything that I found out regarding Caroline today, and I told her the conversation that I had with Caroline at lunch.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Wait. You didn’t tell me about this earlier,” Jase said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I know Jason, but I couldn’t tell you anything with my Mom around,” I said. “Megs, are you okay?” I had to ask. Her face was turning pale. Wow. Over the past three days I’ve caused three people to lose their face coloring. What’s up with that???

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I just can’t believe it……” Megan said. Her eyes were welling up with tears. “I mean….. I feel //horrible// for her….. Could you imagine what that would be like, Skyler? We both love skating just as much as Caroline does…. Everything she’s done to us was just the //bare minimum// she had to be doing to keep skating……” Now Megan started sobbing.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Megan, honey, it’s okay. Stop crying.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I just feel so terrible!” she said between sobs and sniffles.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“MEGAN,” I said, shaking her to her senses. “YOU HAVE NOTHING TO FEEL TERRIBLE ABOUT. Is it //your// fault that her coach is a psycho? Is it //your// fault that her mom is psycho enough to KEEP her psycho coach? NOOOO!!!!!!!!!! Don’t put this on your conscience,” I said. I studied Megan’s expression as she gradually stopped crying so hard. Her face went blank, and she wiped the tears from her eyes.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler, we should talk to Caroline together tomorrow. I’ll get to tell her that I forgive her…… even though she doesn’t need to be forgiven….. It’s CLARISSA WHO OWES ME AN APOLOGY.” Megan looked really hurt. I could understand why. It was enough to be taken out of the competition season by your meanest competitor. But to find out it was because of her //coach//, and knowing that your arch-nemesis had no part in the pre-meditation of it all – well, that was emotionally trying, to say the least.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We did our homework and talked of lighter things for the rest of the visit, and before we knew it, it was time to go.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“We’ll see you tomorrow, Megan,” Jase said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“It’s nice to see you’re doing better,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Thanks, you two. We’ll be talking tomorrow,” Megan said, a knowing look on her face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Jase and I left, and I went to bed as soon as I got home. I lied in bed awake for a while, thinking about all the things that happened over the course of just three days. It was craziness! I was sorting through everything when sleep finally overtook me.

**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Chapter Four ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Through training the next morning, I saw Caroline casting looks at me that went back and forth between puzzled to scared to – I almost want to say relief. But that didn’t make sense, did it? What did Caroline have to be relieved about? Was did she realize that I figured out what was going on, and was happy that someone understood?

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I didn’t get a chance to talk to her before we left the rink, so I went to school with these questions still flying around my head.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What’s wrong, honey?” my mom asked me while we were in the car.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, nothing,” I responded absent-mindedly. I didn’t want to put her in the middle of all this. This was something that had to remain between the people that were involved – pretty much, it had to remain between us ice skaters only. I didn’t want anyone else becoming involved that didn’t have to be, especially Mom. She would only try to make things better and interfere, but it would really make things a WHOLE LOT worse.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I ran off to school, and I sat down in math, for a third day in a row, too distracted by my thoughts to think of anything to do with math. My thoughts stayed at the rink.

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Plop! //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">A note landed on my desk.

You’ve been looking pretty distracted today. Is everything all right?

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">It was a note from Ashton. I stopped to look at his face for a second while he wasn’t looking my direction. //Wow. He’s a lot cuter than I thought,// I thought. //WHOA Whoa whoa whoa, Ashton is Ashton, he’s my friend. He’s not a cute guy. He’s my friend.//

Yeah, I’m really distracted today… This whole situation with Caroline isn’t really what I thought it was, and I’m just trying to sort everything out…

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Plop! //  Well, if there’s anything that I can do to help, just let me know J

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Wow, he’s so sweet, //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I thought to myself. Okay, what was wrong with me? I was starting to get butterflies in my stomach, and it wasn’t anything left over from my hard-core training.

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Plop! //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Another note fell onto my desk. Who was it from? It didn’t come from Ashton on my right. It must’ve come from my left – Megan! I unfolded the note.

Are you okay? You’ve been making ga-ga eyes at Ashton all class long.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">WHOA. THAT WAS UNCALLED FOR.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN? I HAVE NOT!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Thinking about how cute he was, how sweet he was, getting butterflies in my stomach, Megan’s note….. WHAT COULD THIS ALL MEAN??? Because I DIDN’T like Ashton. Did I?

OH MY GOSH YOU TOTALLY LIKE ASHTON XD JJJ

**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">*FACEPALM* **

NO MEGAN I DON’T LIKE ASHTON.

DON’T DENY IT YOU KNOW YOU DO OH MY GOSH SKYLER YOU LIKE ASHTON YOU LIKE ASHTON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JJJ

*sigh* I guess…. Yeah, Megan. I like Ashton. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">WHOA WHERE DID THAT COME FROM????? OH MY GOSH, COULD IT BE TRUE???????? Did I really like Ashton??? I looked at him while he wasn’t looking, and it felt like a million butterflies had busted out of their cocoons at the same time inside of me. Wow. At strong risk of sounding cliche, I’d never felt this way before……. But I had to be mistaken. I mean, Ashton… He’s ASHTON. He’s my friend, he just COULDN’T seem like more than that to me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">It must’ve been a stomach bug that was making me feel nauseous. But… was it? <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">I left math class with the same thoughts replaying themselves over and over again in my head. //Do I really like Ashton? Do I really LIKE Ashton? Do I REALLY like Ashton?// <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">I walked into English and plopped in my seat, Megan right behind me. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“Now it’s my turn to ask – are you okay, Skyler? Is it what I think it is?” Megan whisper-asked me, a sly grin on her face. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“Um, to tell you the truth Megan, I don’t know the answer to either of those questions,” I said. I could feel the confused look on my face. And I WAS confused. I mean…. I couldn’t believe the fact that I might ACTUALLY LIKE A GUY. I didn’t WANT to. But, sure enough, it was happening. I would just have to get used to fact that I liked one of my close friends…. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">I didn’t pay attention at all during English, but I could feel Jase’s eyes probing me every now and then. He finally said something to me. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“Are you okay, Skyler?” he said. Jase had a worried look on his face, and I could see that he was genuinely asking me how I was. I could see it in his eyes. His beautiful eyes…. WHOA THERE GIRL. I WAS NOT GOING TO START LIKING TWO OF MY CLOSEST FRIENDS IN BACK-TO-BACK PERIODS. NU-UH. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“Huh? Oh, yeah, sure, I’m fine. Distracted, sure, just….. I’m fine.” <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“What’s distracting you?” Jase asked. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">Oh, COME ON! //Jase, stop looking at me with those eyes!!!!!!!!// I thought to myself. //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ring ring ring! // <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">The saying “Saved by the bell” took on a whole new meaning for me just then. I ran out the door without a word, trying to escape everyone and everything that I was dealing with. Without even bothering to go to my locker, I dashed down to the lower field.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“Skyler, what’s going on?!” I heard Meg and Jase call after me. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">What’s going on? That was the problem – I didn’t KNOW what was going on. All I knew was that for whatever reason, I had to keep on running.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">My legs and lungs were burning, but it was nothing worse than what I endured during my training, so I continued running. I ran and ran and ran and ran – and then I stopped. I realized why I was running. I was running because I needed to get away from Jase. I didn’t want to admit to myself why, but I couldn’t kid myself. I liked Jase the same way that I liked Ashton – as more than just a friend. And I couldn’t bear to face that. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">The bell rang for third period, but I stayed on the lower field. After all, it was only elective period that I would be missing, so it wouldn’t be a big deal. I sat on a bench near The Big Tree and thought about everything that was happening – Megan’s blood spilling over the ice, my fight with Caroline on the lower field, the truth about Clarissa and her evil ways, Ashton, Jase, Ashton, Jase – <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“SKYLER!!!! What the heck was that all about?” Megan asked. She looked distinctly <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">troubled over my behavior. I sighed. I knew that I owed it to her to tell her the truth. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Megan… I think… I think I like Jase too.” <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I broke down and started crying. Even now, I can’t say why for sure. I didn’t have //that much// to cry about. I mean, sure, things were REALLY changing, but was there anything to //cry// about? It didn’t matter, because I was already sobbing, so I put my head in Meg’s shoulder and wept for a  <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">while. She stroked the back of my head and said, “It’s going to be okay, Skyler. You have nothing to cry about.” <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">After about five minutes of that, she finally lifted my head and wiped my tears. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Now, you listen to me, Skyler,” Megan said. “You remember how you told me to be strong when they sent me to the hospital? You’ve got to be strong for //me// now. Come on. We’ve got class to go to.” <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We took a pit stop at the bathroom so I could wash my face and compose myself before getting to class. Then, we were off to class. Megan explained to our teacher why we were late and Mrs. Wood excused our tardies. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I was still extremely distracted during class. I couldn’t focus on __anything__. It was String Orchestra, and I was playing all my C sharps as C naturals and all my fourth-fingered notes as open strings. I guess I wasn’t very good at hiding how anxious I was, because Megs wanted to make sure I was okay. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You know that you can talk to me about anything, right? I mean, if you need to talk about, Jase, I’m here to listen,” Megan said. That was when I realized what an amazing friend I had. Megan, who was knocked out the competition season, sent to the ER, and had to have surgery, was the one comforting me. I felt like a terrible friend yet again. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Thank you, Megs.” <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I decided right then and there that I had to be a better friend to Megan, so I took out my metaphorical straw and sucked up my equally metaphorical puddle of misery. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We sailed through P.E. the way we usually did, and then it was time for lunch. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Do you think I should try talking to Caroline again?” I asked Megan. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, I think so. I’ll come with you. She needs to know that we forgive her,” Megs replied.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">We walked over to The Big Tree together and searched for Caroline. We saw her and started walking towards her, but she saw us coming and I could see her usual smug look turn to one of panic. She turned back to her friends and with a few gestures of her hands they were leaving their seats on a bench and were walking away. Megs and I started running after her. Caroline was at the front of the group, so we circled around the girls and grabbed Caroline by the arms.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“LET GO OF ME YOU BRATS OR I’LL SUE!” Caroline was screaming at us. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“CAROLINE WE JUST WANT TO TALK TO YOU CALM DOWN!” Megan screamed back. Caroline continued trying to scramble from our grasp, and her friends were joining the effort. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY TO YOU LET GO OF ME!” <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“CAROLINE THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!!!” I said. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“UGH! FINE – NOW LET GO OF ME!” <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We let go of her. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Girls, I’ll be right back. Just, go to the bench, okay?” Caroline said. Her entourage obeyed her and they started walking back to their bench, pointing at us and making faces while they talked to each other. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What the HECK do you want?” Caroline asked in an annoyed tone. She was tugging on her sleeves and biting her nails the way she did when she was nervous. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Caroline. We know what Clarissa has been doing to you for the past few years,” I said. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I told you, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Caroline said, her face turning red and her pitch rising. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Fine. Then we’ll just believe that you sent me into surgery because //you// wanted to. That you started acting like a witch towards us because //you// wanted to. That you –“ <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“STOP IT!” Caroline said. Tears were welling at the corners of her eyes. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Why should I?” Megan asked. “If everything I said was true, then –“ <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Wait,” Caroline said. She took a deep breath, a tear rolling down her cheek. “None of that is true. You were right, Skyler. Clarissa forced me into doing all of this.” Her voice cracked at the end, and then she started crying a little harder. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Why didn’t you tell us, Caroline? We could’ve done something –“ <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“She told me that she would tell my mother that I’m wasting my time as an ice skater. She told me that she would take it upon herself to make sure I never stepped foot in an ice rink again,” Caroline said. Now, she was wailing, her face in her hands. “I just couldn’t face that. I’m sorry, both of you. I’m //truly sorry.// I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t face a life without skating.” <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan and I gave Caroline a hug. Both of us were crying, too. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Caroline. I think it’s safe to say that we both forgive you,” I said, shooting a look at Megan as we broke away. She nodded. “But things didn’t have to get this out of hand. I mean, look at Megan. She needed surgery –“ <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Megan I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I saw the blood on my blade. I haven’t even slept since it happened,” Caroline said. Taking a closer look at Caroline, I could see bags under her eyes, which were bloodshot. Her face was paler than usual and she was visibly shaken. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“And I just want to tell you, that group that I’m a part of – I hate every last one of the girls in it. The only reason that I’m part of it is because I had to keep up my false identity as this egotistical, jealous brat away from the rink, or you’d figure it out and I’d be kicked out of USFS,” Caroline said. We all turned toward the group of girls at the bench. They were all talking to each other, but one of the girls caught our gazes and stared at us with a confused look on her face. All the other girls turned around to see what she was staring at, and they started staring at us too. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Caroline, what are you still doing with those freaks?” one of the girls said. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Come on, you’re wasting lunch,” another one of the girls said. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hold on. I’ll be right back,” Caroline said to us. She wiped her eyes and walked towards the girls at the bench. Megan and I sat down where we were on the field. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We sat in silence, not even bothering to talk about what just happened. We were still trying to process it individually. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">All the things she was being forced to do….. It was madness! I couldn’t blame her for what she did. I mean, she could’ve handled it a different way, but even then, she didn’t know if that was an option – if she wanted to keep skating. I thought about what I would do if I was in her position – and I just couldn’t wrap my mind around it. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“Hey guys!” Caroline said. She brought me back to reality, and I looked at her face. She was smiling wide and she seemed really excited.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“Hey, Caroline…. What are you so excited about?” I asked quizzically. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“Look at the girls over there,” Caroline said, pointing towards her group of “friends.” They all had this shocked look on their face, like they couldn’t believe what just happened – but what just happened? They were staring towards us again, but this time all their harsh glances were cast to Caroline, not us.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“What happened, Caroline?” I asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“I told them what I really think of them. They’re snobs and conceited and they don’t know the first thing about being a true friend. I said that I’d rather be friends with you two over them any day,” Caroline said, her smile widening. “Give me a hug, you guys.” Megan and I started crying again, but we gave Caroline her hug. In that moment we were all so blissfully happy to see that everything that happened between us was just a huge misunderstanding – but bliss is ignorance, and I realized something that none of us had thought about.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“Caroline, what’s Clarissa going to say? What if she finds out about what you just did?” I said, breaking free from our group hug. “We can’t go back to being friends, or you’ll never get to skate again.” <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">Megan and Caroline both looked at me, realization spreading across their faces.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“Well, there has to be a way around that,” said Megan, after five minutes of awkward silence. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“Yeah, there has to be,” Caroline said. “We just have to think of it.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">We sat where we were on the field and thought for about three minutes before I thought of something. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“I have an idea!” I said. “Caroline, this is going to be tough, but I think it’ll work.” <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“Let’s hear it!” Caroline said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“Well, we’ll be able to be friends at school. We shouldn’t make it obvious, but we can be friends. The thing is, we can’t be friendly at the rink or at home, and we can’t tell our parents about any of this. They’ll try to interfere, and somehow all of this will get back to Clarissa. And you’re going to have to continue your training sabotage towards Megan and I while we’re at the rink. It’ll have to be enough to keep Clarissa happy – just don’t go too overboard, okay? I’ve had enough of that crap to last me a lifetime,” I said. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“I think that’ll work perfectly,” Megan said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“It had better. I’ve hated having to be so mean to you guys for all this time, but I can’t put my skating on the line either…” Caroline said. Yet again, I felt absolutely terrible for Caroline. We forgave her, and we sorted out this whole mess, but she still had to be concerned about keeping up her false personality, just so she could continue skating. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“I’m sorry you have to deal with this, Caroline,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“Yeah, Caro, I’m sorry too,” Megs said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“You guys have nothing to feel bad about,” Caroline said. //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ring ring ring! //

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“Guess it’s time to go to class,” Megan said. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“Let’s go,” Caroline said. We walked together and started talking and laughing the way we used to, before Clarissa put Caroline in the middle of this whole mess.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">We got to class – History with Ms. Macie – and we all sat down next to each other. We were smiling and giggling and enjoying each other’s company, but I could see Jase giving us a quizzical look from a seat behind me. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">“Hey Jase!” I said. “Why don’t you sit up here with us? There’s an empty seat right next to Caroline.” <span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px; text-align: justify;">Jase gave me a highly shocked and perplexed look. If I could read minds, I would probably hear something along the lines of //Wow, she’s finally// //lost it// from Jase at that moment.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hold on for one second,” Jase said. “You ran off at Nutrition with no explanation, completely avoiding me, and the first time I’ve seen you since then, you act like nothing has happened – AND you’ve made up with Caroline? I’m confused…” Jase said, much more boldly than I was used to. I remembered then the events that led up to lunch, and realized that I had a LOT of explaining to do, and I obviously couldn’t tell him the truth.

“I’ll explain later, Jase. All you need to know for now is that Caroline is our friend again. Now get your butt in that seat before the bell rings!” I bossily said.

“Umm… Okay…” Jason said, obviously still very confused.

History flew by, and we didn’t pay attention to Ms. Macie’s lesson on the Constitution at all. We were too busy passing notes and thinking about our newly salvaged friendship. At least, that’s what I was thinking about. I was so happy that Caroline didn’t actually turn on us, and that she really was sorry for everything. By the end of class, my cheek bones were sore and tired from smiling the whole time, but I couldn’t help it. I felt like I had every reason to smile, and my mouth was stuck where it was for the rest of the day.

We got through our last class the same way, and when the bell rang, signaling that school was over, all of our faces fell. We knew that the minute we walked out of the doors at the entrance of school, we had to go back to being enemies again.

“Okay, we know the plan, right?” Megan said. “You have to make sure Clarissa doesn’t suspect //anything//, Caro.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve got it covered,” Caroline said.

“We’ll talk to you tomorrow, Caroline,” I said. Megan and I gave Caro a hug, and we went our separate ways.

“Wow…. That was a CRAZY day!” Megan said.

“Yeah, no kidding,” I said.

“Skyler! Megan! Wait up!”

It was Jase, running after us.

“You’ve got to tell me what happened today. Skyler, you were acting really weird earlier. Why did you run away from us like that? And now you’re all of a sudden friends with Caroline again? How did you get through to her? What happened? What-“

“JASE. If you give us the chance to answer, then we //will//,” I said. I had to think of a cover for my behavior at the beginning of the morning, and fast.

“I was just overwhelmed with thoughts this morning, and I felt like I had to be alone to sort everything out.” Well, it wasn’t a lie, that was for sure! “And Caroline – well, we sorted things out.” Megan and I proceeded to tell him how the conversation went with Caroline.

“Wow. That’s a lot to absorb in one day,” Jase said.

“No kidding,” Megan said.

“You guys want to come do homework?” I said.

“Sure,” they both replied.

My heart fluttered. I was going to spend a lot of time with Jase. But it made no sense that I was so excited about it! I mean, I was always spending time with Jase before all this, and it never made a difference to me. What could’ve changed that made me feel this way? I kept thinking about this all the way home, but I couldn’t find an answer. I didn’t take part in the conversation Megan and Jason were having, but he didn’t bother me about it this time. He understood that I had a lot going on, so he left me to my thoughts. The thing is, he didn’t realize the extent of everything that was going on in my head. Hopefully, it would stay like that for a while.

We did our homework together and studied for a few upcoming quizzes and tests –and every time Jase said my name, every time we made eye contact, every time I was able to take a glance at his precious face, my heart leapt to my throat. I started stumbling through my words, and I felt like a complete and utter fool. What was //wrong// with me? He had been my friend since we were old enough to walk. I still couldn’t figure out what had changed within me that I was suddenly so attracted to him, but I decided it didn’t matter. It was the way things were, for now, and I would just have to adjust.

Every now and then Ashton would creep into my thoughts, and that turned into a bit of a problem.

“Skyler -” OH MY GOSH HE SAID MY NAME!!! “– can you name the process of cell division?”

“Asht – I mean mitosis,” I said, just barely saving myself from eternal embarrassment. BAH, this whole thing was SO confusing. I was relieved when it was time for them to go. That whole experience was very emotionally draining, even though it was only studying for a few tests and doing some homework with my friends.

I rushed through dinner, and as soon as I was done, I scrambled to bed. I needed to get my rest, for multiple reasons, one of the most important ones being that I still had training the next morning. I got in bed and rested my head on my pillow, waiting for sleep to come. But it didn’t come as soon as I wanted it to. I was easily up for at least two hours, thinking about everything that had happened. When I finally fell asleep, it was only for one reason – my mind was just too exhausted to keep thinking for another second longer.

**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Chapter Five **

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I was at an ice rink, and Ashton was in the middle, going over his double axel. Jase was off the ice in the hockey box watching. // //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, Ashton, can you help me with my double lutz?” I asked. Ashton didn’t respond. He just skated the opposite direction without another word. // //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Jase? Can you take a look at my double lutz?” // //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Jase walked out of the hockey box and away from the ice. // //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Both of you, stop it! Why are you ignoring me?” I said. I waved my hand in front of Ashton’s face, but he just smacked it away. // //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, there’s no reason to be rude!” I exclaimed. I ran off the ice towards Jase and punched him in the shoulder. // //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What’s wrong with you? Why are you ignoring me?” I asked. Jase stopped walking and stared at me with an angry look on his face. // //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler, -“ //

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEE- CRASH!

I hit the snooze button on my alarm clock with such force that it fell off my bedside table. Darn it! Right when I was going to hear what Jase had to say to me, my alarm clock starts ringing. Just my luck. As I got dressed, I started wondering what the dream could’ve meant. I mean, what could it mean, having my two crushes ignoring me? Dreams are supposed to show either your biggest fears or your greatest desires, so I guess that it was one of my fears. But I didn’t have reason to be scared of them ignoring me – did I? I decided that I should leave the topic for now, considering that I had training and needed to be somewhat focused if I wanted to do good that day.

I hopped in the car, and soon enough we were in the Pickwick parking lot. I walked through the double doors and took a deep breath, inhaling the cool, crisp air of the rink. One of the reasons I love the rink is that it’s the one thing in my life that never changes. I go there every day, I do my training there every day, and I can always count on it to be the same way I left it the day before. As I grow older, as my life changes, I have something that I know will stay constant. And without that one constant thing in my life – I don’t know what would happen. I would be a completely different person than what I am today. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I did my warm-ups, and right as I started doing my rotations, I saw Caroline walk through the doors. We gave each other a quick smile, but made sure not to make it too obvious, so no one would think that anything was up. I went back to my rotations, and Caroline went into her daily routine, and soon enough, we were both on the ice. Caroline darted in my path a few times, and I went into hers, but this time it almost felt we both knew that it wasn’t an act of hatred or jealousy. I felt so much more at ease while I skated, knowing that I didn’t have to worry about Caroline potentially injuring me. I knew that I didn’t need to worry about that anymore, and it helped my training knowing that I didn’t have to watch my back every time I went into an element. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I was warming up my double toe when Sara came onto the ice, so I jumped and met up with her at the wall.

“Good morning, Sara!” I said with enthusiasm. There was something about getting to work with Sara that just made me happy, that made me want to perform well just so I would be able to make //her// happy in return for how happy she made me.

“Good morning, Skyler,” Sara said, a smile on her face. “Skyler, competition season is approaching soon, so we’re going to have to start setting your program. Your first competition is only in a month, so we’ll have to get a move on finding music and cleaning up your jumps.”

“Awesome! I can’t wait!” I said. Setting programs is always my favorite part of the skating year. When you set a new program you get to show off how much you’ve matured since the season before, and you get to start out the season with a fresh new program and a clean slate.

“Okay, now let’s get to training,” Sara said, clapping her hands together. “What are you on?” she asked.

“Double toe,” I replied.

We went through all my jumps by themselves, and then we started going through combinations. Sara sent me to do a flip-toe, and that’s when the problems started. I hesitated on the landing of the flip and missed the toe completely.

“What are you doing, Skyler? Get yourself together! Go again,” Sara said, starting to get very irritated. I went into another attempt at a flip-toe – but I fell on the flip.

“Get up, Skyler,” Sara said. Oh no. Her eyes went to that fiery place.

“Why did you fall on that jump?” she asked me.

“I – uh – um – I just -” I stammered.

“You listen to me, Skyler. You let that jump go. It was perfect, and you had no reason to fall on it. Go again – and you better fight,” Sara said. Her voice was harsh and stern and I knew that if I didn’t do exactly what she said, it would be the end of me. I went into another flip-toe, and this time I landed it – but just barely. I would have to up the quality of my rotation, because there was no way I could pull of my other combos the way I just pulled up my flip-toe.

“Okay. Go do a lutz-toe. And make sure you’re on an outside edge,” Sara said. For those of you that don’t know skating terms, an outside edge is when your blade is leaning its outermost part. On a double-lutz, it’s mandatory to have an outside edge during the whole duration of the jump, or you lose partial points at competition.

I did back-crossovers into the set up of my lutz-toe and lifted up my right leg. Unfortunately, when I reached my leg back, I kicked it up a little //too// high. When I tapped, my right side dropped and my edge went to the inside of my blade. And, for every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction – this means that because my heavy drop to the right side resulted in a huge twist to the left side, which is the completely wrong side to rotate on. As I’d learned the hard way, rotating over the left-side always results in a bruise and a verbal beating from Sara. This time didn’t prove to be any different. I smacked the ice hard on my left side, and I could already feel my hip-bone starting to swell up.

“SKYLER! Get over here RIGHT NOW,” Sara said, pointing to a space on the ice next to her.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she asked. “Did talking about the competition make you nervous or something? I can easily pull you out //right now// if you don’t fix -”

“That won’t be necessary, Sara,” I said. “I’ll fix it.” I went into my lutz-toe AGAIN, and this time I fell on the toe. Thankfully, since I still completed both jumps, Sara didn’t pull me out. But she made me do it over and over again until I had landed five lutz-toes in a row, and that took up the rest of my training time.

“You just wasted a whole morning of training, Skyler. You better come prepared to make some serious changes this afternoon. Do you hear me?” said Sara. Her eyes had at least gone back to their usual icy blue from their intimidating fiery glare.

“Yes, Sara, I’m already planning on it,” I said. “Thank you, Sara. I’ll see you this afternoon.” I gave Sara a hug and ran off the ice. It was 7:30, and I was running really late. I changed in a hurry, trying to shove on my left shoe on my right foot and giving up – but then realizing it was the wrong foot and trying again on the correct foot. Thankfully, that tactic worked! I ran to the car and Mom drove me to school. I rushed into Geometry and sat down. Spencer walked through the doors a little bit after me, and I suddenly felt like I was about to throw up, the taste of pennies filling my mouth.

“Hey, Ashton,” I said. “I haven’t seen you at the rink lately. Where’ve you been?”

“I’ve been skating at Valencia to work with some different coaches, you know. What have you been up to?” he asked. //Oh my gosh, he cares about what I’ve been doing!!!// I thought to myself.

“You know, training, getting my butt kicked by Sara, all the usual,” I replied. I saw Megan walk through the door, and when she saw me talking to Ashton, she gave me a huge mischievous smile. Luckily, Ashton didn’t see it because his back was turned to her. //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ring ring ring! // <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Class, we’re taking our Chapter 3 Test today. Take out your number two pencils and pick up a test from the front table. Get started as soon as you get it,” said Mrs. Anderson. I walked up to the front and reached for a test – at the exact same time as Ashton did. Our hands brushed, and I swear, I felt like I was on California Adventure at Disneyland! He gave me a smile and I gave him a smile back and we walked back to our seats together. Megan looked at me with her mouth open and her eyes sparkling playfully.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Don’t even,” I mouthed to her. I started working on my test, and every now and then I glanced up at Ashton. Once, he caught my gaze, and we sat there smiling at each other until –

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“KEEP YOUR EYES ON YOUR OWN PAPER!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ashton and I both blushed a fierce red and we quickly snapped our heads back towards our tests. I finished mine, but I noticed that Ashton wasn’t done with his, so I turned it over and doodled on the back. I glanced back at him – and I realized he wasn’t working on his test – he was drawing on the back too! I got up out of my chair to turn in my test, and I heard someone to my right getting up out of their chair too – Ashton. I put my test down, and Ashton did the same, and our hands brushed again. I blushed yet again, and we smiled at each other – yet again. We got back to our seats, and I spent the rest of class reading, looking at Ashton whenever the chance aroused. //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ring ring ring! //

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I felt my heart sank to my toes. I think in the back of my mind, I was hoping that period would never end, and we would just sit there smiling and touching hands for the rest of time. But the bell proved that it wouldn’t happen, at least not today, so I moved to my English class and sat in my seat behind Jase.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">This time when I saw him, there was no spark like there usually was. I saw him, but my heart didn’t start racing, and my stomach didn’t start churning. I looked at his face, and I didn’t get that same sense of //Oh my gosh is it possible that I’m looking at the cutest guy alive?// that I got last period when I was looking at Ashton. Was I getting over Jase? I sure hoped so. I wanted to go back to how things used to be, so I could start talking to my buddy without worrying that I was going to slip up and reveal my true feelings. It was always possible that in the heat of the moment yesterday, when I realized I liked Spencer, that I just kinda went boy-crazy for a while and thought that I had to like Jase. That’s sure what it felt like now. //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Plop! //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">A note from behind me flew over my head and onto my desk. I looked over my shoulder and saw Megan smiling and waving at me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">*FACEPALM* I wasn’t so sure I wanted to see what was in the note.

Skyler! You guys are so cute! Oh my gosh I think he likes you!

Thanks Megan, but I’m not so sure if he likes me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Without waiting for a response, I threw another note back to Megan.

Wait, do you really think so?

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I saw Megan open up the new note, and she facepalmed. I watched her scribble something down as I waited for a response.

*FACEPALM*

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Eh... he he…

Yeah you dummy! You should’ve seen the way he was looking at you!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Now I REALLY thought I was going to throw up. The walls started spinning, and I clutched the corner of my desk to try to make it stop. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Ms. White, are you feeling okay?” Mr. Keating asked, a concerned expression on his face. “You seem quite pale.” <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yes, I’m fine, Mr. Keating,” I said. The room started to right itself, and my stomach stopped churning.

Well, all I can say is that I really hope you’re right, Megan.

Wait, what about Jase?

What __about__ Jase?

You know what I’m talking about, Skyler.

Yeah, I know. It’s just… You know what, I’ll tell you at Nutrition.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I still had a good deal of class left, so I paid attention to the lesson for the first time in three days, and vowed that I would not allow boys to interfere with my studies. Nutrition came quickly after that, so I met up with Megan in the girl’s bathroom. There were too many girls there for me to be able to tell her anything in private, but we were waiting until we thought we lost Jase. We peeked out the corner, and there was no sign of him, so we scrambled out and ran to the lower field.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What’s going on?” Megan asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Well…” I told Megan what I was thinking earlier, how I lost that feeling with Jase, and how I was probably just going boy-crazy when I thought I liked him.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh. Well, congratulations! Now you can completely focus on Ashton,” she said with a smile. //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ring ring ring! //

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Time to go to String Orchestra!” I said, starting to walk towards the Band Room.

wwwwwwwvwwwwwww <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Megan, why were you guys avoiding me?” Jase said. It appeared that just then he had caught up with them, but Skyler was too far ahead to hear him.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I’ll meet you there. I have to go get something from my locker,” Megan called to Skyler.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, don’t be late,” Skyler called back.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan turned towards Jase. //Should I tell him?// she thought.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What does she think of me? It’s obvious you guys are talking about me, or you wouldn’t be avoiding me every time you guys needed to talk. Spill,” Jase said, showing traces of hope on his face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Ummm…” Megan wasn’t quite sure what to do. “Are you sure you want to hear it?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, just tell me,” Jase said, blushing.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“She doesn’t like you that way, Jase,” Megan said. Jase’s face fell.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“But she used to!” Megan added quickly. “She just doesn’t… now…”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“That’s alright, Megs. Thanks for letting me know,” Jase said. “Come on, let’s get to class,” he said. Jase brightened his face up a bit, and with <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">that, they were off to class.

wwwwwwwvwwwwwww

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What took you so long? Oh, hey Jase,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey,” Jase said, rather melancholy.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What’s wrong with you?” I asked, punching his arm playfully. He winced. “You look really upset.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, I, um… Nothing… I just didn’t get Jell-O in my lunch today…” Jase said. Well, that obviously was NOT what the problem was, but it didn’t look like he wanted to talk about what was REALLY wrong, so I dropped the subject. We went through class, and I was happy on my cello, but I glanced at Jase on his viola. Something just wasn’t right. I locked eyes with him and smiled, and he smiled back – with his mouth. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">His eyes were still frowning. I tilted my head to the side quizzically, but he didn’t change his expression. I went back to the song I was playing, and Jase did the same. I was going to ask Megan later what was going on with him.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Class was over soon and on our way to P.E., Megan and I saw Caroline.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, Caro! What’s new?” I said with a smile.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Well, Mr. Dilber screamed at a kid who was absent for not answering him during roll call and two girls who were leaning on a tree,” Caro said.We all started laughing.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What number are we out – seven times this week? And Megan and I haven’t even had class with him today!” I said. We were playing this game that we played before Clarissa. Coach Dilber is the meanest teacher on the campus, and it seems like his purpose on this planet is to scream at children and tell them how much he hates people that are under the age of 30 – and yes, I mean it, he has ACTUALLY SAID THAT BEFORE TO HIS STUDENTS. So, we started a game, and we counted how many times he did <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">either of those things every week. Coach Dilber’s high score so far is 37 times.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, we have to get to class. See you at lunch, Caroline!” Megan said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan and I got to the locker room and changed into our P.E. clothes. I finished changing first, so I waited for Megan by the exit and we walked to the field together. We sat down next to each other at Coach Dilber’s designated area for his class, and we waited for him to come out.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“HEY, THOSE GLOVES ARE AGAINST P.E. DRESS CODE! PUT THOSE IN YOUR LOCKER RIGHT NOW!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">There was Coach Dilber!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Eight,” Megan said. We started giggling, but then thought better of it.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“WHAT ARE YOU GIRLS LAUGHING ABOUT? WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE IT TO THE REST OF <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">THE CLASS?” Coach screamed.

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Actually, I would //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">, I thought. But I didn’t say that.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“It’s nothing, sir,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Nine,” Megan whispered in my ear. I had to keep a straight face, and it was very difficult, but I managed <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">to contain myself until Coach went to scream at some other kid.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Ten,” I said, and Megan and I broke into a laughing fit.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We went through the rest of class like this, counting and giggling while Coach wasn’t watching. Then the bell rang, and it was time for lunch. We met with Caro at The Big Tree and sat down to eat.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What did you count up to?” she asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Sixteen!” Megan responded.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Wow, he must’ve been in a REALLY bad mood after my class,” Caroline said. I didn’t pay too much attention after that, because I saw Ashton walk by.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Um, Earth to Skyler, what are you staring at?” Caroline asked, waving her hand in front of my face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Somebody,” I replied dazedly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“She’s staring at Ashton,” Megan said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You like Ashton?” Caroline said. She looked for where he was on the field and joined me in staring at <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">him. “Good choice,” Caro approved.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ashton saw me and smiled. I was about to start freaking out, but luckily I was able to keep it together just long enough to smile and wave back. Then he turned away towards his friends, and I let out a huge breath that I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Wow, you got it bad,” Caroline said with a smile.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I sighed. “Yeah, I do.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Why don’t you invite him to sit over here with us? Or you can go sit next to him if you like,” Megan said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What?! No! Wouldn’t that be too obvious????” I said frantically.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan facepalmed. “NO, it WOULDN’T. You guys are already friends, so why would it make any difference to him? And I still think he likes you, especially after math this morning.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Fine. I’ll ask him if he wants to sit over here,” I said, getting up off the bench.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Wait!” I exclaimed, right before I left. “Should I tell him that he can bring the rest of his friends too?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Sure, why not, JUST GO AND DO IT BEFORE YOU LOOSE YOUR NERVE!” Caroline said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I walked towards Ashton’s table, my hands starting to shake a little. I occupied them with tugging at the bottom of my shirt until I got to the table and stopped.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, you guys wanna sit with me, Megan, and Caroline?” I asked. Thankfully, my voice came out strong and confident, which really surprised me, because I felt so weak at that moment that my legs were barely holding up – and why would my voice come out any different? Either way, they all said “Sure, why not,” and followed me to our bench.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I found that while most of the group was lagging behind, Ashton was walking just fast enough to walk right next to me. We reached the bench, and Ashton chose the seat right next to mine. Our elbows touched as we sat down, and with the all the people we had on the benches, Ashton and I were a little squished <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">together. We smiled at each other briefly and then jumped into the conversation our friends had started.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Figure skating is JUST AS HARD AS HOCKEY!” Caroline shouted.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“NO IT’S NOT! Do you see figure skaters getting into fist fights in the middle of a program? I DON’T THINK SO,” said one of Ashton’s friends.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“OH MY GOSH. Are you guys COMPLETE idiots?! Do you see hockey players falling OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, WITHOUT ANY PADDING to break their fall!? Do you see hockey players SKATING AT GAMES WITH BROKEN BONES?!!! I DON’T THINK SO,” I retorted back.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“YOU GOT PONED!!!!” shouted Ashton and all of his friends at the same time. We all started laughing so hard that we were tearing up. Our conversations after that carried the same amount of energy, and it was the most fun time at lunch I’d ever had. The fact that I got to share it with Ashton made it even better. Every so often we’d zone out for a second and smile at each other. And each time, my heart completely stopped, until Caroline or Megan dragged me into the conversations again and woke us out of our trance. When the bell rang, everybody groaned.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“We have to do this tomorrow,” said one of Ashton’s friends.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Totally,” said another one of them.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“See you guys tomorrow,” Ashton said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, and Skyler, I’ll be at Pickwick tomorrow morning. See you there,” Ashton said with a wink. A wink. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">A WINK! Oh my gosh, this was turning out to be an AMAZING day.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Unfortunately, I didn’t share any other classes with Ashton besides Geometry, so I didn’t get to talk to him for the rest of the day. But, fortunately, the rest of the day went by very fast, so all I had to do was skate that afternoon, and when I woke up the next morning, I would get to see Ashton.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I got home and put on my skating clothes as quickly as possible, and we made it to Pickwick by 4:00, half an hour before the session started. I saw Caro, and I was about to meet up with her so we could start warming up together, but then I remembered that I couldn’t. And then I remembered //why//. I couldn’t believe that after our day we had at school, we had to go back to being enemies at the rink, all because of //Clarissa//! It was just completely awful, and my stomach was clenching at the very idea of it. But I knew that for Caroline’s sake, so she could continue skating, we had to follow through. She was jump roping when I walked in, and I gave her a nasty look, and she shot one right back at me. It was very believable, except I could trace a tiny glint in the back of her eyes that said she was happy to see me. I felt reassured that all this acting was going to be worth it, because we were going to spend the majority of our time as friends at school. If this was what it took to remain friends, then so be it.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I got my skates on and got on the ice – but I forgot to take my guards off. I slipped and fell, and I felt someone help me up, and how wonderful - it was Sara. She was wearing this look that said //Really? Only you could manage to do that, Skyler//.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Wipe off,” she said. I obeyed, and wiped the ice shavings off of my skater pants and shirt.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Go, warm-up your jumps,” she said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I was jumping really well that afternoon. My axel had lots of flow behind it, and my legs were nice and crossed on my double salchow. My double toe had beautiful height – but then I got to my double loop, and that’s when the problems started. I threw my arms around, allowing my arms to start my rotation instead of my legs.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I smacked my left side, right on the same spot I had just hit that morning. I cringed as I got up, for two main reasons. Firstly, it hurt my side really badly just to get up. Secondly, I looked towards Sara, and she facepalmed. That was a REALLY bad sign. I knew for sure that she was pissed, now. I skated over to Sara, and she didn’t say anything. She just stared at me. That really freaked me out. I mean, that was coming from the coach that didn’t allow her skaters to stay at the wall for two SECONDS, but I’d already been standing there for a whole two MINUTES. I knew that this had to be really bad. I started preparing myself for the worse, knowing this could get really bad. Then, Sara finally said something.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I can’t help you, Skyler. I don’t know what to do with that,” she said. “When you’re playing your head games, there’s nothing I can do to help you. You’re going to have to sort this out yourself.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I went into my double loop, and made the same mistake that I did the last time – I lead the jump with my arms, not my legs. I skated back to Sara, and she had a perplexed look on her face. I had to wait a complete FIVE MINUTES before she said a word to me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Well, what are you waiting for? I told you, I’m not going to help you. You have to go fix it yourself. Weren’t you listening? GO!” she said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I proceeded jumped and I fell three more times, and I started really freaking out, because each time I looked towards Sara, she had this calm look on her face. This was like the calm before the storm. It was eerie – I mean, if Sara was acting this calm, then there was no telling how bad the storm was going to be.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I went into another double loop, and fixed it enough to land it. I had good height to it, and my rotation position was decent, but I didn’t have any flow coming out. I skated back to Sara, and this time, I was greeted with guidance.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“There, now I have something to correct,” she said. “Go into it with a little more speed. Also, you’re still bringing your arms around, and you’re pulling them in too soon. That should make it easier. Go take it again.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I took my double loop, and it was beautiful! I could feel the ease of it, and I landed with a smile on my face. As I skated back to Sara, I noted that she was wearing a small smile on her face. It was //barely// noticeable, but hey – it was still there, and that counted for something!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I went through the rest of my jumps easily, including my combinations, and Sara was extremely happy with me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You had a very good training day! I’d better see everything the exact same way I saw it this afternoon tomorrow morning. You better retain everything we did, do you hear me?” Sara said sternly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yes, Sara,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay Skyler, I have to go home, but I’m going to give you a few options. You can either go home and rest, or you can skate one more session and work on spins – no more jumps,” Sara said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Caroline was on the wall at that moment, and she heard what Sara had said. Sara’s back was turned to her, so she started nodding fiercely, mouthing at me, “SAY YES SAY YES WE CAN SKATE TOGETHER!” I was thinking about how we actually //couldn’t// skate together, but then I looked at the ice – it was completely empty! The only other person at the rink besides Caroline and I right now was Sara, and she was going to be leaving.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I think I’ll skate,” I said, winking at Caro over Sara’s shoulder.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow morning. You remember what we worked on today,” Sara said. I gave her a hug and wished her a good evening, and pretended to go into an element as she glided off the ice. When I was sure she was gone, I skated to Caroline and gave her a huge hug.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I hate how we have to pretend we’re enemies in front of everyone,” Caroline said, breaking from my grasp.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I know. But the only thing that matters is that //we// know we’re not enemies,” I said. Caroline and I helped each other with our spins for the rest of the session, and even tried making new ones together, right until the a worker at the rink honked the Zamboni horn, signaling for us to get off the ice. Our moms had dropped us both off, so we were able to take off our skates together.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We talked as we got off the ice, laughing and smiling all the way.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Clarissa said that she’s not going to be coming in the afternoons anymore, so we can probably do this more often,” Caroline said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hopefully! There’s a really good chance we can make this happen more often, now that the afternoon sessions are getting less crowded,” I replied.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“This will be so fun!” Caroline said, obviously really excited.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I just wish that Megan was able to have skated with us today,” I said. Caro’s face fell, and she slowly got up.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What’s the matter, Caro?” I asked. The next thing I knew, she was running out of the room at full speed. She stopped at a trash can – and threw up. I bombarded my friend with questions when she walked into the Ice Café.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What happened?! Are you okay? Did we spin too much? Should -”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler, stop. It wasn’t because we spun too much. I just… thinking about Megan… I told you guys I feel terrible. And I really, truly do. I’ll never be able to forgive myself,” Caro said. She started crying.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Caroline, you have to listen to me -”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No. You were right, Skyler, I should’ve dealt with it a different way. If I had just said something to my parents, we could’ve turned Clarissa in to the USFS, and none of us would be in this mess. I will never forgive myself for what I did, Skyler,” Caroline said, still crying. I wasn’t sure how to comfort her; I just didn’t know what to say. I mean, what she said was true – she should’ve dealt with everything a different way. But, she couldn’t walk around with the guilt that should belong to her coach on her shoulders forever. I had to figure out what I could say to make Caro feel better.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Caro, Megan and I understand the position that you //were// and //are// in. But you have to know that we forgive you, and that we both feel that you need to forgive yourself. You can’t feel this guilt forever, because that burden should be on Clarissa’s shoulders, not yours,” I said. Caroline was still crying, so I lifted up her head and wiped the tears from her eyes.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, you stop it,” I said to her. I gave her a hug, and she looked at me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler? Do you really mean that?” she asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Of course, Caro. I wouldn’t lie to you,” I responded. Caroline gave me another hug, but my phone went off, and it was Mom. She was probably waiting for me to get out of the rink.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I have to go. You remember what I told you, Caro. Don’t you dare lose any more sleep over this. Do you hear me?” I said, feeling strangely like Sara.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, Skyler,” Caro said, smiling now, and not crying anymore. I was walking out the doors of the Ice Café when I heard Caro call after me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Wait, Skyler! Wait.” She ran up to me and gave me a big hug. “You’re a great friend.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I could feel myself tearing up. “Thank you, Caro. Get some rest,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I walked out the front doors of Pickwick, feeling refreshed by the cool air the evening brought.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“How was your skate today?” Mom asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“It was amazing,” I said. I wasn’t so sure if I was talking about my actual skate, or my talk with Caroline, finding out that she really did care, but it seemed to work for my mom.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh. Wow. Glad to hear it, honey,” Mom said with a smile as we drove away. I waved goodbye to Pickwick as we pulled out of the driveway.

**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Chapter Six **

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The next three weeks went by really fast! Now, I only had a week until my first competition, and I had trained my programs as many times I day as I blink. My music was //Triangle Tango// from Corteo for my long, and a modern version of //Ding, Dong, the Witch is Dead// for my short. Caro and I skated with each other every afternoon, when no one was at the rink. Megan’s condition got better quite rapidly, and the doctors told her she could get back on the ice in three weeks time. Ashton and his group of friends had lunch with us every day, and we carried the same energy we had from the first time to every lunch time. My little “accidental” brushes with Ashton became more frequent, and Ashton was usually the one to make them happen. I caught him staring at me more and more frequently, and we smiled at each other each time.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">It was Monday, and I only had six days until my first competition of the season. I got up as I usually did, throwing the clock against the wall and rushing to Pickwick so I wouldn’t be late. I quickly went through my warm-up and got on the ice, where Sara was waiting for me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Five minute warm-up,” she said, not even bothering to say hello.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Good morning to you too,” I said jokingly as I skated away. A five-minute warm-up is what we skaters refer to as the time we get before an event to warm-up on the ice. You only have five minutes to get through everything before you compete, so you have to use your time efficiently and wisely – you can’t do too much, or you’ll be too tired before you do your program, but you can’t do too little, or you won’t be prepared to skate a good program. Sara was having me practice my five minute warm-up so I would be ready for it on Saturday, when I competed.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Waltz-jump, single loop, axel, double salchow, double toe, double flip, double lutz.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Double-flip double-toe, double-lutz double-toe, double-flip double-loop.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Deathdrop, combo spin, footwork. I glanced at the clock, and I got through all my elements in only four minutes. I still had one minute left, so I used that time to get my legs under me and skate a few laps. Sara had me ask for my long program, so I went up to the glass that surrounded the rink and asked the loud-speaker worker to turn on my program. I wrapped a belt of a horrendous shade of yellow around my waist and took my beginning pose.

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Duh, dun, //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">went the piano at the beginning of my program. I did my choreography and performed my first element – double-flip double-toe.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Yes! I landed it, and from the feel of it, it was clean.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I went to the next element – my double lutz. I landed again, with lots of flow coming out/

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“INSIDE EDGE!” Sara screamed at me. I guess I took off from the wrong part of my blade! I continued to do my single axel and my Deathdrop.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“TWIST, SKYLER!” Sara shouted. I twisted my core more and held the count for eight in my Deathdrop. Then I checked out of it and listened to the violin come in, giving an upbeat tone to the song.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I went into my double salchow with power pulls and jumped it as high as I could, and I landed it with more flow than anything so far in the program. The rest of my program was flawless, with deep edges in my footwork, an OUTSIDE edge on my second double-loop, and all clean combinations.

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Duh! Duh duh… //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">went the violin, fading out as the song ended. My heart was thumping, my lungs were burning, and my legs were shaking, but I felt amazing! Nothing tops the feeling of accomplishing a clean program. I heard the sound of clapping and some “Woohoo!”s from the rink – and I realized that the people on the ice were clapping for me! It’s something that we do for skaters when they’re going to compete; we give them support by staying at the wall to give them space to do their program, and we clap for them during and after their program. I, personally, really enjoy supporting me fellow LAFSC team-mates that way, because it really unites as more as a club, and because I know the feeling that the skaters get when they hear a whole rink full of people clapping for them – I was feeling it right then, and I must say, it’s a very pleasant feeling.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">As I skated back to Sara, who was waiting for me at the wall with a smile on her face, skaters came up to me, clapping me on the back or saying <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Nice job, Skyler.” Even Ashton congratulated my great program with a hug (!!!!!!!!!!! I practically fainted.)

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Good work, Skyler,” Sara said. I can’t remember the last time I heard the words “good” and “Skyler” being used in the same sentence by Sara.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Now, go do it again,” she said, her smile broadening.

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Should’ve guessed, //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I thought.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">That’s how the rest of the morning went – amazing programs, support from my friends, and re-runs I was forced to do because of Sara. But hey, I can’t complain. She’s making me a better skater.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I went to school feeling on top of the world, my head in the clouds. And when I got there, I was able to get my real congratulation from Caroline, instead of the false scowl she had to wear during our training this morning.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, Skyler, you did amazing!” she said, a huge smile spread across her face, her eyes sparkling with excitement. You would’ve thought her mom told her that she was going to get to live in Disneyland the rest of her life, that’s how excited she was for me!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Thank you so much, Caroline! Hey, are you competing this weekend?” I asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No, I’m not, but I’m going to compete at the next competition after it,” she responded. “But that doesn’t matter right now. Megan, get over here!” Megan just walked through the doors of our Geometry class.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What is it?” she asked. “You guys look excited about something.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We told her about my awesome skate this morning.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“And guess what else happened,” I said, completely ecstatic about being able to say what I was going to say next.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What?” she asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Guess,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“A flying moose gave you three wishes, so you now own a unicorn farm and a blue ostrich?” Megan said. Ah, Megan. I’ve always loved her radically random guesses.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No!” I said enthusiastically. “Not even close!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Then what is it? I don’t know what could be much better than that,” Megan responded.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Ashton gave me a hug after my program!!!!!!!!” I said. Megan squealed and gave me a hug.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, didn’t I tell you that he likes you?” she said, poking me on the shoulder.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I think you’re right!” I said. Then I saw Ashton walk inside the classroom, so I shooed Caroline and Megan to their seats and slid into mine just <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">as Ashton got into his.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Well well well, if it isn’t the skating superstar of Pickwick!” he said jokingly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Really, though, great job. Keep it up. I want you to compete well this weekend,” Ashton said, seriously this time. I was about to completely <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">melt, but I didn’t want to leave a puddle at Ashton’s feet, because I would be leaving a mess for him to clean up. So, I tried my hardest, and I was <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">thankfully able to keep myself from liquefying.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The bell rang and class started, so Ashton and I started passing notes.

Is it normal that I don’t feel nervous? I’m a little worried that

if I get overconfident then I’ll bomb.

Don’t think that way! It’s better to go into a competition confident that you’ll skate well

than confident you’ll skate badly.

That’s a good way of thinking about it… What’s your trick? I

mean, you’re the one who’s been to Nationals and back and

survived it all!

Just stay focused. Don’t let your mind wander and think one element at a time. You’ll

be fine.

….. Do you really think so?

I know so J

J Thanks, that means a lot J

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">If Ashton felt confident in me… Well, I had no reason not to skate well! I had the kid who went to Nationals at age twelve saying he thought I was going to do great. I just hoped I //would// do great, if not for my own happiness, then for Ashton to be proud of me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ashton… we were getting pretty friendly! He was starting to hang out with me more than he did with his big group of rowdy friends, who we were still eating lunch with every day. We were always talking and laughing and passing notes (and let it be said, I’ve kept every single one of them!).

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The thing was, the more attention I was getting from Ashton, the less happy Jason was with me. I didn’t quite get it. He almost seemed jealous <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">of all the time Ashton and I were spending together! And Jase had no reason to be jealous of Ashton. He’d been friends with me since //before// preschool, and I was still talking to him the same way I usually talked to him. I was just starting to talk to Ashton a little more too.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I decided to dismiss it. I was probably just imagining that Jase was jealous.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan and I walked out of Geometry together, Ashton on my right side, and we started sharing some skating jokes on the way to class.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“…and then she said, ‘Nice waltz-jump! And a good landing too!’” I said. We all started laughing, and then Ashton had to go to his English class, so we had to go our separate ways.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh my gosh Skyler, he totally likes you!” Megan said, smiling widely at me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Who likes who?!” Jase acted frantically.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What? Jase, it’s nothing, don’t worry about it,” I said. I hadn’t told him about how I felt about Ashton, maybe because it was a girl thing that I wanted to keep between Megan, Caroline, and I, maybe because of that jealous vibe I was getting off of him. Either way, I didn’t really want him knowing, so I hadn’t told him.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Sure didn’t sound like it,” Jase muttered under his breath.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What’s your problem Jase? Lately you’ve been in a terrible mood with me. Are you mad at me for something? Have I done something wrong? At least tell me what you’re all bent out of shape about so I can fix it,” I said, rather harshly. I knew that I went a little overboard, but I didn’t see any reason for him to be angry with me all the time, and I was tired of it.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Jason blushed, and I realized that I really DID go a little too far.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, I’m sorry Jase, I’m just stressing and I’m not in a good place -”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yes, you are in a good place, Skyler. You don’t need to lie to me.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Whoa. I was really surprised at that. I mean, yes, I guess I technically //was// lying to Jase, because I was in an amazing place until he came and wrecked it with his bad attitude. But I couldn’t help that! I mean, why would he have any reason to be upset with me? It all started after I started spending more time with Ashton… OH MY GOSH. Was //THAT// it? No, it couldn’t be. I mean, why would he be jealous of Ashton? It’s not like he liked me, or anything. Not more than a friend, anyway. I mean…. No, he couldn’t. But could he? I really hoped not. Things would be getting really awkward really fast if he liked me – but, come to think of it, we were getting pretty distant lately.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Could it be true? Could Jase really like me?

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I pondered this strange and foreign idea for the rest of English, and the bell rang, waking me from my thoughts. Jase walked right out the door without so much as saying good-bye to me, but luckily, Megan waited for me to pack up. Good thing, too, because I DESPERATELY needed to talk to her right now.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Megs, I really need to talk to you,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh lord, what is it this time?” she asked. I wasn’t sure if she was saying it jokingly, or if she actually meant it.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Ummm… this is going to be a little awkward…” I said, well, awkwardly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh boy, spit it out,” Megan said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Come on, let’s go to the lower field,” I said. We walked to the field and found a spot that wasn’t crowded with scrubs, and we sat down.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, tell me what’s bothering you,” Megs said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I doubt that you would know this, or that it’s very likely that what I think is true, or –”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler. Just. Say. It.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Does Jase like me?” I said as fast as I could, the words practically melded together as I spoke my thoughts out loud. Megan’s face turned pale, and she looked around, as if making sure no one was there to hear what she was about to say.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh no, how’d you guess?” she said in a barely audible whisper.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I paused for a second and then responded.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I’ll take that as a yes?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan facepalmed, the color slowly starting to come back to her face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, Skyler, he likes you.” I didn’t really hear anything after that. I was too busy thinking //Oh my God, I can’t believe it. How did I not realize//

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">//it earlier? No wonder he was so upset about Ashton. Good thing I didn’t actually say anything. Oh no. Oh my God.//

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Well? Answer me, Skyler,” Megan said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, what? Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention,” I said sheepishly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“__HOW__ __DID__ __YOU__ __FIGURE__ __THAT__ __OUT__?” Megan asked impatiently, which was very out of character for her. “I didn’t accidentally say anything and not remember it right now, did I?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No, don’t worry about that Megs. I figured it out myself. I guess I just noticed how his behavior changed when I started hanging with Ashton. Oh, no I feel bad. I didn’t even notice that he wasn’t even eating lunch with us anymore,” I said. All that time, I was so caught up in Ashton, that I didn’t even give Jase a second glance.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">*FACEPALM*

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I am a horrible friend //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">, I thought.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, don’t feel bad, Skyler. You have nothing to feel bad about. There was no part of that situation you could control, and Jase needs to chill out and realize that there are other guys on the face of the planet too,” Megan said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Thanks, Megan,” I said, at a loss for what else I could possibly say. //Yes, Megan, it was my fault that I like someone else and is breaking my best friend’s heart right now as we speak//? No, I couldn’t say anything like that. There really wasn’t anything I //could// say. Maybe it was on account of the fact that I was dizzy, and my brain wasn’t working right, but I just couldn’t speak after that. I got in class, and when Mrs. Wood tried asking me a question, I was paralyzed, and couldn’t figure out how to get words out come out of my mouth. It was like someone took my brain and disabled the part that allowed me to speak.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler, can you answer me please?” Mrs. Wood asked patiently.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Um – uh – I – maybe?” I stumbled, and my whole class laughed, except for Jase, who was scowling, and Megan, who shot me a sympathetic look.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Robert, can you answer the question?” Mrs. Wood asked exasperatedly. I zoned out again, not bothering to figure out what the question was and how “A Minor Scale, Mrs. Wood” made sense as an answer.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I got lost in my thoughts, and they were so jumbled, I can’t really remember what was going through my head at the time. I just remember shaking the thoughts out of my head and attempting to collect myself. I couldn’t get this distracted from my school and skating because of boys. ESPECIALLY not during competition week.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I gathered myself and took a deep breath, sharpening my mind and getting rid of the thoughts that distracted me from everything I needed to be thinking about.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I was able to think clearly for the first time in almost two months, and I preferred that to being foggy-minded and distracted any day. I got through String Orchestra without a single off note and perfect dynamics, and I didn’t even give notice to the scowl Jase shot at me in between songs. I got through P.E. just as easily, and before I knew it, it was time for lunch.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan and I met up with Caroline and went to the Big Tree for lunch, where Ashton and his group were already waiting. Ashton smiled at me, and I smiled back, but instead of becoming consumed by thinking of how adorable Ashton was and how amazing it was when he smiled at me, I actually joined in the conversation our groups were having. And I thought to invite Jase to sit with us.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, Jase, why don’t you come over here?” I called to him. He was sitting three benches down with a group of boys that I recognized from our English class.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">He looked quite surprised, like it was a shock that I was actually speaking to him. //Oh, Jase, you need to get over it//, I thought. //Just because I’m talking to a guy that isn’t you doesn’t mean that you’re not my friend anymore…// Jason’s face went from his happily shocked look to one of sadness and disappointment, and he shrugged his shoulders at me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No, it’s okay,” he said. I could see him mutter something under breath, but I was too far away to hear what he said. A bunch of the boys around him started patting his back, and from the look of it, they were saying something along the lines of “It’s okay, man. Don’t think about it.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">That’s when I got angry. He had no reason what so ever to be unhappy with me, //especially// when I was specifically inviting him to come sit with me!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hang on, guys, I’ll be right back,” I said, Ashton’s hand making slight contact with mine as I got up. I smiled at him and then put on my best “angry face” as I stalked over to Jase.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Jase, get over here. Now,” I said sternly, pointing right next to me the way Sara does when she’s mad at me during training.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">He just shook his head and said, “Nah, I’m cool.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I could practically feel my hair burst into flames and the smoke pouring out of my ears. I grabbed his forearm and pulled him off his seat on the bench. He fell and said “What was that for?” and his friends said “WHOOOOOOOA YOU GOT SERVED!!!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I watched him as he picked himself up off of the ground and wiped the dirt from his shirt.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What the heck, Skyler?” he said, sounding even more surprised than he looked just a few minutes earlier.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What the heck //SKYLER//? What the heck YOU!” I said, my voice rising in volume.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler, I haven’t done anything to you. Just, shut up, you’re embarrassing me,” Jason said. His face turned scarlet red. It turned even redder after I slapped him. It took him a moment to react. He started rubbing his face, and after a few minutes he said a quiet “Ow…”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah. Ow.” I said, completely unsympathetic. I couldn’t find one reason that I should’ve been.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I guess I kind of deserved that…” Jase said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah. You did.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“But I don’t get why you were so mad at me earlier. What’s your problem? Why are you even talking to me?” he said, his voice gradually starting to hurt.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What the heck are you talking about?! I’ve been TRYING to talk to you. I’ve been TRYING to include you in everything. I just asked you to come sit by me! If you felt like you were being left out, then you should’ve jumped at the chance I just gave you. Or at least have SAID something to me! But you’ve been all emo and depressed and I know I haven’t done anything wrong that would hurt your feelings. So cut out the whole feeling sorry for yourself act and start acting //normal//!” I knew that I was being harsh again, especially considering the fact that I knew //why// he was acting that way. But I couldn’t act like I knew, because that would be weird for both of us, and I had to figure out a way to get him out of this funk. Sara usually uses this method to get me out of //my// funks, and it’s always been a very effective method, so I found no reason why it should be any different for Jason.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Jase’s face had started turning back to its normal color again, but it immediately started turning red again after what I’d just said. He kind of shook his head and looked at me without a scowl on his face for the first time in a while.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I’m sorry, Skyler,” he said. “I guess I’ve been acting a little weird lately-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“A little?” I interrupted.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, a lot weird,” Jason said. “It’s just that- you know what, I’m sorry, okay. I’ll start acting like myself again,” he said with a small smile.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Good. I hated seeing you scowl at me every day. What, are you going to start modeling for Abercrombie or something?” I said jokingly. He laughed, and I asked him again if he wanted to sit with me and the rest of the group.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Sure,” he replied. “But I have one thing to ask you.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What is it?” I asked back.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Where did you learn how to physically damage people like that? My face is still stinging and I can already feel my butt bruising.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Honey. I’m an ice skater. Not only am I strong enough to inflict both of those symptoms, but I get both of them every day, AND I have to train <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">through them. I wouldn’t complain if I were you,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Touché,” he replied. We walked back towards my group and I sat next to Ashton. Jase sat on my other side.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“’Sup Jason,” Ashton said, giving him that knuckle-bump-thing boys do.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Nothing much. You?” Jase said, rather calmly, which I didn’t expect considering who he was talking too.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Same.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Jase and I jumped into the conversation, and if it was even possible, I think our conversation became even more energetic and bubbly than usual. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">More importantly, he didn’t seem so mad at me anymore, and he was actually getting along with Ashton, which was completely unexpected.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The bell rang, and as usual, we all groaned and started walking to our separate classes. Ashton came up to me and said, “Bye Skyler. I’ll see you at the rink tomorrow.” I practically melted for the //second time// that day, his smile was so adorable, but I willed myself to keep my molecular structure intact and say bye.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Jase joined Caro, Megan, and I on our way to History, which kept me from talking about Ashton, but it was okay. Jase wasn’t mad at me anymore, and I was going to do what I could to keep it that way.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, can you tell me how I’m going to stay awake through Ms. Macie’s lesson on the ‘Electoral College’ or whatever?” Caroline asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I think we all know that’s not going to happen,” I said. Everybody laughed, and we started talking about how boring History was and how we <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">should have the right to replace it with a second elective.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We walked in class and took our seats next to each other, and I immediately started writing out a note for Megan.

Did you see the way Ashton was smiling at me today? Oh

my gosh he’s so cute!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I passed it to the kid next to me to pass back to Megan, and I whispered to him, “Give it to Megan.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Jason? Okay,” he said. My stomach felt like someone slammed it with mallet and I tried to tell him “NO NO NOT JASON!!! MEGAN. WITH AN M. MEGAN!!!” My heart sank as I facepalmed and watched the stupid kid give Jason the note instead of Megan. He looked like he was <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">about to open it, but he realized that was the note I wanted the kid to give to Megan was in fact for Megan. He passed it to Megan and smiled at <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">me when he caught my grateful gaze. My heart beat went back to normal and I let out a breath I hadn’t even realized I’d been holding. That was <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">WAY to close. I knew to hand deliver my own notes next time.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan opened the note and smiled at me.

Yes, in fact, I did. I TOLD YOU HE LIKES YOU!!!

Yes, Megan, I think you’re right! :D

You’ve got to trust me on these things, White :D

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“MS. WHITE AND MS. EVANS. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE CLASS?” Ms. Macie’s voice boomed. It felt like Babe Ruth hit a homerun using my heart as the ball.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No, no, that’s quite all right!” I rushed to say. Ms. Macie took the piece of paper, and instead of reading it to the class, she read it to herself first. Instead of seeing her eyes burst into those monstrous teacher fire-balls that Sara’s usually do when she’s upset, they started sparkling, like she was amused! She opened her mouth, and I sank in my chair, my head in my hands, waiting for her to read the note and for someone to have mercy and please shoot me before I heard it read out loud.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Well, looks like we have some cheaters in this classroom.” The classroom filled with “Ooooooooh you’re in trouble!”s, but I sat there very confused. We were passing notes about Ashton, not homework!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You two, see me after class. You have to come after school today for detention to redo your homework,” Ms. Macie said. She winked at me, and I could feel the slightly puzzled look on my face turn to completely and utterly lost. The note had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">HOMEWORK. What was she pulling?

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The bell rang, and Megan and I walked up to Ms. Macie.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">After the room cleared out, I started saying, “Ms. Macie, you saw the note yourself, and we weren’t cheating on anything-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Girls, I know. I was trying to save you from embarrassment. Remember, I may be a teacher, but I was your age at some point, and I have a heart.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">So you like Ashton?” she said, her eyes sparkling in amusement again.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Um… Ergh-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Don’t worry, I don’t expect you to answer that. You two don’t have detention, but no more note passing, you hear me? You can go,” Ms. Macie <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">said. Wow, she really saved our butts!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Thank you so much, Ms. Macie,” I said, truly and honestly grateful.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yes, thank you very much, Ms. Macie,” Megan said. We scrambled out of the room as fast as our legs could take us, and we high-tailed it to <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Science.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We didn’t pass any notes during that class.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Soon enough, the bell rang, and we were free from school. We gave Caroline a quick hug as we left school grounds and hopped in the car.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“How was school today, girls?” my mom asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Good,” I replied, the standard teenage response.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“How about you, Megan?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I’m doing very well, thank you for asking Mrs. White.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We talked in the car about what homework we were going to work on, and when we got home, we ran to the patio in the back and started talking about what was really on our minds.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“How are you feeling about you’re competition?” Megan asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You know, I’m feeling good //training wise//, but I don’t know. I feel like if I get too confident, then I’ll perform badly…” I said. “I guess what I mean to say is… Well, I’m not nervous, but I am, you know?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, I know what you mean,” Megan said. “But from what I’ve been hearing, you’ve been skating really well lately, and if //Ashton// was saying you’re ready – well, Skyler, you’re ready.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Thanks, Megs. But, speaking of Ash-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Girls, do you want anything to eat?” my mom asked, interrupting me mid-sentence.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No thanks, Mrs. White,” Megan said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Mom, leave us alone, we’re studying!” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, you watch your tone young lady. Get back to your work.” Mom walked back in the house, so Megan and I continued talking, lowering our voices ever so slightly just in case she came back out to check on us again.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You were saying something about Ashton?” Megan said quietly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“We’ve been getting a lot closer lately. Do you think it’s possible that-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“SKYLER! HAVE YOU NOT BEEN LISTENING TO ME AT ALL OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS?! HAVE I NOT MADE THAT CLEAR ENOUGH?!” Megan screamed. The neighbors could from the next block over were able to hear her with how loud she was screaming!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Are you all right, girls? What’s the matter Megan?” Mom said, coming back out to the patio. Megan and I both facepalmed, for two separate reasons.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Nothing, Mrs. White. I’ve just been telling Skyler that-” Oh no. This is what it comes down to? After all this time, she decided to tell my mom about Ashton without my consent? “-mitosis is the first part of cell division, not interphase, for the past month, and she can’t seem to remember! Focus, Skyler,” Megan said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Phew! I thought Megan was going to blow it!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler, you study hard,” Mom said with a warning glance.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I am, Mom. Gosh, calm down Megan!” I said, silently praying my thanks for Megan not slipping up.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Get back to work,” Mom said, going back inside the house and hopefully STAYING THERE! Once I was sure Mom was well away from the back door, I started talking to Megan again.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Are you crazy??? You almost let the whole block know what we were talking about!” I scolded.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Sorry, sorry. Won’t happen again,” Megan said, the same way I said it to Sara the day that I was late, and Megan was sent into surgery.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“It had better not,” I said, imitating Sara’s words from that day.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We got back to study, getting distracted every so often to talk about Ashton and skating and the latest gossip from school. Unfortunately, the <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">time came for Megan to go, so we said goodbye and Megan said “MITOSIS, Skyler, MITOSIS,” on the way out. She winked at me as she got in her car.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Did you girls get your studying done?” Mom asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, Mom, we did,” I said. I ate dinner and went to bed, thinking about everything from Ashton to my competition to my upcoming finals.

**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Chapter Seven ** //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler, what are you DOING?!” Sara said, practically screaming. I had just fallen on my single axel, and my black velvet dress with a firework made of Swarovski crystals on the side was covered in ice shavings. //

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I’m sorry Sara. I’ll fix it, I swear-” //

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler, there’s no TIME to fix it! You only have a minute left of your five minute warm-up, and you’ve only gotten through a waltz-jump and a bad single axel!” //

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skaters, please clear the ice,” the announcer said, his voice echoing off the walls of the ice rink. //

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No, wait, I need more time!” I said, scrambling to the CD Booth so he could give me a little more time. //

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Sorry, kid, you’re on right now,” he said. //

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">How could this get any worse? I didn’t get a decent warm-up, AND I was skating first? This was turning out to be my worst competition of my whole skating career, and I hadn’t even gotten to the actual skate yet! //

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You pull it together,” Sara said, biting her nails. Sara was never nervous, so the fact that she was gnawing off her nails as I skated to my starting pose really worried me. //

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I started my program and went into my double-flip double-toe, and I popped the flip, only doing half a rotation, and I fell on it- //

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“AH! Oh, oh my gosh, it was only a dream. Oh my gosh, I was only dreaming,” I said. I looked at the clock, and it said 4:05am, too close to my wake-up time for me to go back to sleep. I was shaking slightly, and I had broken into a cold sweat in my sleep.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I looked in the mirror, and saw that my skin was stark white (I was able to tell because my lights were on, as always, because I’m scared of the dark.).

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I lied in bed awake for the next twenty-five minutes, thinking about the possibility that my dream could become a reality.

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">That can’t happen – could it? //

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Of course it could! How could you think that you ever had a chance in the first place? //

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">What?! No! I work too hard for that to happen! //

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">It’s just luck! If you thought you EVER had the chance to make something yourself, you were just fooling yourself. //

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">No, no, that just can’t be right… //

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Well get over it honey. That’s the truth, and the sooner you realize it, the sooner you can move on. //

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">NO! No. No? …… //

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">You better believe – BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP- //

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I turned off my alarm – a huge step up from my usually ceremony of throwing the clock at the wall - which I had forgotten to turn off when I <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">initially woke up about half an hour ago. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and attempted to get out of bed, but I was still shaking from my dream, and I collapsed in a heap on the ground. Luckily, my mom didn’t seem to hear anything, so I gathered my wits and attempted to get up again.

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">SMACK //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">. I fell down again.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I put my head in my hands and started crying. Now – NOW I was nervous. REALLY nervous. The thing with me is, last season, I had a track record of training well, competing bad, training well, competing bad, and I only had one good skate at a competition the whole season (Luckily it was at Regionals!). I was really hoping that I was going to change that for this upcoming season, but that dream brought back the same nerves I had last season and took away the newfound confidence I had just acquired.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I squeezed my eyes shut to stop the waterfall that was gushing from my eyes to stop flowing, and I wiped my face dry and took a deep breath. I tried to tell myself //It was only a dream, you’ll be fine, the dream doesn’t mean anything about your real life skating.// But that nauseous feeling in my stomach stayed there, and even though I knew it was a dream – and a pretty stupid one at that – it really shook me up.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I put my weight against the bed and pulled myself up, and even though my legs were still shaking slightly, I was able to stay standing. I leaned against the wall on the way to various rooms around the house, and by the time I was ready to go, my legs were STILL shaking. When we walked outside towards the car, I had to lean on the handle of my bag until I had to throw it in the back and had the car available to lean against.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I wrapped a blanket around myself and put on my seatbelt, resting my head against the rough strap, and attempted to fall asleep. I figured if I was able to fall asleep, then I could have the dream again, and then I would be able to go back and fix everything and bring my confidence back. I closed my eyes shut and waited for sleep to overtake me. And waited. And waited. And sleep seemed to be hiding in a corner far, far away from me. I opened my eyes as we pulled into the parking lot of Pickwick, and I felt wide-awake. I facepalmed and slunk out of the car. Hey, at least my feet were underneath me, and not sprawled to the side the way they are when I fall. I walked through the doors and let the cold air hit my face. I felt at home, and suddenly, my nerves folded themselves up and tucked themselves in the corner of my mind, keeping “sleep” company.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I warmed up and got on the ice, doing my cross-rolls and rocker exercises and what not, when Sara came on the ice.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Good morning, Skyler,” she said. //Oh, crap//, I thought. She was in an awfully good mood this morning, as she //occasionally// was when I was //occasionally// skating well. Sara seemed to have no idea that something had been troubling me, but my nerves snuck up on me from behind, and I knew that if I didn’t send them back to that corner, Sara would not be too happy by the time the session was over.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">*gulp*

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Good morning, Sara,” I said, doing my best to put a smile on my face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What have you warmed up so far?” Sara asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“My edges,” I replied.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Go-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“-Jump?” I said, finishing Sara’s sentence for her.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Just go,” Sara said, chuckling to herself a little.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I went into an axel, but I- hehe- kind of turned it into a waxel, which is a term us skaters use referring to really REALLY bad axels.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Sara stopped chuckling and gave me a look. Not exactly enraged, but not exactly happy, either. She gave a single chuckle and said, “Go again.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I went into another axel- but scratch that. It turned out to be another waxel.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Now Sara wasn’t amused in the slightest. There wasn’t even a lone chuckle to accompany her look this time. And her look wasn’t happy.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler, I’m going to give you one last chance to fix it before I start screaming at you,” Sara said. Her eyes gave a disappointed look, and that was way worse than any glare could’ve been. I could just see her thinking //Here we go again, just like last season//.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Well, I just couldn’t have that, so I went into yet ANOTHER axel- and thankfully, I landed it this time.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Finally. Don’t make mistakes on a jump like that, Skyler,” Sara said, giving me a stern //You better be focusing// look.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yes, Sara,” I replied. “Double Salch?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Sara nodded, so I went off and did my double salchow. I landed it with a lot of flow coming out, and I thought //Okay, okay, now I can have an easier time excepting that it was only a dream and not the issuing of the death-sentence of my season.//

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Good. Much better. What changes did you make to fix your double salchow from your axel?” Sara asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">DARN! I always HATED when she asked me questions like that. When I go into a jump, I just DO IT. I don’t think. I just try to let my body do the work for me. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Then there are other times where she tells me a correction to make, or just tells me to try to fix it myself, and I got into the jump heavily focusing- but once I start the jump itself, it’s like someone presses the “Clear Page” button on Microsoft Word. All my thoughts are gone. My mind is left blank and I just jump. I don’t mean to do it! I try my hardest to stay focused throughout the whole jump, I really and truly do. It just feels like I can’t control it! It’s almost like someone else is in control of my mind and I can’t direct what happens while I train.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">But was I about to tell Sara that, only four days before competition?

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I don’t think so.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Umm… I jumped higher and crossed my arms tighter,” I said, fudging something that was reasonable enough for Sara to be able to buy it.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh. Okay. Well, go do it again on your double toe,” Sara said. I started my set-up for my double toe, actually trying to see if jumping higher and crossing my arms tighter was going to help it at all. I put my foot down, and- blank. My mind went numb. I couldn’t think of anything until my blade hit the ice, but luckily, I was trained to land, so I didn’t wobble or anything from the impact.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Very good! This seems to be really effective with you, Skyler. What were you focusing on again?” Sara said

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">NOTHING!!!! ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!! //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">my mind screamed, threatening to burst out of my brain, through my skull, and right out into the <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">world for everyone to hear.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Jumping higher and crossing- um- legs?- no- arms. Jumping higher and crossing my arms. Tightly. Very tightly,” I stumbled. I mentally <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">facepalmed. That was pathetic.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay. Jumping high and crossed arms. Got it,” Sara said. She was obviously really thinking about it, trying to retain what I had told her, and I mentally double facepalmed. The reason? I’m not so sure. I just had the feeling that someday, this was going to bite me in the butt.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Double loop?” I asked, trying to hide my distress.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No, double toe double toe,” Sara said.


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">*DOUBLE MEGA MENTAL FACEPALM* **

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Okay, Skyler, focus, focus, //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I thought to myself. //Keep it together. Just try to stay focused, and you’ll be fine//, I told myself as I skated off.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I put my foot down into my first double toe, and this time, I didn’t completely blank! I jumped high, and I crossed my arms, and I landed- and in <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">all honesty, it //did// kind of help me. But I still had one more double toe to get through before I felt any form of relief, so I tapped back and tried to jump high and cross my arms really tightly. Well, I managed to cross my arms tight, but something seemed to stop me from jumping high. I fell to my right side, so at least I fell over the correct side (Wait, was that a good or a bad? If you’re over the right side, then you’re supposed to be landing, not falling. But if I fell over the left side, that would be the completely wrong side to fall over, and I would be in trouble just the same… BAH. I’d just have to land it the next time so I wouldn’t encounter this problem.).

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You know, Skyler, there wasn’t much wrong with it,” Sara said. Again, I didn’t know if this was a good thing or a bad thing! I mean, Sara seemed calm and all, but if there isn’t much wrong with something, then you’re supposed to save it. But if there’s a lot wrong with it, then you have a lot to fix…. I’d take it as a good thing for now and save myself the headache.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What made it fall?” I asked. I thought it was a reasonable question, and it wouldn’t confuse me in any way. It was just a matter of the placement of my body.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You tapped too far around with your left leg on the second double toe. Go do it again,” Sara said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I went into another combination, and this time I was able to maintain focus the entire time. I, personally, found it incredible that I was able to make such a big jump in one session. I mean, I went from completely unaware of what the heck I was doing from being able to feel my exact position in a matter of three jumps. That was pretty cool!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Anyway, back to the jump (Focus, Skyler, focus….). I could feel my legs a little open on the first jump, but it was four days before competition, and you make corrections like that after competition, not when you don’t have time to switch the feeling and keep a good timing with it too. I landed my first double toe and stretched my left leg back towards my left side instead of behind me, and it worked! I was able to jump much easier then, and I could feel a good deal of flow coming out of it.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Good job, Skyler,” Ashton whispered in my ear as he passed me. I looked at him and blushed, smiling back as he smiled at me as he skated backward the other direction. I was about to fixate on his face, but I had a competition to focus on, and I couldn’t let something as petty as a boy distract me then. Even if he happened to be a particularly good looking boy. I skated back to Sara and she looked at me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What is it?” I asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Nothing,” she responded. She had a smile on her face, a sly little grin, and this time, instead of a mental facepalm, I did a real facepalm.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, now I get to ask ‘what is it.’” Sara said. “Do you two like each other?” she asked, her smile widening even more. I could feel my face <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">turn crimson. I held my hands behind my back and turned in my right knee inside.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh my gosh! You do! You two DO like each other!” Sara exclaimed, really starting to smile now.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Don’t be so loud! The whole rink will be able to hear you…” I hissed.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, that’s so cute Skyler! What did he say?” she said. I gave her a quizzical look. “I have eyes, you know. I could see him say something to you <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">when he passed you on your landing. Now tell me what he said or I’m kicking you off the ice!” Sara said, obviously excited.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I was scared out of my skin. This was COMPLETELY out of character for Sara! She NEVER acted like this, ESPECIALLY not when it came to <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">boys and drama, so I didn’t know what to make of it. My best guess was that she was being possessed by some gossip-loving demon, because <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">there was no logical explanation for her apparent excitement over this development.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“He said ‘Good job, Skyler,’” I responded, starting to back away ever so slightly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, okay, so you guys aren’t dating yet,” Sara said with the same excitement.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What?! Of course not! What are you talking about, Sara, I didn’t even say that I liked him yet! And I’m still not sure if he likes me,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Did I not make it clear that I have eyes? Or did you just not know that I use them to see?” Sara asked sarcastically. “Stop pretending. You know you like Ashton,” she said, poking me in the shoulder.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, yeah, I like Ashton-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT!!!” said Sara, squealing like a middle school girl.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Now I was worried for her mental stability.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">It wasn’t enough that she was taking note of my social life – and doing so during FREAKING COMPETITION WEEK – but she was REACTING to it!!!!!!!!!!! She was showing emotion other than the usual pleased-with-my-training and enraged-with-my-training moods.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Well, at least I’d narrowed it down. It was a middle school DEMON that was inhabiting her body.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I gave her a look that I was hoping said //Are you mentally ill? What the heck has happened to you????!!!//

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What?” Sara asked. She gave me a quizzical tilt of the head with a confused smile. “Oh, sorry, I interrupted you. Go ahead.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“As I was saying, I like him-” Sara giggled (WHAT THE HECK?!?!??!) “- but I don’t think he likes me,” I said, still giving her that strange look.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Now Sara facepalmed. “Of COURSE he does! Look at him!” Sara said. She pointed across the ice and I saw him looking at me. He blushed and turned away.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“And did you see the way he smiled at you? He likes you, Skyler,” Sara said. I thought that her cheek bones would’ve fallen off her face twenty minutes ago. They were being worked like never before!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Thanks and all can we get back to training now?? You do realize it’s competition week??” I said, staring at her with a creeped out look (because I was REALLY creeped out).

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, okay, go do a double flip,” Sara said, still smiling. I went into my double flip severely distracted, but I managed to squeeze out a good one, and when I went back to Sara, she seemed normal again. Now I was convinced that she had been possessed, and I was strangely not so creeped out anymore.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We went through the rest of my jumps for that first session, and everything went really well. I got off the ice for ice cut, and as I sat on the bench in front of the ice, putting on my guards, Ashton sat next to me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Are you competing this weekend, Ashton?” I asked. I forgot to ask earlier, and I was really curious now.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, I’m competing,” Ashton said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What?! I haven’t heard your music once for the past month!” I exclaimed. I was truly shocked that he was going to be competing with such little preparation with his program.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Well, I’ve been training it off-ice. I’m just going to wing it,” Ashton said. Ah, this was just like Ashton, which was just like me: outgoing and bold and sometimes a little stupid from not thinking things through.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“That’s insane, Ashton,” I said, only half joking.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, I know,” he replied, his tone reeking of pride.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We walked into the Ice Café and talked about other things, like the upcoming finals, and the end of the school year only being three weeks away.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I can’t WAIT for summer,” Ashton said. “I hate school.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I can’t wait either, but I LIKE school,” I said, punching his arm. “I just need a break.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I get it, don’t worry,” he said, smiling at me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The Zamboni honked, signaling to the skaters that the ice was ready.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Ice time!” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No, I need more time to rest,” Ashton said, groaning.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Man up! Come on, let’s go,” I said, pulling him up off the bench. Ashton stood up, stretching his arms up as he let out a yawn. Then he started hopping a little, and said, “Okay, I’m awake. Let’s get this show on the road.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We got on the ice and talked to each other as we did some warm-up edges, laughing and talking the same way we did at lunch.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">And then Sara got on the ice.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What is this, a party? Get back to work,” Sara said, shooing Ashton away playfully. He winked at me as he skated away. Luckily, Sara really was back to herself and didn’t say anything.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Five minute warm-up,” she said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Yeah, she was definitely back to herself.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I went through all my jumps, and they were all just as good as I left them from last session. I asked for my program and wrapped the tacky yellow belt around my waist. I took my starting pose and waited for my music to start playing.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">As soon as it started blaring from the loudspeaker, I started my choreography and set up for my opening combo- flip-toe. I was putting my foot down going into my left forward outside three-turn, going into my flip, when an image played in my head. It was the flip from the dream. I jumped up and immediately felt myself lean back and to the left, and to save myself the pain of a nasty fall, I made a MAJOR skating no-no: I popped. I opened up out of my rotation after only half a turn, and fell, just like in my dream. My eyes started burning, and my vision blurred from the tears that were clogging my eyes. I wiped them away and saw Ashton in front of me, giving me an encouraging look as he mouthed “Keep going.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I went into my lutz as the music sped up, and put my tapping foot in the ice. I managed to squeak out a good jump, and I landed just enough over the right side to get a decent amount of flow. However, Sara did not look too pleased, so I knew I was really going to have to do much better with the rest of my skate just to avoid a coach tantrum.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The violin came in and I pumped up the energy. Good axel, good spin, good double salchow. Now for my lutz-loop and footwork.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Thankfully, I landed my jump. Now, I think it was probably because my dream hadn’t gotten to that part of the program, so I wasn’t so freaked out about it.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I went into my footwork, performing my edges to the best of my ability. Rocker, knee-slide, toe-steps, counter rocker, loop, three-turn.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I looked up again and saw Ashton ahead of me, giving me a discreet “thumbs up” and a small smile. I prepared for my last jump- flip-loop. I landed the flip, got into my loop- and fell. However, I still had a final spin to get through, so I didn’t focus on it, and stepped into my combination spin.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">It turned out good, with a strong camel and a nicely executed haircutter, and I checked out of my spin into my ending position, my chest heaving as my lungs fought against my sports-induced asthma, trying their hardest to let in some oxygen.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I skated back to Sara, still trying to catch my breath, and the first thing she said to me was, “Laps. Six.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I mentally facepalmed. Of course, when I was practically dying, THAT was when she chose to work on my stamina.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I went through my laps as quickly as I could, and I’m not sure if I should’ve done that, because the faster I went, the worse my breathing got. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">When I finally finished, I clutched the wall and sped to my bag, where I took a puff from my inhaler. My breath finally caught up with me, and I was able to breathe normally again.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler, you’re better than that,” Sara said to me. I could tell she was disappointed, and I couldn’t stand it, but hey, I was disappointed too. I really couldn’t blame her.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“It wasn’t //all// bad,” I said, trying to defend myself for the elements I actually //did// cover. That’s when Sara REALLY got mad.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler! I can handle a bad skate, but what I can’t handle is if you try to defend it. You need to admit to your faults and deal with it,” Sara said. I thought she was being rather harsh over that one skate, but I didn’t say anything, and she kept going.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“The jumps you did land- they weren’t that good!” Sara exclaimed. Her face was turning red, and she was clearly pissed. Now, that statement, that I didn’t agree with at all.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, I don’t think they were really that-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“YES, Skyler, YES, they were THAT BAD. Can you tell me how you would’ve been able to see them for yourself? And I know you’ll say that you could feel them, but you’ve felt your jumps wrong before, and that’s the case this time too. Why did you think you had such a hard time competing last year?!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Now I saw why she was REALLY upset. It wasn’t just over this particular skate. It was over what could happen if I continued having skates like that, and if I skated like that at competition, just like the season before.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I understood better why she was getting so upset. And I started getting more upset myself.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Sara, I’m sorry-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No, Skyler, you see, words don’t matter. It’s your actions that count. We’ve been over this before. And you don’t need to be SORRY. You need to be willing to make changes, and it hasn’t been like that since Preliminary. Once you SHOW me that you are, //then// I won’t be so upset. But you DID NOT show that to me today,” Sara said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I didn’t respond to that. There really wasn’t anything that I //could// say. I just stood there in front of Sara, feeling stupid for that dreadful skate because of those dreadful nerves from that dreadful head of mine.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Sara, not in the mood to go through two jumping fiascos in one day, decided to work on spins and choreography. While it was a relief to my muscles to be getting a break from my usually intense training, it wasn’t a relief to my mental state what-so-ever. I got through my skate, but that was all it was. I was going through the motions to get the skating part of my morning over with, and it was not good to be unenthusiastic about skating the week of a competition. However, I couldn’t choose the way I felt, so I just kind of went with it, and when it was time to get off the ice, I took a deep breath and thought to myself, //I’m going to make changes this afternoon//. I didn’t say that out loud to Sara, because I knew she would say that I would need to show that through my actions later.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Bye, Sara,” I said as I gave her a hug.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">She hugged me back and stroked the back of my head.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You know that I want what’s best for you, right, Skyler?” Sara said, pushing me back a bit so I could see her face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yes, Sara,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Now, go to school, I don’t want you to be late,” she said, slightly smiling at me as I got off the ice.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ashton got off the ice at the same time as me and at next to me on my bench. We took our skates off together.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Are you okay?” Ashton asked me, a look of genuine concern on his face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, I’m okay,” I responded. “Look, I’ll tell you more later, at school, okay?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">He looked at me for a little, and I could feel him trying to get into my head, but I blocked him out. “Okay,” he said. “Tell me later.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I changed and ran off to school, jumping into Geometry just as the bell rang. Ashton was already at his seat, and he gave me a nod of his head as <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I walked towards my seat. Megan was already at her seat and I waved to her really quick as I sat in my seat.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Class, we’ll be going over Chapter 4, Section 6 today,” Mrs. Anderson said.

Ha. As if we’ll really be paying attention to that today =P What’s wrong? Is something

On your mind? I think you said something at Pickwick about wanting to say

something to me?

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ashton tossed the note over right after Mrs. Anderson was done speaking. I wrote back and tossed the note back to his desk.

Yeah, actually, there’s something really wrong….. I had this dream, and I completely BOMBED my program at competition. It was horrible, just like my season last year, and I was worried, because I can’t let that happen again :’(

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">He looked at me after he finished reading the note with a worried look on his face. I saw him scribble something on the slip of paper and watched it as it fell on my desk. I opened it and sighed at the sight of his cute, messy handwriting.

Skyler, you have to listen to me. You can’t let that dream affect you. You really WILL let that dream affect your season if you don’t get over it. You’re so much better than that! Do you think I would tell you that you’re an amazing ice skater if I didn’t

truly think so? You don’t deserve to feel so nervous. Please, don’t even think twice about it.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I could feel my eyes tearing up.

Thank you, Ashton =)

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We left things at that, and I focused on the lesson we were learning to the best of my ability.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Now, focus on this, class. I can guarantee this is going to be on the Final in two weeks, Just don’t tell anyone at the District I told you that,” Mrs. Anderson said, whispering the last part.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The class started laughing and we went back to the lesson. Ashton and I didn’t talk or pass notes for the rest of the class, but we looked up at each other and smiled a few times.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Then the bell rang, and it was time to go to our next class.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, Skyler, what class do you have before lunch?” Ashton asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“P.E.,” I said. “Why?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I’ll meet you by the locker room. We can walk to lunch together,” Ashton said, his eyes twinkling. I just about froze into shock, but luckily, <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan was behind me, and she pinched my shoulder, waking me from my state of awe.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“That would be great,” I said, mustering up my best smile. “See you at lunch.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“See ya,” Ashton said, walking away with a smile on his face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay Skyler, try not to faint,” Megan said. “I can’t catch you, even with my thigh healing.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Don’t worry. I’m not like those die-hard Beatles fans that faint every time they see a picture of Paul McCartney and John Lennon,” I said, walking through the doorway of Geometry.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Why would you faint?” said someone behind me. I turned around to see who it was.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">*facepalm*

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">It was Jase.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, hey Jase!” I said, trying to ignore his question. “How’s it going?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, I guess. Same as usual,” he responded. Thankfully, my question side-tracked him from //his// question, and he seemed to at least momentarily forget his question.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We walked into English class together and got through another frightfully boring review lesson on the material that was going to be on the Final…. which was the same stuff as last year…… and the year before…… *yawn*

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“WAH! What?! Oh, thanks Jase,” I said, starting at a frantic yelp and toning it down to a whisper. I had fallen asleep in class again, and thankfully, Jase woke me up before Mr. Keating could notice. And, just as thankfully, Mr. Keating didn’t notice my outburst.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I got through English, but I almost dozed off a few more times, and Jase and Megan had to help keep me awake. Then, the bell rang, and I was still really groggy.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Come on, Skyler, time to wake up,” Megan said. She grabbed my arms and dragged me out of my seat.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Mmmmmph….. No, five more minutes,” I responded.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler, Ashton’s waiting for you,” Megan whispered in my ear. I bolted up out of my chair and started fixing my hair.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Where?” I asked. I looked around. Ashton was nowhere in sight.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I glared at Megan. “That was low.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, I know,” Megan said, smiling wide.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What happened?” Jase said, obviously lost.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Nothing,” I said. Seeing the hurt look on his face, however, I caught myself. “She made me think that Sara was here to check on me before competition.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, I see,” Jase said, smiling just as wide as Megan now. It made me feel really bad, because I knew that //truly//, he had no understanding at ALL of what had just happened. But I knew that it would hurt him even more if he knew the truth, so I //had to// fib a little.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Come on, let’s head over to the Band Room,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We walked to the Band Room and set up early. Class went by really fast, and luckily, I was actually able to focus somewhat! When the bell rang, <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan and I ran out of the room as fast as we could without getting in trouble and met up with Caro to tell her what happened with Ashton earlier.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh my gosh, really?” she said. Her face was full of excitement for me, and I //almost// started tearing up. I mean, this is how we were before <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Clarissa came and messed everything up, but now, we were able to go back to that, and I was able to see that everything Caro said was genuine. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">There was no faking this kind of excitement.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I squeezed back the tears and said, “Yes, really! I’m so excited!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You should be!” Megan said to me. Then she looked at Caro and said, “You know what, we should leave them alone for this. You wanna meet at the lunch tables?” Megan said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Sure! I think you’re right, we should leave that moment for Ashton and Skyler //only//,” Caro said, a bright smile on her face and a supportive twinkle in her eyes. She looked at her watch and said, “Crap! I’m going to be late! Okay guys, I’ll see you at the Big Tree!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“See ya Caro!” we called after her.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Now, P.E. It was //__COMPLETELY__// different from String Orchestra. I wasn’t able to focus AT ALL, but I allowed that to happen because I wasn’t //studying// for anything, and therefore did not break my earlier vow to not let boys interfere with my skating and school. And P.E. doesn’t count as a study, so I was in the clear.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Anyway, I couldn’t stop thinking about Ashton all period! I mean, I don’t know why I was all excited. He only asked if he could walk to lunch with me. That itself isn’t really a big deal at all, but I think it was the fact that he was showing interest in me that made me so excited. Either way, I was thinking about him a lot, and the period was really dragging on. I barely even noticed that Mr. Dilber wasn’t there; there was a substitute in his place, which was really strange, considering he’s come to school with a fever, having kept perfect attendance since 1986. I was running my fastest, thinking that the faster the class got through the exercises, the faster the period would be over, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. It just lengthened the period out even more.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Finally, FINALLY the bell rang and I ran to the locker room and changed back into my regular clothes. I grabbed my brush, ran to the nearest mirror, and started redoing my hair, and I saw Megan sneaking up behind me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, Megs,” I said. I put on some lip gloss and turned around to look at her directly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey! I’ll see you at The Tree, okay?” she said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay,” I responded.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I walked out of the locker room, Megan a little bit ahead of me, and I saw Ashton walking down the stairs.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">And Jase was only a little bit behind him.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh no, Megs, get over here!” I whisper-screamed.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What is it?” she asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Go get rid of Jase! It looks like //he’s// coming to meet me too!” I hissed.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, okay. Don’t worry about it. I’ll handle him for you,” she said, giving me a reassuring squeeze on my shoulder as I walked towards Ashton and she ran to Jase, turning him around and walking him the other way.

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan is an amazing friend //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">, I thought to myself.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, Skyler,” Ashton said, giving me a dazzling smile that would put any Aphrodite descendant to shame.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, Ashton,” I said, walking next to him.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Are you feeling any better?” he asked, putting his arm around me. Putting his arm around me?!?!?!?!! PUTTING HIS ARM AROUND ME!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my gosh, he had his arm around me! Now, I really thought I was going to faint. Or melt into a puddle. Or faint and melt into a puddle. But, fortunately, I stayed upright, and Ashton didn’t have to catch me (although I knew he would’ve, and the thought of that made my heart skip a beat).

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, I’m feeling a little better,” I replied. The truth was, I was feeling A LOT better at THAT moment, having his arm around me and trying to comfort me. But I still didn’t feel better with my nerves. It was the same as last year. Nothing and no one could comfort me, no matter what they said. Gosh, just when I thought I got rid of my nerves for the first time in my life, they crept right back up because of a ten minute STUPID DREAM!!!!!!!!!!!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Good, I’m happy to hear it,” he said, letting go of me and hesitantly touching my hand, as if asking permission to hold it. I let him, and I started getting dizzy again from happiness.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">However, I remembered again that collapsing on the spot wasn’t an option, so I got my head out of the clouds and back to Earth.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Did you hear what happened to Mr. Dilber?” said someone next to us. I recognized the voice as belonging to a girl named Melanie from our Geometry class.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What happened?” Ashton said. He didn’t stop holding my hand just because someone else was there, and that made me even MORE happy, and I hadn’t even thought that was humanly possible.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Coach Dilber got hit by a bus!” Melanie exclaimed. I didn’t believe her at first.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I know we all wish that to be true, Melanie, but I don’t think so,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No, guys, you don’t understand. I’m serious,” Melanie said. We all stopped walking, and Ashton and I both studied Melanie’s face, trying to see if she was lying or not.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Wait. You ARE serious, aren’t you?” Ashton said. Looking at her, I realized he was right. Melanie WAS telling the truth. I was about to cover my mouth with //both// of my hands in shock, but then I remembered that Ashton was holding my left one, and I didn’t want to stop holding his hand for Coach Dilber, so I only put my right hand up, accompanied with a gasp.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh my gosh, Melanie… That’s terrible! Even if it is Coach Dilber…” I said. My eyes filled up with tears, but I didn’t cry.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Is he going to be okay? Do you know what’s going on with his condition?” Ashton asked Melanie. I had the same questions, but I wasn’t at a <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">good state to talk.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">There goes that “happiest person in the world” feeling.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">BAH. Did Coach Dilber really have to ruin THIS DAY, of ALL DAYS? Couldn’t he get hit by a bus next week? Or the week before? Any day except this one would’ve been fine by me, but he had to ruin THIS day.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Grrrrr.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">This sucked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, he’s going to be fine. I know that he had some serious damage done, and I think he broke most of the upper half of his body, but he’ll be fine,” Melanie said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Well, as long as he’ll be okay, we should enjoy the time while he’s gone!” Ashton said, trying to find the disturbingly bright side of things.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Okay, now I was happy again.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Thank you Coach Dilber!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Melanie said bye, and we were back on our way to The Big Tree, now with some big news to tell the group. Everyone was already at the tree, waiting for us to come so they could start another one of those full-blown epically energy-filled conversations that everyone took part in. It just so happened that today, Ashton and I brought the fuel.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We sat down next to each other, and reluctantly let go of each other’s hands so that we could start eating lunch. Megan was on my right, Jase right next to her, and I could see him wince a little at the sight of Ashton and I. Again, I felt a little guilty, but hey- there was nothing to feel guilty about, right? I was spending time with a guy that I happened to like differently than one of my friends. Not a major deal. I lost a bit of that guilty feeling in my stomach and said, “Boy, do I have some news for all of you.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What is it?” said Ashton’s friend that started the whole hockey versus ice skating difficulty debate just a few weeks back.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Coach Dilber got hit by a bus,” I said. Within a millisecond after I finished my sentence, the group EXPLODED. Literally EVERYONE went “YES!” or “HAS ANYONE RESERVED A BUS FOR MISS HENSERMAN?” or “GOOD RIDDANCE!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ashton and I started laughing, and from the look of his face, he felt bad at that statement getting such a happy reaction too. I mean, now I felt bad for Coach Dilber, and it had nothing to do with the accident. All these kids were happy that he was lying in a hospital bed, broken and beat up. It must’ve been rough having all these kids hate you that way.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Maybe that was why he was so mean.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">It didn’t really matter though, because I was- guiltily- pretty happy too that we didn’t have to deal with him for a while. Let me clarify- I was not happy for the CIRCUMSTANCES of him being absent from school for the first time in 25 years. I was just happy about the event itself.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I tried to manipulate my way of thinking the way the Colonists did when they used slaves, thinking of them as not even being human so that they wouldn’t feel bad, and I felt not only proud that I was able to use information from an otherwise completely useless class, but a little better about my slight happiness of getting rid of Coach Dilber for a little while.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We celebrated Coach’s absence for a little while more and then we started talking about other things. We were laughing and having a good time until someone asked about the competition.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“So, Skyler, how’re you feeling about the competition on Saturday?” one of Ashton’s friends asked me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I blushed a little. “Oh, um… Okay. I’m a little nervous, but that’s usual, right?” I pretended to look at a watch I didn’t have and said, “Oh, look at the time, I have to go meet Mr. Keating for… something.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I ran away, my eyes stinging from the tears that wanted to flow, but I refrained from crying until I was as far away from people as possible. I found a suitable corner in an empty hallway that no one used, because it led to the out of date auditorium we had since 1953. We’d been using the Gym as a double for the auditorium for the past few years as a substitute because the old Auditorium was in such bad condition.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I cried and cried and all that crying didn’t leave much room for thinking. I just sat and cried until my eyes felt as dry as a desert. And that’s when <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I was able to think about everything.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">No matter how confident Ashton was in my ability, I wasn’t confident. At all. That has always been one of my biggest issues, and last season it was ultimately my downfall.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">At this point, I realized that I wasn’t just “a little nervous” anymore. I was EXTREMELY nervous, and my stomach was clenching from the thought of competing. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t figure out how to get rid of this unnerving feeling of being completely nervous. It was the exact feeling I had last season. Now, I wasn’t only nervous, I was scared. I was terrified that I was going to make the same mistakes I made last season- and now that I think about it, it happened the season before that, too. I kept thinking to myself last season, //No, NO. Not this time. You’re going to pull it together. You’re not going to let yourself do what you did last competition. Keep your head on straight!//

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">And here I was, sitting in a corner, crying my eyes out, thinking the exact same thoughts.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I couldn’t handle it. I ran to a trash can on the opposite side of the hallway and threw up.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Skating… Skating is my life. It means more to me than life itself. And the fact that I was holding myself back from fulfilling what I used to think as… my destiny, I guess… it overwhelmed me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I spat into the trash can a few more times to make sure I was done, and I was about to sit in my corner again when I heard the doors of the hallway open. It was Megan, Caroline, and Ashton.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">My stomach started clenching more, and I threw up again.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan gasped and put her hands on her face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, honey,” she said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Caro put her hands on her hips and stared at Megan.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What do you mean, ‘Oh, honey?’” she said testily. “She needs to knock this off or she’ll ruin her skating.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Right now what she needs is for her friends to be empathetic and help her through this!” Megan shot back defensively.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No, what she needs is for her friends to help snap her out of this funk and realize that she can do it!” Caro retorted.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You haven’t even been talking to us on civil terms for the past four years, and all of a sudden you think-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Think what? That I know what’s best for my friend right now? Don’t forget, before that happened, we were still-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, we were friends, but-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“BOTH OF YOU, STOP IT. If you’re going to act like this in front of her, then you can both leave and let me comfort her,” Ashton said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan and Caroline fell silent.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Thank you, all of you, for worrying about me. But I think I just need to be left to myself and my thoughts-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No. What good has that done for you?” Megan said, sitting next to me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, Skyler, being stuck in your head doesn’t look like it’s helping you at all. I mean, you just threw up, and I’m not about to presume that it <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">was food poisoning,” Caro said. She took a seat on my other side.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I laughed a little and said, “Yeah, you’re right about that, Caro.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, Skyler, I think we can all tell that this is from skating. Do you want to talk about it?” Ashton said. He sat in front of me and held my <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">hands. “Actually, don’t answer that, because you need to tell us what’s going on. Or at least if you don’t want to talk about it with us, then talk <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">about it with Sara or SOMEONE,” he said sternly, but somehow also caringly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I sat there hesitantly for a little, but I decided after that scene, I owed it to them to tell them what was wrong. I told them everything I thought since I’d ran off, but I couldn’t bear to look any of them in the face, so I looked down at my hands and twiddled my thumbs.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">When I finished telling them about everything going on in my basket case of a mind, they all looked at me with concern. I thought, //Maybe I shouldn’t have told them// //anything. Now they probably think I’m crazy//.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I continued staring at my twiddling thumbs, and other than that I was still. After two minutes of shocked silence, I decided it was time for someone to say something.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I’m sorry I dumped all that on you,” I said, in such a hushed tone, it was practically a whisper.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler,- Skyler, look at me,” Ashton said. He gently raised my chin.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What?” I said, rather rudely. I knew that they were just trying to help me, but at this point, it didn’t feel like anything or anyone could help me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Megan, Caroline and I- we know what nerves feel like. But you’ve taken them to this whole other level-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“-And I need to stop. I know. Don’t you think that I WOULD stop my nerves from affecting my EACH AND EVERY MOVE if I could? Don’t <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">you understand that I’m TRYING? IT’S JUST. NOT. WORKING. I can’t do this. I’m not a true ice skater. If I was, then my nerves wouldn’t be forcing me to-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">SLAP. Ummm…. Ouch. That stung.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I looked towards the direction that the slap came from, and it was Caro.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Payback, much?

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You better stop this,” Caroline said bitterly. “Get up,” she said, grabbing hold of my arms and pulling me up. She pointed a finger in my face and started talking to me in the same tone Sara always used when she was pissed.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You’re nerves are ruining you, and you have no reason to let that happen. You’re an amazing skater with the confidence of a mouse being hunted by an owl. Skaters our age that can barely do a double toe have more confidence than you do, and that’s completely backwards! You have no excuses to be this nervous over anything. And just so you know, don’t ever say that you can’t do this, or that you’re not a true skater ever again. What do you call that program you did, just a little while ago? Was //that// not being able to do it? Get over yourself. You had a whole rink full of people clapping for you. You ARE a true skater, more so than anyone I’ve ever met. Do you understand me?” Caro said. Her words stung just as much as her slap, but I knew that they were true.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yes, Sar- Caroline,” I said, catching myself. I find it kind of funny looking back on this that I almost called her Sara. I mean, she was acting a lot like her. She even said “Do you understand me?” the same exact way Sara says it.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Wasn’t that a bit harsh, Caroline?” Megan said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No, it wasn’t,” I answered for Caro. “It was what I needed. Don’t get me wrong, Caro. I’m still just as nervous-” she gave me a sharp look at this “-but I’m seeing it from a different perspective now.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“As long as it helped,” Caroline said, her tone a lot softer now. “Do you need me to slap you again?” she said jokingly, a playful smile on her face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No, I think that’s all right,” I said, laughing a bit.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The bell rang, and it was time for History. Ashton picked up my bag- Megan brought my stuff from the lower field for me- and we were on our way. Caro and Megan ran ahead to give Ashton and I some privacy.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Thank you,” I said to him.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I didn’t even get a chance to say anything,” he said, blushing slightly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Just having you there made me feel better,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I’m glad to hear it,” Ashton said. “Listen, Skyler, Caro had the right idea. You need to start believing in yourself.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I thought about what he said, and I formed my best response in my head before saying it out loud.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Thank you, Ashton, honestly. It means a lot to me that you would say that. But you have to understand, I can’t change what I’m feeling with a snap of my fingers. I mean, trust me, I would’ve done that a WHILE ago if that was all I had to do,” I said. “I just don’t… I don’t feel good about my skating. I’m climbing up a steep path in my mind, trying my hardest to get to that good place where I’m confident, but I’m having trouble.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I understand,” Ashton said. “I just hope that the path will get a little less steep so you can get to that place easier.” He put my stuff down at my seat and he gave me a hug. That spark that I had every time I saw him multiplies by a hundred times, and I was sad to see him go, but we had classes to attend, so I finally let go and said, “I’ll see you this afternoon.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“See you then,” he said, a comforting smile resting on his face, filling me with warmth as I sat down in my seat.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I sighed, and I realized that Megan, Caroline, and Jase- Jase? *FACEPALM*- were already in their seats, waiting for me. Jase was blushing so bright that a lobster would look pale in comparison. Megan and Caroline had a supportive twinkle in their eyes that told me they were happy to see me so comfortable with Ashton, but Megan was casting a worried glance at Jase, knowing how he had to be feeling right then.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What happened at lunch, Skyler?” he asked exasperatedly. I felt bad, because I knew from my past experiences with Caro what it felt like to get comfortable with someone and then have them turn around and stab you in the back right when you least expected it.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“She was worried about her competition, that was all,” Megan said, trying to defend me. From what, I’m still not sure, but I felt reassured that Megan was able to have my back AND Jase’s at the same time. Maybe she could act as a peacemaker of sorts, and keep Jase and I as neutral as possible.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I couldn’t face Jase. I could tell that he was really hurt, and before, I wouldn’t have been able to understand why. But now that I knew, it stung even more, and even though he sat near me in my last two classes, I completely ignored the fact that he was there.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">When the bell rang, I ran out of the front double doors as fast as my legs could take me. I was relieved when I saw my mom’s car, and I slid into my seat, closing the door behind me, as fast as I possibly could.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What’s wrong, honey?” she asked, looking very motherly concerned.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Nothing, Mom, I just want to get to training as fast as I can,” I said. I wasn’t quite sure if that was a lie or not, but maybe if I was able to focus enough on my actual training, then I would feel better, not having to focus on everything else that was going on.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh,” she said, sounding a little surprised (which she shouldn’t have, I’m an ice skater and I [usually] //want// to be at the rink). “Okay, I’ll drive faster then.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“THAT’S QUITE ALL RIGHT MOM DRIVE AS SLOW AS YOU WANT!” I exclaimed. Mom is already a REALLY bad driver as it was, so I didn’t need her driving any worse than usual. I actually wanted to make it to Pickwick ALIVE.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I changed into my skating clothes as quickly as humanly possible when I got home, and as soon as we got to Pickwick, I was slamming the car door and running to the entrance to the rink. I started warming up, and Caroline gave me a look that said //Are you okay?// I responded with a nod. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">She understood, so she nodded back and pretended to not have even noticed that I arrived.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I continued warming up, and right as I was about to start doing my rotations, I saw Ashton walk into the rink. My heart skipped a beat. He saw me in my corner getting ready to skate and walked up to me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Are you okay?” he asked me. “Are you feeling a little better?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">He looked genuinely concerned about me and how I was feeling, and it was comforting to know that I had someone other than Megan that was <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">really watching out for me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, I’m feeling a little better,” I responded. I gave him a hug, and he hugged me back.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You don’t feel like you’re going to throw up or anything?” he asked jokingly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Maybe if I get a good look at your face I will,” I responded. If we were in a movie (or if we were dating…) this would’ve been the moment where we kissed and he would tell me that he would try to look at least a little more attractive for me, and I would say that he didn’t need to change a thing.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ah, there I went again, fantasizing about some alternate reality where Ashton and I are together.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I finished my warm up with Ashton, and we got on the ice together, putting our guards down at the wall.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We did edges together and talked all the while, and we were so deep in conversation, I didn’t even notice that Sara had gone on the ice. She gave me a sly little grin and said, “Okay, I have you on this session,” she said, pointing at me, “and you next session,” she said pointing at Ashton.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I’ll talk to you later, Skyler,” Ashton said, smiling as he skated away. I smiled back and sighed as soon as his back was turned.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You really like him, don’t you?” Sara asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, I really do,” I replied.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You know, I think that he really likes you,” Sara said, poking me in the shoulder the way she was earlier this morning.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“HEY. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO ACT LIKE A TEENAGE GIRL THE WAY YOU DID THIS MORNING. THAT FREAKED ME OUT,” I said sternly, hoping that my tone made it clear that I was closed on the matter.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, okay, I’m sorry. I’m just excited for you, as all. I mean, you two have a shot for when you’re older, if you know what I’m saying…” Sara trailed off.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“SARA.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Alright, alright, fine, I’ll drop it,” she said disappointedly. I found it really odd that SHE was the one losing focus, and again, it was FOUR FREAKING DAYS BEFORE COMPETITION.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Guess what I’m going to tell you to do,” Sara said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Five minute warm up?” I said, feeling slightly deflated. I hated practicing those, because it took more energy than it did during competition. I always had a good dose of adrenaline to back me up at competition, but I didn’t have that right now. However, I couldn’t let my un-excitement show, so I tried to put myself in a better mood by thinking about how it was going to help my training.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Ding ding ding! We have a winner,” she said sarcastically. “Well, what are you waiting for? GO!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">All in all, my warm-up went fine. I went through everything without difficulty and asked for my program. I tied the tacky yellow belt around my waist and skated to my spot on the ice. I went into my beginning pose and waited for the music to start. This is how the program went:

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Flip-Toe: Landed. Good flow.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Double Lutz: Decent flow, landed a bit back though, and on the inside edge.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Single Axel: Nice and big, as a jump as easy as that should be.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Deathdrop: Good scissor with both legs, good speed, and good twist on the core change.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Double Salchow: Way to far back on the landing. Put my foot down.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Lutz-Loop: Fell on lutz. Inside edge, too far to the left.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Footwork: Nice and flow-y, well executed edges, but it’s footwork, and its supposed to be.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Flip-Loop: Fell on the loop. Twisted to the left and back in rotation.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Combination Spin: Good camel, good cannonball, good haircutter. Nice speed.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I hit my ending pose and skated back to Sara. Her face was blank, which wasn’t a good sign. She was either too disappointed with me to say anything or she was about to get REALLY angry with me. Both aren’t very fun situations to be in.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I stood in front of her for about a minute and a half before she said something.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You made stupid mistakes,” she said nonchalantly. It surprised me that she didn’t react at least a LITTLE more. I mean, it wasn’t a //terrible// program, but it wasn’t good either, and the fact that I made stupid mistakes made it even worse.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Um…. Yeah, I know,” I replied.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Come on, let’s go over the things you made mistakes on,” she said. We went through everything that wasn’t perfect, and once she was satisfied, I got to take a short water break at the wall.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You get to go do your program again,” Sara said while I quickly guzzled down some water, a smile on her face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I took a deep breath and started making my way towards the glass in front of the sound booth so I could ask for my music.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Wait, Skyler,” Sara said, stopping me a quarter way there.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You’re going to keep running your program until you do a clean one, even if that means you have to stay an extra session to do it,” she said, still smiling.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I took an even deeper breath and said, “Okay.” There really wasn’t anything that I could say other than that. I asked for my program and went into my beginning position. Before I the music came on, I looked at the clock: 5:00pm. I only had fifteen minutes left of my first session, and if I wanted to go home after it, I had to skate a clean program within two tries or I would go into the second session, and if I was going to skate part of a session, the condition was that I had to actually skate the whole thing, unless it was at practice ice for a competition, and she didn’t want me to get tired.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I was really tired at that moment, and the thought of having to stay on my feet for another forty-five minutes made my thighs and calves ache just thinking about it. But I had to muster up SOME energy, or I would be wasting my energy on terrible programs for the rest of the evening.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I began the program with a renewed determination to skate well, and this is how it went:

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Flip-Toe: Beautiful. LOTS of height on my toe, and perfect position in the air for

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">both jumps.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Double Lutz: Outside edge this time! Good height, but not quite as large as my

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">double flip. Mustered out a good landing to please Sara.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Single Axel: Great parabola, carried across the ice beautifully.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Deathdrop: Amazing speed, got thirteen rotations on first part of spin, six on the

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">second part.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I usually get my tired at this point on my program, //right// before the halfway mark, This time didn’t prove to be any different. My legs felt like Jell-O, but I knew that I had to keep going – or else.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Double Salchow: Yay for height and good landings! Cha-ching! Sara looked

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">happy on this one.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Lutz-Loop: Landed it flawlessly. Got a decent amount of height on the loop.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Footwork: It had never flowed better. All my edges had the same speed going

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">out as going in. My knee still burned from doing the first half on one

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">foot, but it was worth the smile on Sara’s face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Flip-Loop: The final stretch! Only one more jump combination and I only had a

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">spin that kept me from the end of my program.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Combination Spin: Hit the best camel position I’d ever hit in my life. Beautiful

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'times new roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">cannonball, perfectly arched haircutter.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">My chest heaved as I tried to get some oxygen into my lungs. I heard the sound of applause, and I looked around me- all of my skating peers were clapping for me, and Ashton was clapping the loudest and most pronounced. I smiled at him and he smiled back. I skated back to Sara and she said, “That’s more like it.” She smiled at me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, Sara, that was a nice program,” said one of the coaches at Pickwick. “Good job, Skyler,” she said, patting my back supportively.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Thank you very much,” I said, feeling my face flush from all the attention. I liked being the center of attention every once in a while- although I didn’t crave it like a lot of the other skaters did- but this was a lot. A coach that I barely even knew was coming up to me and Sara to congratulate and support us.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Keep up the training, Skyler,” the coach said, smiling as she skated away.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Now that was a good program,” Sara said. There was a glint in the back of her eyes that I hadn’t noticed before, and I could tell that she was <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">proud of that program. “Well, you don’t have to skate another session today. Unless you want to,” Sara said. Now, when a coach tells you that you have the //choice// to skate another session, it’s usually a cue for you to say “Yes ma’am, do I permission to skate three more sessions after?” <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">You always say that you “want” to skate another session, even if you’re tired and just want to go home. So I looked back at what she said- “…you don’t have to skate another session today. Unless you want to,” and decided that I would have to skate another session.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I’ll stay,” I said, trying to lay the enthusiasm thick so that she wouldn’t be able to detect my disappointment. I was really tired after having such a long day, and I needed my rest. I figured I would just have to relax later.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Good! Do you want to do another program?” she asked, her smile widening.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t say yes to that one.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“NO! I mean, um, no, don’t you think the loudspeaker workers are tired of hearing my music?” I said, rushing to cover up my slip up.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Don’t worry about them, Skyler. If you want to do one, then go ahead and ask,” Sara said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No, Sara, that’s all right. Why don’t we leave my programs off on a good note for today?” I asked, trying to persuade Sara to let me do <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">ANYTHING but run another program.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What makes you think that that will change from running another program?” Sara asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I sighed. I should’ve thought a little more about what I’d gotten myself into.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Nothing, Sara, just forget that. I’m just a little tired, as all, okay?” I said, exasperated, feeling like a kid with a tiger-mom, trying to figure out some way to please her.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh. Well, you could’ve said something, you know,” Sara said. She was still slightly annoyed. “I did give you a choice. Do you want to go home, honestly?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Well…. Um….”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“SKYLER. It’s a yes or no question. All I need is a yes or no answer,” Sara said, her slightly annoyed tone turning to one of complete and utter annoyance. If I was a fly, she would’ve swatted me ten minutes ago.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I thought about my answer before I replied. I mean, if I replied truthfully and said yes, she would be disappointed by my work ethic, but if I <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">replied dishonestly and told her that I really wanted to skate, then she might call my bluff and I’d be in a lot of trouble.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No, Sara, I don’t want to go home. But I don’t feel like my legs are capable of handling too much more work,” I replied. It wasn’t exactly just a yes/no answer, but it was the truth.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">She waited a little before replying.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Well, you could work on your spins and footwork again… I mean, you //did// have good jumps today, and a nice program…” Sara said, thinking <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">out loud to herself more than actually talking to me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I’ll do whatever you want me to, Sara,” I said. Again, I wasn’t lying. I //would// do whatever she wanted, but I never said anything about having to like doing it too.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay. Spins and footwork it is,” she said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Do you have any extra time?” I asked. I was silently hoping she would say no, she had to go home, just like last week so Caro and I could skate <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">together. The rink was emptying out, and it looked like only Caro and a girl from a different club that didn’t know us or our coached would be staying on the ice.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I have to go home, I’m sorry, Skyler. But you know how to train well yourself. You don’t need me here to get good work done,” she said. “And <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">keep in mind, I fully expect you to be working hard right now, no lollygagging around,” Sara said sternly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yes, Sara, I know. I’ll work hard, don’t worry. Have a good evening,” I said, giving her a hug before she got off the ice. I looked at the clock and then looked at the ice. There were two minutes remaining left of this session, and there were still four people on the ice. I was waiting for everyone to clear, and while I waited, I tried to see if I could recognize who exactly I was waiting for. There was the girl from another club (I looked at her team jacket; she was from AYFSC [All Year Figure Skating Club]. Their home rink is in Culver City.). There was another girl from our club, LAFSC, and if she didn’t get off, we wouldn’t be able to skate together. Just one person seeing the truth about Caro and I would ruin everything. Caro was the third person on the ice, and I scanned the ice for that fourth person I saw. I looked around and saw that it was Ashton that I saw.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Was this going to be a problem?

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">No, he wouldn’t be. Just like Megan, I knew that I could trust Ashton with anything. And besides, he would’ve known that something was up earlier when he saw Caro in our group and hanging out with me at school. Now that I thought about it, it would be a good thing if he was skating the next session! We would be able to tell him the truth, and on top of that I would be able to spend more time with him.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I looked at the clock again: it said 5:15. The loudspeaker worker spoke into the microphone.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“This is the 5:15 session. If you aren’t skating, please clear the ice. If you are skating, make sure you’re signed in.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I looked around me. The two girls were getting off the ice! Yes! I found Caroline and Ashton as they skated to the wall and gathered them together so I could talk to the both of them.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Are you two skating the next one?” I asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, I am,” Caro replied.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Why, are you?” Ashton asked back.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, I am. I was hoping that you would be able to also?...” I trailed off hopingly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I don’t know, I wasn’t planning on it, but I’d really like to,” he said, smiling. “Let me get off the ice and call my mom and see what she says. I can guarantee it’ll be a yes.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I looked around and saw that the two other girls had packed up and were walking out the doors. All the remaining coaches were heading over to <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">the coaches room, so it was only Caro, Ashton, the loudspeaker worker, and I left in the rink. This was perfect! We could get so much work accomplished together, and then I would have the upside of getting to spend time with Ashton //__AND__// Caro!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I’m so excited that we get to skate with each other!” Caro said, obviously meaning what she said. “And just think, next week, Megan will be able to join us!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Caro, I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but she won’t really be able to work that much with us. She’ll still be recovering,” I said, tugging on my sleeves and looking any other direction than at her eyes. I could tell that she wasn’t smiling anymore by her change of body language. It looked like she was a balloon, and someone popped her. It looked like someone took a vacuum and sucked the energy out of her. I felt terrible for saying it, but she had to know that Megan wouldn’t be the same skater she was for a while until she recovered, and then it would still take a while for her to get back to where her training left off.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Look, I’m sorry I mentioned it, but I thought you had to realize-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No, it’s okay. I’m glad you said that,” she said. Her energy hadn’t changed at all. “You’re right. I’ll need to get that right before she starts coming back in so it won’t be a shock.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">At that moment, I saw Ashton making his way towards the ice again.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Come on, brighten up a bit! This is supposed to be a fun evening where we get to work together, not a morbid talking to,” I said, trying to <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">lighten the mood and pump up the energy as Ashton got on the ice.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“She said yes!” Ashton said, his face all bright and happy, juxtaposing the morbid, depressed look on Caro’s face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What’s wrong?” he asked, honestly concerned.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Well-” I started, but he cut me off.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Wait. Can I first ask why you guys are getting along in the first place? I was curious at school, but I could never find a good time to ask. Now, with nobody here, I want to know- what’s going on? I mean, you two were at war with each other just over a month ago, and now you’re all back to being best buddies again.” Poor thing. I could tell that he was really confused.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I looked at Caro and said, “It’s your call. Tell him what you want.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">She took a deep breath and looked at Ashton. “Before I say anything,” she said, “just know that Megan is aware of this too, and that you can’t talk about this to ANYONE. Megan, Skyler, and I already made a pact. We’re not even telling our parents about any of this. Ka-pish?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ashton had a bit of a worried look on his face, and I could tell it was because he had no idea what it was that had to be kept so secretive. I <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">silently laughed to myself at the adorable look on his face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Don’t worry, it’s nothing that would get us into trouble for rational reasons,” I said. I’m not sure if this helped or harmed in this case, but I felt like I had to say it.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Caro explained EVERYTHING to him. I was actually quite surprised with how much she seemed to trust him with all this information. I mean, it took her four whole years to open up to me, and as soon as we thought about it, she went out and told him everything! I didn’t quite know what to make of it. All I knew was that it made me extremely happy for some reason that she trusted him so much.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">He stayed silent for a few seconds after she told him everything.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I’m sorry, Caro,” he said. “But that really does explain everything. I mean, I was a little confused, seeing you as best friends practically at school and then glaring at each other the second you stepped into Pickwick.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Well, you know the truth now,” I said. “Come on you guys, let’s get the energy up. We have work to be doing!” I said, attempting not only to elevate the mood, but to steer our training back on track.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I saw both their faces lose their clouded expression, and they shook their heads clear at the same time, as if shaking the clouds out of their minds. I giggled watching them.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What’s so funny?” Caro asked, tilting her head ever so slightly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I thought it was cute that two of my closest friends reacted the same way,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, okay, like Skyler said, we should probably get to work. How much time do we have?” Ashton said, all of our eyes averting to the clock.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“5:27,” I said. “Okay, we still have a good thirty minutes to work. Let’s go.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We started working on out footwork. Of the three of us, I have the most difficult footwork, Ashton has the most arms choreographed, and Caro didn’t have footwork yet because she would be competing later in the season. After we all got through our footwork once, we met back at the wall and decided that we would go over our footwork one at a time now and critique each other.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Who wants to go first?” Caro asked brightly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I’ll go,” Ashton said. He skated off to the opposite side of the rink. As I watched him, I realized just //how// good he was. I’d never really paid any close attention to his footwork, because we were all too busy gawking at his jumps, but now that I watched him doing his footwork, I realized that he was a very well-rounded skater.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Wow,” I said to Caro, watching him perform the ice with facial expressions and choreographed arms as if that was his only purpose in life. I loved the little faces he made. He was the kind of skater that would really play it up when he knew he had an audience, judges or not.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Wow is right,” she said. Both of our eyes were in awe.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, is it just me, or did that make him even cuter?” I asked Caro as Ashton skated back with a small grin on his face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“It’s not just you,” Caro said. Now it was my turn to briefly shake the clouds from my head. I turned to my right and saw Caro doing it too. I giggled again, and Ashton softly chuckled.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Umm….” I said stupidly- wait, that doesn’t count as saying something- I //stumbled// stupidly. It was like someone took the words out of me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Was it that bad?” Ashton said, slightly amused at my loss for words.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“NO! No, no, no, it wasn’t bad at ALL!” I said hurriedly. “It was //amazing//, actually. I’ve never seen anyone perform with that much intensity.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Wow, thank you,” Ashton said, blushing.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, I agree with Skyler,” Caro said. “I don’t think there’s anything you should change.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I decided that I would go next. “Okay guys, my turn,” I said as I skated away.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I went to the furthest end of the ice and started making my way across on only my right leg. I pulled into a clean swing roll and a twizzle, did a decently sized loop, got across the first half of the ice and put my left foot down. My right knee was aching and burning from all the pressure put on it, but I knew that it would slowly go away as I kept skating. I got through the rest of my footwork with flawless edges, but knowing that I didn’t have enough arms to get anything higher than plus ones from the judges.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I skated back to the wall and tried to guess what they were thinking from their faces. They both had their eyes wide open, like deer in front of the headlights, so I could narrow it down to either //really// good, or //really// bad, and I couldn’t tell which one it was.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Now it was my turn to ask. “Was it that bad?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ashton was the one to rush to speech. “No, it wasn’t bad at all! It was really good, Skyler! All of your edges were clean and you covered the full ice… I’m guessing that’s level three footwork?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yes, it is,” I replied.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“There’s only one comment I have for it,” Caro said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Arms?” I guessed.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Arms,” she replied.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, how do we fix that without any coaches here? Should I wait to suggest it to Sara?” I asked. Then I looked at the glint in Caro’s eyes. My eyes widened as I continued.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No, Caro, that’s crazy! How are we going to choreograph a whole step sequence with arms, without ANY guidance from coaches? No, Caro, we should wait until tomorrow.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Aw, come on, Skyler! You’ll surprise Sara, and she’ll be so happy to see the amount of work you put into your footwork,” she said, nudging we with her elbow, smiling wide with her mouth open. “And Ashton knows what he’s doing, so he would be able to help too! You want to help, don’t you, Ashton?” Caro said, flashing a glare at him that told him he would die then and there if he didn’t say yes.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yes! I mean, um, yeah, I want to help, but it’s not like I’m that experienced. I’ll be just as much help as you two are,” he replied humbly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Says the boy with a triple lutz,” Caro muttered under her breath.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, be nice!” I said, pushing her slightly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I didn’t say anything mean!” Caro said, trying to defend herself. “It’s only the truth,” she said, turning her nose up.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I facepalmed, trying to steer our session back on track.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, guys, we’re supposed to be WORKING right now, so please, let’s focus,” I said. “You really think we could pull that off Caro? <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Choreograph arms for a full section of footwork?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Caro’s face brightened up. “YES! Yes yes yes it’ll be so fun!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Well, what do you think, Ashton?” I asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">He looked slightly amused at our antics. “Yeah, I think it’ll be fun,” he said, shrugging. “It’s crazy, but it’ll be fun.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay then, let’s get to work!” I said. I glanced at the clock. It was 5:33.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We worked relentlessly, coming up with the wackiest ideas in the process of coming up with good ones, and after fifteen minutes of working together, we were able to think up some pretty good ideas. We put all the good ones into the footwork, and Caroline and Ashton sent me to do it for them.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I skated through my newly choreographed footwork flawlessly, feeling my face naturally putting on those personality influenced looks that Ashton made, and that’s when I really felt like I was skating well. I put all I had into it, and by the time I was done, I was panting. That was a lot of work! I doubled over, trying to get some oxygen into my lungs, and skated back to Caroline and Ashton.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Well, what do you guys think?” I asked through smaller breath intakes.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">They stared at me for a few seconds. Then, simultaneously, they jumped up and said “YES!” and high-fived each other. In the excitement they started speaking at the same time, trying to get their thoughts in.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“THAT WAS AWESOME!-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“SARA’S GOING TO FLIP!-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“YOU SHOULD TRY IT WITH-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!” I screamed. “Sorry, that was the only way to get you two to calm down! Gosh, I’m happy that you’re so excited for me, but you need to take a breath and relax!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ashton and Caro were still visibly pleased with our work, but they stopped trying to talk at the same time.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I glanced at the clock. It said 5:50. Wow! That barely took any time at all for us to think of all that, and it usually took Sara a full session to think of so much.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Either way, we still had ten minutes before the session was over, and we had to figure out something to do. I thought for a minute, and then I spoke.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Ashton, run one of your programs! I really want to see what they looks like,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, no, you wouldn’t want to watch my skating,” he said bashfully. I saw his face flush bright red.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I facepalmed.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, let me get this straight. You went to Nationals and came back with a medal in NOVICE in front of an arena full to the brim of people and you’re only THIRTEEN, I’m saying that I WANT to watch your skating, and you’re saying that for some unapparent reason, I wouldn’t want to watch your skating? Come on, use your brain and look at that logic.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">He took a deep breath. “Okay, fine. Which one do you want to watch?” Ashton asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You choose,” I said. I thought it would probably be his short program, considering he was probably just as tired as I was, but I saw him spread his arms out wide to the loudspeaker worker, signaling that he wanted his long. I glanced at the clock. It said 5:52. Soon enough, we would all be able to go home and relax.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Wait. No. We all had homework. Darn it!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I watched as Ashton skated to his spot on the ice.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">His music started, and I recognized it as part of the soundtrack for //The Phantom of the Opera//. He moved so gracefully across the ice, every move flowing into the next. My understanding of why he’s a National level skater increases every time I get to see him skate.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I watched him go into his first jump: a double lutz by itself. He landed it with ease. I figured that he was waiting to put his triple lutz in later in <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">the season, when it was clean and closer to Nationals.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ashton then skated out of his landing and skated a little faster into his next jump(s)- a double axel double axel sequence. Again, he hit it with such fluidity, you would’ve thought he’d been born with skates on his feet.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I watched in anticipation as the music gained a little more momentum. He went into his triple toe- and he nailed it, again. Had he even gone through his jumps on that first session? This was ridiculous! These were really hard jumps that I haven’t even begun working on myself, and he was already nailing them in program- AND IT’S A NEW PROGRAM. Wow, he was good!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I focused again on the program, and he’d just gone into a spin. Hey, he did a Deathdrop too! It had the same style as mine, sharp kicks of the legs, and a nice “whip-around” that brought a nice amount of speed to the spin. I continued watching- and how funny, he had the exact same spin as me! His core twist wasn’t as twisted- I’m guessing that it’s harder for him because boys don’t stretch as easily as girls- but his tuck was just as low and held as mine. Wait. If he spun the same way as me, or vice versa, whichever way I thought about it, then I must be a pretty good spinner! It made me very happy to think about. Ashton went into his next spin, and he didn’t have the exact same one- which boy is going to attempt a haircutter?- but it was still really fast and really good!!! I was really surprised that he could spin so well. I mean, I already knew that he was a very well-rounded skater, but he was always working on his jumps. The fact that he was such a good spinner with such little time spent on spinning was amazing, and it actually- at risk of sounding corny- inspired me to make the most of every element I did, so that the quality of <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">things as a whole would come quicker. Was that the key to becoming an Ashton skater?

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I diverted my attention from my thoughts back to Ashton’s skate. He went into a series of edgy transitions (ha, double meaning) and went into a triple loop. Ouch! He fell hard on his left side, but I cheered him on as he got up.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Come on, shake it off, Ashton, shake it off! Keep going!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I looked at the marks his skate made when his blade hit the ice, and his triple loop was clean. It figured, even when he fell, his jumps were still of amazing quality.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">He was now going into his final jump- a triple salchow. After he hit this, the rest of his program would be easy, and then he would be able to have fun with it. His music was accelerating, and I was crossing my fingers that even though his speed was accelerating with the music, he would still be able to land the jump.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ashton did a three-turn into the start of his jump, checked behind him, passed his leg through, slightly more towards the right- and landed a nice, clean triple jump.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Now that he didn’t have to focus nearly as hard, I was able to give him my full support. I clapped and yelled, “WHOO, go ASHTON!!! Keep going, keep going!” I heard another person clapping and yelling to the side of me- and realized I’d completely forgotten that Caro was there too! I was so absorbed in his skate, I forgot that Caro was watching it with me too!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Caro, he’s doing amazing!” I said excitedly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, he’s doing pretty well,” she said, with less enthusiasm. I was about to ask her what her problem was, but I stopped to think about it first. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The reason she wasn’t as excited as me- it was something Clarissa had lodged into her, that you only do amazing when you skate a completely clean program. I guessed that even though Caroline was starting to come back to us the way she used to be, before Clarissa- well, there were things that Clarissa changed about her that we wouldn’t be able to change back. I felt even worse about the situation, not only out of pity, but that Megan and I didn’t realize things sooner. We would’ve been able to salvage the true Caroline earlier if we’d only looked closer at the little hints she left.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I packed up those upsetting thoughts in the corner of my mind for safe-keeping so I could get more into them later and focus more on Ashton’s skate right then.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">He was going into his footwork that he’d worked so hard on earlier. His music was reaching its climax, and so were his facial expressions. He looked genuinely happy, like he was really enjoying his skate. And that made me happy too.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">All of his arm motions were sharp and defined, and all of his edges were perfect. He probably skated what would be his best run through of footwork ever.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“WHOO! GO ASHTON!” I screamed out. Caro looked at me and chuckled, but she started screaming too. Then, when he came around for his last spin, what he had told me earlier was his favorite part of the program, he smiled right at me! Not at Caro, not at the both of us- at ME, and me only.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">His spin was an amazing flying camel change edge going into a forward leg pull up.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">He hit his ending pose right on time with the music, his eyes and his body language showing his pride.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Caroline and I clapped and jumped up and down as he skated back towards us. Ashton was panting, and his face was red, and who could blame him? He had just run a very difficult program, and difficult programs are made //impossibly// difficult when you first start training them at the beginning of the season.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh my gosh, Ashton, that was amazing!” I said. I just couldn’t help it. That program deserved a hug, so I gave Ashton one, and when I broke away, his face was even redder than when he first finished his program. I didn’t even think that was physically possible!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Aw, thanks, Skyler, but you saw, I fell on my triple loop-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Come over here mister!” I said. I took hold of his wrist and dragged him to where I found his landing. I pointed at it and said, “Does that look like a bad jump to you?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">His face registered shock. Ashton looked at me. “Is that really my jump? Do you know for sure that that’s truly my triple loop?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“YES! I saw you do it right in front of me. And look, the ice is nice and smooth, so it’s not hard to follow a jump, now is it?” I replied testily.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ashton ran off the ice- he didn’t glide, he didn’t skate, he ran.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What is it, Ashton?” Caro called.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hold on!” he called back, running into the Ice Café. He ran back out to the ice with his phone and came to the spot where his triple marks were.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You’re **//sure//** that’s it?” he asked me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I gave him a quizzical look. “Yes, for the last time, that is your landing, but why is it so important?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">He took a picture of the landing with his phone and sent it to his main coach, Wendy. He gave me a hug and said, “That was my first triple loop cleaner than two and a half turns ever.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">My mind went kind of blank for a second. At first, I was in complete and utter shock that he hugged me, but I of course hugged him back anyway. Then, when I finally realized what he said, I said, “Oh! Ashton, that’s amazing, congratulations!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We broke away, and I realized that Caro was still with us, and I didn’t want to leave her feeling like a third wheel.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Caro, did you hear that? Ashton did his first clean triple loop today!” I said to her enthusiastically.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“That’s amazing! Good job, Ashton,” she said, trying to feign excitement, but not quite able to pull it off. I think that Ashton wasn’t quite able to get that she wasn’t exactly happy, but I was. I decided just to leave it, and I kept it in the corner of my mind to bring up later.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I took a look at the clock. It said 5:59. We were supposed to be getting off the ice, but I had one last thing I wanted Ashton to do.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Ashton, why don’t you go do one more triple loop before you get off the ice?” I asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh. Um, sure! Why not?” he said. He seemed really pumped, and I was hoping that it would help him do a good one, but I was also hoping he wouldn’t get too excited like I usually do and then end up ruining the jump.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">As he skated away, I took his phone and turned on the camcorder. He was really in the zone, so I didn’t have to worry about distracting him by recording him while he jumped.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ashton was set up, and I pressed the record button. He jumped his triple loop- he stayed straight- he was rotating nice and fast!- and he landed! I <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">pressed the stop button on his phone and saved the video.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Did you record it?” Ashton asked, obviously amused.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yes, I recorded it, we’ll-”

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">BEEP BEEP! //

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The Zamboni was honking at us to get off the ice, so we grabbed our stuff on the wall and got off the ice.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We all ran to the Ice Café and squished onto a bench with me in the middle. I took Ashton’s phone and went to the videos and clicked on the only one in the archive, the one that I had just taken.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Do you know how to make it go in slow motion?” I asked Ashton.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, hold on one second,” he said, reaching over my left arm to tap on his phone. We watched it closely, and right when he hit the ice, I pressed pause. His foot was flat back clean on the ice. We all jumped off of our butts at the same time. Ashton pumped his arm in the air and

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Caro and I gave each other a hug. She wasn’t feigning excitement for Ashton this time.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“We HAVE to send this to Wendy!” I said. “And Sara!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“They’ll be so excited!” Caro said, sounding excited herself.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I’ll send it to them right now!” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Whoa, whoa, whoa, thank you both for the support, really,” Ashton started saying, “but this is //my// first triple loop. If you don’t mind, I’d like to send it to them.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, of course!” I said, blushing. I felt really embarrassed at getting so ahead of myself.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">As if reading my mind, Ashton said, “Hey, sorry if I embarrassed you. I’m just a little excited, you know?” he said, looking into my eyes, trying to see what I was thinking. I always hated how he seemed to always be able to penetrate my mind!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, don’t worry about it,” I said. We were all just about done taking off our boots and a I looked at the time. 6:09pm.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Do you guys want to do homework together here? I mean, if your parents aren’t waiting for you. Mine has me call whenever I’m done,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ashton was busy fussing with his phone, and I saw him hit the send button. That was when he looked up at me to respond.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Sure!” he said. He was in a really good mood after that session, and I was too. It made me happy to see that he was just so happy.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“My mom does the same thing. Ashton, you have the same teachers but different periods, right?” Caro said. She was in a pleasant mood herself, too.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ashton again didn’t acknowledge the fact that we said anything until he was done fussing with his phone. “Sorry, you guys, but both coaches just texted back, and-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What did they say? They were really happy, right? They better have been, because-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“They said the same thing,” Ashton said, cutting me off. “‘It’ll count when I see it myself tomorrow morning.’”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We all started laughing at that. That was the exact response I would’ve expected from both of my coaches.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ashton shook his head and said, “Okay, let’s get to work. We don’t want to stay too late or our parents will get mad- and suspicious,” said <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ashton, eyeing Caroline on the last part.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We got through all of our homework together very quickly- three heads proved to be better than one! We were all outside waiting for our parents at 6:25pm. We all waited in different parts of the lot so our parents wouldn’t connect our presences together.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Mom was the first one to come, and when I saw her pull in, I texted “Bye” to Caro and Ashton really quick. They both pulled their phones out, smiled, and gave me a small wave at the same time, all before Mom was close enough to notice.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“How was training today?” Mom asked. “You’ve been more and more eager to come to the rink lately. Be careful not to burn yourself out.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Don’t worry Mom, I won’t.”


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Chapter Seven **

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I woke up the next morning in a fog. I didn’t want to get up. I was tired, my bed was comfy and warm, and I wasn’t about to move with the only motivation being going to a cold rink for harsh training, all before most people had even eaten breakfast. Instead of following through with my ritual of throwing the clock against the wall, I just hit it harshly. Feeling sorry for it, being left out on such a cold night, I pulled on it and watched the plug come out of its outlet. I put it under the covers with me and held it like a stuffed animal. I was about to fall asleep again when I felt someone shaking me gently.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Honey, come on, you need to wake- why are you holding your clock?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I. WANT. TO. SLEEP,” I grumbled, throwing the covers back over my head, still cuddling the clock.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler, you have to get up, or you’ll be late to training. Think about Sara,” Mom said. Usually, that would get me out of bed IMMEDIATELY- I mean, you’re CRAZY if you want to anger Sara- but today I just stayed where I was, under the covers, in my groggy half-asleep state.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“NO,” I mumbled.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Mom gently pulled back the covers, and I opened my eyes a //tiny// crack, just enough to see what she was doing. She sat on my bed and looked at me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You don’t usually act like this.” She felt my forehead as if checking for a fever. “You don’t feel hot… Skyler, are you not feeling well? Do you need me to call Sara and tell her you can’t come in today?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I would normally protest against not coming in, even if I really //didn’t// want to go in. It was natural for me, my daily routine- I had to go to Pickwick every day, or my day wasn’t complete. But today, I just couldn’t bring myself to get out of bed. I was beat.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Are you okay, Skyler? This is really unlike you,” said Mom. Now she looked //really// concerned.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Mmmmmph….” I said, squirming under the covers. “I’m fine, I just need to rest.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I had no idea why I was so drained. Even on my most tiring days, I always mustered up enough energy to skate, but today was different. I honestly didn’t even know how I was going to make it through school, let alone skating.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Mom got off of my bed and took out her phone. She walked out of my room, closing the door softly behind her. I could hear snippets of a conversation going on.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yes… needs to rest…. perfect timing…. rest up for competition…” Mom opened up the door again and came up to me. “Sara wants to talk to you.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I facepalmed. This couldn’t be good.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Mmmmmph. Hi Sara,” I said, in between yawns.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler, I want you to get your rest today so you can work well tomorrow. Okay?” Sara said, her voice crackly over the phone.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, I’ll try,” I said groggily into the phone.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Try to feel better,” Sara said caringly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Thank you. Good night,” I said. I heard Sara chuckle.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Good night,” she replied, her voice soft as silk.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I hung up and let my head sink into the pillow. I fell asleep in a matter of seconds.

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEE- //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">CRASH.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">This time, I did follow through on my morning ceremony and threw my clock at the wall.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Wait, what was my clock doing plugged in? I guessed that Mom probably plugged it back in when I fell asleep. I looked at the time on my phone, since my battered clock was laying on the ground (and I was too lazy to pick it up), and it sad 6:00. 6 O’CLOCK?????!!!!!! I was late for practice!!! How could Mom leave me in bed for so long?! If I hurried than I could make it there for part of the second session, but I knew that Sara would still have my head. I got up quickly out of bed and was about to start changing into my skater clothes- but then I remembered what happened an hour and a half ago, so I sighed and sat down on my bed, allowing myself to feel groggy again. The logic of my thoughts didn’t make sense this morning, but I knew that and decided that I was just too tired to think straight. I put on REGULAR clothes and made my bed so I could sit on it comfortably. I grabbed my book and started reading. I spent my time like that, reading on my bed, until the time on my phone said 7:30. I grabbed my book bag, plugged my clock back in and set the time, and walked to the kitchen.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, Skyler. Are you feeling any better, now that you’ve gotten some rest?” my mom asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, I’m fine,” I said, grabbing an apple. In all reality, I wasn’t exactly fine. No matter how many good programs I ran, no matter how many talks my friends gave me, I was still really nervous about my competition, and it was always eating at me in the back of my mind. I didn’t know what to do with all my nerves; I had nowhere to hide them until the competition was over, nowhere that //I// could hide from them, and nothing that I could do to send them packing. That was how I competed at every competition for the past two years, and it wasn’t exactly the most effective way of going about it.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">But I had a day off, and I was going to try to put my mind on other things for the day.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Come on Mom, it’s time to go to school,” I said. I walked out the front door and hopped in the car. Mom drove me to school, and we didn’t say <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">a word the whole time. We always talked to each other in the car, so this was really unusual for us, but we reached through and I said an empty good-bye as I crossed the street to school. I felt like we were growing more distant. It wasn’t her fault- I mean, she hadn’t done anything to me. But she’d been through //everything// with me for the past few years. She knew about every problem I’d had and helped me through all of them, and she had been a part of me. She practically WAS me, for how much I’d shared with her. But I felt like I was able to handle my own problems now and sort of take on my own life, without her guidance and help. I knew I didn’t need to feel this way, but I felt kind of guilty about it.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I shook the clouds from my head and walked into Geometry ten minutes earlier. I was surprised to see Ashton there already.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Where were you this morning?” he asked, looking confused. “I was waiting for you the whole time so we could show Sara all our hard work,” he said, smiling softly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I took the morning off. I woke up not wanting to get up, and I wouldn’t get up for ANYTHING, so my mom called Sara and they said I could stay in bed,” I said. Now that I thought about it, I felt a little silly. I mean, I’m a serious ice skater. Something like being too tired shouldn’t keep me from skating!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Did it help?” Ashton asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Kind of. I mean, I’m not as tired now, but I still feel… sluggish. Do you know what I mean?” I said. Now that I thought about what I’d said, I realized that really was how I felt. I felt like one of those wind-up toys that needed to be wound up again to keep moving.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. Trust me, you’ll fall asleep easy tonight and then you’ll wake up refreshed tomorrow morning. It’ll be a huge help that you had this morning off,” Ashton said reassuringly. Megan walked in right then with a slight limp, her crutches gone.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Good morning!” I said to Megan brightly. There was something about being around Megan that always made me feel good, no matter how I may have been feeling before. She was an amazing friend, and I knew that if there was something wrong, that she’d always have my back.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Good morning!” she said brightly back.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Where are your crutches?” Ashton asked. “Has your condition gotten better?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, yeah, the doctor told me to start hobbling around on my own now so I can start rehabbing my knee,” Megan said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I sighed. “Oh, Megan, I’m sorry,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, we know the true situation. She had no choice,” Megan responded.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, just so you know, Ashton knows about that too, now,” I said. I explained what happened the night before and how Caroline had explained <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">everything to him.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Good! It’s unfair for everyone to think of Caro as a nasty girl because of Clarissa. It sucks, though. There’s no one else we can trust with the truth, now,” Megan said. Her face got a little upset, but she brightened up a bit and hobbled to her desk.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Do you need any help, Megan?” I asked timidly. She was an independent girl, but I was worried about how she was going to get around all day without crutches assisting her.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Don’t worry, Skyler,” Megan said, sliding uncomfortably into her chair. “It’s better that I let my knee get used to things now than later.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Caroline walked into class with five minutes to spare.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey guys!” she said. “Skyler, where were you?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I explained to her what happened early this morning.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“The important thing we need to know is did it help?” she asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I gave her the same answer I gave Ashton.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, I know that feeling. You’ll feel so much better tomorrow morning. Just go to bed early tonight,” she said. I giggled at how similar her answer was to Ashton’s.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What’s funny?” she asked, slightly puzzled.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Ah, nothing. It’s just that Ashton said the same thing,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Great minds thing alike,” she said, high-fiving Ashton. She sat on Megan’s desk and noticed that the crutches were missing too.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“How’s your knee?” she asked, obviously very pained about the whole situation.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan caught her up.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Caroline’s face turned pale. “Listen, Megan, I’ll never be able to express how sorry I am to you. And not only for this, for everything. I swear, I will never let things happen like that again,” she said, taking a deep breath. She put her face in her hands and said, “Oh, I can’t believe I did that. I can’t even begin to tell you how sorry I am.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Don’t worry, Caroline. For the last time, we understand and forgive you. It’s not a big deal,” Megan said softly. Well, we all knew that what happened was a big deal. It was practically like the Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding incident! But we didn’t want her to feel too badly, especially considering all the pressure she was under.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, Ashton, did you get to show Wendy your clean triple loop this morning?” I asked him, nudging his shoulder. Caroline walked over to <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Mrs. Anderson and said something.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yes, I did. And guess what else?” he said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Caroline put her stuff down on the desk next to Megan’s. “Yay! Mrs. Anderson said I could move here!” Caro said excitedly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh! Wow, that’s great!” I said. “Ashton was telling us how he showed Wendy his clean triple loop this morning.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Whoa, you guys didn’t tell me about that!” Megan said. “Congrats, Ashton!” she said, shooting him one of her eye sparkling, movie star smiles.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The bell rang, and class was starting. “Okay, kids, Finals are next week, and we still have a lot to review, so I need you to stay focused, okay?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yes, Mrs. Anderson,” the class chimed monotonously.

//<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Yeah, right. Like we’re going to stay focused today //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">, I thought to myself. I knew that we would be passing group notes all period long.

So, Ashton, what was it you were trying to tell us before class started?

Not only did I land my triple loop clean this morning….

Does this mean what I think it means?

I got my triple flip!!!

Oh my gosh Ashton, that’s amazing!!!!! Congratulations!!!!!

Yeah, Ashton, that’s awesome!!! I wish I was there to see it! And your triple loop, too.

At least I was there this morning so one of this saw it!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;"> I recognized that as Caro’s handwriting.

Did you happen to catch it on his fancy-shmansy video phone?

Sadly, no, it just happened. It was the first one he did this morning – show off – and no one saw it coming. BUT, even though we didn’t see it COMING, we all saw it happen, and the whole rink was clapping for him!

I can’t wait until I get to come back in and skate with you guys!

Either can we!

You got that right!

That makes three of us!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We passed notes like that for the rest of class, and I can guarantee that none of us were //really// paying attention. For all of us, Geometry was our strongest subject- we all had over 100% in the class- so the review wasn’t anything that would’ve benefited us anyway.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">When the bell rang, we all frowned. None of us had wanted the class period to end. But we knew that we were going to get to have more fun at lunch, so we said bye, Ashton gave me a hug, and we were on our way to our separate classes.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Well, passing group notes sure beats Final Review any day!” Megan said, smiling wide. We got to our seats in English and got our stuff out.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, no kidding,” I responded playfully.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“And you two are getting awfully close lately,” Megan said, poking my shoulder.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Who two?” I asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan made a face at me. “You know very well who I’m talking about,” she said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I know! I was just seeing your reaction,” I said. “Exactly what I thought it would be, too,” I said, dodging her hand that was swinging at the back of my head.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Getting a little violent there, are we?” I asked teasingly. That was when Jason walked in.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What did she do this time, Megs?” Jason asked. I knew that he meant it playfully, but part of me felt like he was being serious. Well, not <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">serious, but implying that I had been doing things lately that he would be able to say that validly. I refrained from making a face at him.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“The usual, you know,” Megan said teasingly, giving me a goofy look.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The bell rang and class started. Again, it was more final review, so we completely zoned out.

Isn’t he so cute???

!!!We’re talking about Ashton, right???

*Facepalm* OF COURSE WE ARE!!!!

Gee, sorry. And yes, he is pretty cute.

Pretty cute??!! Very cute!!!

*DOUBLE FACEPALM* I’m not the one with a MAAAASIVE crush on him, am I? I THINK NOT!

Touché.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I was about to toss it back to Megan when Jase tried to take the note out of my hands. My stomach lurched like someone fed me poison, and I pulled back on it. It was at the very edge of tearing from our hands, and that would be very bad, because he would end up getting the half that I didn’t want him to see! Luckily, the note slid out of his grasp, and I tossed it back to Megan, still looking at Jase. He had a hurt look on his face, but you know what? I couldn’t help that he was being nosey, and to spare his feelings, I had to hide some things!

Oh no, did he see the note??? He looks really upset…

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">*FACEPALM*

First: no, he didn’t see it. Second: IT’S NOT MY FAULT THAT HE INSISTS ON BEING NOSEY!!!!!!!

I never said it was!

Aw, whatever, let’s just drop it… Where were we?

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We continued passing notes for the rest of the period, but I was distracted every so often by a hurt look that Jason threw at me every so often. That made the period go by a lot slower than it would have if I was just focused on Megan’s notes. However, it did end after some while, and when it did, Jase made a mad-dash for the door.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Wait,” I said, holding my arm out, blocking his path.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What is it, Skyler,” Jase said exasperatedly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Why do you look so upset?” I asked. I kept trying to look into his eyes, but he averted them every time I got close.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler- you know what, no reason, okay? No reason at all,” Jase said. His voice was extremely strained, as if something was paining him <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">IMMENSELY, and he was trying to block it, but no matter what he did, the pain stayed there. And yes, I got that all from the tone of his voice.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">My stomach churned, because I knew what it was that was paining him- me. And I knew there was nothing that I could do to help the situation, too. I mean, it wasn’t like I could magically start liking him and make him happy that way- and given the chance, I know I wouldn’t do that. But other than that, what could he possibly expect me to do? I think at that point, he was just more upset that I was keeping things from him, but either way, he would’ve been upset. And he probably would’ve been more upset if he experienced the alternative. Excuse me for trying to spare his feelings!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan sat on her desk in wait. I got up and stood in front of Jase, looking up to him because he was slightly taller than me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Listen to me Jase,” I said, trying to keep my tone calm and soft. “I don’t know what I did to hurt you so much-” that was a lie, because I knew exactly what I was doing, even if I couldn’t help it “-but whatever it is, I take it back. Right now. Okay? I’m truly, truly sorry for whatever I’m doing that’s hurting you, and I don’t know what it is or how to fix it. But I’m sorry.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">My stomach felt even worse now, because I knew precisely everything that I’d just said I didn’t, but I felt like that needed to be said for Jason to feel any better.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I unbarred my arm from where it was, latched on to the desk across from me so I could block him from leaving. Jason walked out the door immediately, still averting eye contact. I looked at Megan where she was, still sitting on the desk. She put her leg up on the desk across from her and patted the empty spot next to her on her desk. I sat and rested my head on her shoulder.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Megan, what am I going to do with Jason?” I asked. “I’m not trying to hurt him! It’s just impossible not to.” I took a deep breath, and Megan started patting my back.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Well, I don’t know what you’re going to do with him, Skyler. Maybe if we just include him in more things, he’ll go back to how things were before and stop taking things so hard,” Megan said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I sighed. “Maybe.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I was prepared to stay where I was, leaning on Megan’s shoulder, for quite a while- but then Mr. Keating cleared his throat and said, “Ahem, girls, I have nutrition duty to get to.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan and I looked at each other, and we were both blushing bright red. Mr. Keating just heard EVERYTHING we’d just said. We scrambled out the door, Megan having a little more difficulty considering her injured knee, and we ran the opposite direction as Mr. Keating. We rushed down the stairs- me running, Megan hobble-limping- and once we caught our breath, we had a laughing fit. I don’t think either of us was sure what exactly we were laughing about, but we laughed just the same.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We spent the rest of nutrition sitting on the bottom flight of stairs, waiting for the bell to ring and talking of lighter things.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We walked to String Orchestra when the bell rung, signaling the end of Nutrition, and got out our instruments from the band room. I started playing the cello part for “Secrets” by OneRepublic, and Megan played the vocal part on her violin. We were absorbed in our little music bubble for a while, and we were reaching the penultimate round of the chorus when we heard a third instrument join our song- it was Jason, accompanying my cello part on his viola. I smiled at him while we played, and Jase smiled back. I sighed inside, feeling relieved- he didn’t look upset at me anymore.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The song ended, and we sat in silence for a little bit. Megan and Jason were smiling at me, and I was smiling at Jason.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“That was awesome,” I said. “We make a good trio.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, no kidding,” Jason said. “Listen, I’m really sorry about how I was acting earlier. I was just… irrationally upset. You had nothing to be sorry about in the first place.” His voice was gradually getting quieter as he spoke, and he looked down at his hands and twiddled his thumbs as he spoke.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I gave Jason a hug, and he tensed up //really// tight at first, but then he relaxed and hugged me back.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“It’s okay, Jase. You don’t need to apologize to me for //anything//, okay?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I glanced over at Jason a few times during class, and every time I looked at his face, he was glowing. That hug did wonders for him! That’s when

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I started wondering, though- was he like this every time I hugged him over the years? Or was I just noticing now, since I knew now that he liked <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">me?

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Which brought me to another question: How long has Jason liked me?

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I shook the thought from my head and enjoyed the rest of String Orchestra. I felt //almost// at home on my cello as I did while I was on the ice. I used both for the same thing- a way to express my emotions without words. It made me happy, the same way my ice skating made me happy. When the bell rang, I groaned inwardly. It was like one of those really good practice sessions that you didn’t want to end, but as soon as you thought of that, you had an ice official shooing you off the ice.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Jason walked out class with Megan and I, and we met with Caroline somewhere along the way.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, hey Jase!” Caroline said, smiling and waving at Jason as she walked towards us. “Ugh, be prepared, Geometry is //really// boring today.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No kidding,” Megan said, winking at me. We all knew that it was boring for the others, but we were giggling the whole time, passing notes to each other. I still had the note somewhere in my half garbage-can/half backpack.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Any news on how Dilber’s holding up?” Jason asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No, but the substitute for our class is probably three times worse than he was,” Caroline said. Megan and I groaned at the same time.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I didn’t even know that was humanly possible!” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Well, we’ll have to make the most of him. We’ll continue the Dilber Game and see if he can break the high-score!” Megan said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I counted eighteen,” Caro said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“WHOA! He’s DEFINETELY going to beat Dilber!” I said. “But wait, is he amusing to watch explode, like Dilber? Or is he one of those scary subs?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“First: //he//’s a //she//. She told us to call her Coach.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Coach? That’s it? Just Coach?” Megan asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yep. Coach. And I had to use all my will-power to stop myself from rolling on the floor laughing,” Caro said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Phew! That’s a relief!” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You’ll have so much fun,” Caroline said, smiling. “She’ll probably break the week record all today. Now go, don’t be late for Coach!” Caro said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“See you at lunch!” I called after Jason and Caro.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I can’t wait to see this,” Megan said. We rushed through changing into our P.E. clothes and ran down to the lower field, where we sat in wait for class to start. We heard Coach before we saw her.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“WHAT ARE YOU KIDS DOING, LOLLYGAGGING AROUND?!?!?!?! GET TO YOUR SPOT IMMEDIATELY, OR I’M SENDING YOU TO THE OFFICE WITH A REFERRAL!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Does that count as nineteen or twenty?” Megan whispered to me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We started giggling.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“WHAT ARE YOU KIDS LAUGHING ABOUT?!” Coach yelled, pointing at us now. “DROP AND GIVE ME TWENTY!!!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, Lauren, you know that it’s against school policy to give kids physical punishment for behavioral issues. And they’re just two middle school girls laughing. Calm down,” said one of the other P.E. teachers just behind her.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Her name is Lauren?!” I whispered to Megan.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Twenty-one,” she whispered back. We started laughing again, and I could see Coach Lauren’s face turning red with anger. She was soon towering over Megan and I where we sat.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Coach was a tall figure. She was easily a head taller than Sara, and Sara was extremely tall. Coach had bulging muscles, like someone that was trying too hard to be noticed for their strength. She was dressed in a dark blue polo shirt and bright white basketball shorts. I didn’t quite know what to make of her. She wore a shiny silver whistle around her neck, and I had a feeling we would be hearing her blow it a lot until Coach Dilber recovered.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“It would do you girls best to stop your goofing off, or I can guarantee we won’t get along while Coach Dilber is gone,” she hissed at us, bending down to speak to us at eye level.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yes, ma’am,” I said, keeping a straight face. However, when she walked far enough away, well, that was an entirely different story. Megan and I were rolling on the floor laughing. Literally.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The rest of class was held that way, keeping a straight face when Coach wasn’t looking and bursting into fits of laughter the second her back was turned. Caroline was right- this was amusing! The more Coach tried to be intimidating, the bigger of a fool she was presenting herself to be. She may have //looked// intimidating, but she sure as hell was NOT actually intimidating in the slightest.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The period went by extremely fast after that first incident with Coach, so we hurriedly changed for lunch and ran out the locker room doors, talking about the events of the period.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I think if I hear her blow that whistle one more time, my eardrums are going to burst.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I think if she blows her whistle one more time, she’s going to collapse from oxygen deprivation.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We both laughed at that one.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We saw Caroline run up to us, and Jase and Ashton were just behind.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Well?” she said inquisitively.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“All together, thirty-seven,” Megan said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“THIRTY-SEVEN?! That’s Coach Dilber’s highest score for a week!” Caro said in awe. “Oh, this is going to be a really fun next couple of weeks.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What’s going to be so fun?” Ashton asked, jumping in front of Megan, Caroline, and I and walking backwards.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Keeping score for our new P.E. sub, Coach,” Caro said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Coach?” Ashton whistled. “This is a really wacky one, isn’t it?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You got that right,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ashton slowed himself and turned around, placing himself next to me and his arm around my shoulder.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“And how are you feeling, Skyler?” Ashton asked. “Not as tired, hopefully?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What do you mean?” Jason asked. “Why would she be tired?” Yet again, he was obviously very confused. I felt a little bad for him. Here he was, best friends with Megan and I, but he would never be part of the skating cult we’d gotten ourselves into.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, nothing major. I just couldn’t get out of bed, so my Mom called Sara and they said I could take today off to get rest,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“But aren’t you competing on Saturday? That’s only in three days,” Jason said. He was obviously very confused.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Well, that’s why we figured it would be good to take today off. It wasn’t the day before competition- I still have two more days of practice before competition- and when I get back to practice well-rested tomorrow, it’ll be more productive and I’ll have more energy to compete on Saturday,” I explained.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh,” Jason said. He was in a way better mood than he was this morning in English, but he wasn’t as happy as he was leaving String Orchestra. Maybe he realized that he couldn’t fit completely into our skating pack? There was so much skating logic and jokes and drama that Megan, Caro, Ashton, and I talked about, and Jason never had a clue what any of it meant.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">It didn’t matter to me whether or not he was part of our skating group, because Jason was still my friend, so I tried to forget about it and enjoy the rest of lunch. We got to the Big Tree and sat down on our usual bench, where Ashton’s friends were already waiting for us.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Aw, man, not cool!” said one of Ashton’s friends.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What is it this time, Zack?” Ashton asked as he sat down.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Will just made me lose the game!” said Zack.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Ashton started laughing. “What tactic did he use this time?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Zack held up his lunch box and opened the flap. Stuck to the inside was a sticky note that said “You just lost the game.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">That made Ashton laugh even harder, and I joined in this time.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Wait, wait, wait, I don’t get what game we’re playing,” Caroline said, shaking her head.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Everyone in Ashton’s group gasped.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You don’t know- ‘The Game?’” they said at the same time.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Well, you all just lost,” I said. Everyone started laughing except for Caroline and Megan.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, I’m still confused, and Megan doesn’t know what’s going on either. WHAT IS THE GAME?!?!!” Caroline screamed.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Well, I think we’ve all just lost it, so I think it’s safe to explain, right guys?” I asked the group. Everyone nodded their approval. Megan and Caroline looked at me quizzically.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“The Game is, well, The Game,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“That explains everything,” Megan said, rolling her eyes.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, wait. Let me figure out a good way to explain this…”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Wait, I think I can explain The Game,” said Will. “It’s like this. Everyone’s playing The Game- you don’t have your consent or anything. You’re always playing. And every time you think about The Game, you lose. Simple enough, right?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Caroline and Megan gave him a blank stare.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“But what IS The Game?” Caroline asked. Now it was our turn to give her a blank stare.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“That //is// The Game, Caroline,” I said. “The Game is to try not to think about The Game. The only rule is that you tell at least one person that you’ve lost The Game. And, as Will and Zack displayed, you can trick people into losing whenever you want.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, and once you forget about The Game, you start wining again- until you lose, that is,” Ashton said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan and Caroline facepalmed.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“We just lost The Game,” they said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Everyone started laughing at that. The rest of lunch was devoted to The Game. We would all sit in silence for a few seconds, and then someone would say “ACK I JUST LOST THE GAME!” and everyone would groan and say “THANKS NOW YOU MADE US LOSE THE GAME!” And then we would all laugh and start The Game over again.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The bell rang, and with a smirk on his face, Zack said, “Let’s play The Game tomorrow.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Everybody facepalmed and groaned simultaneously (it was pretty awesome) and said “NOW I LOST THE GAME AGAIN!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We all started laughing and walked to our separate classes.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“See you at the rink tomorrow, Skyler,” said Ashton.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“See you,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Caroline and Megan stared at me and as we walked to Ms. Macie’s class. Jase was silent.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Why are you staring at me?!” I finally asked as we sat in our seats.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">They continued staring at me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Does this have to do with The Game?” I asked. They smiled and high-fived each other, and then I realized what they were trying to pull.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, I get it now… Yeah, yeah, I lost The Game, whatever…” I said, trying to resist a smile. “Wait! If you were thinking about ways to make me lose The Game, then you lost The Game yourselves!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Caroline and Megan frowned at that. Then we all started laughing.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, can I borrow your planner, Jase?” I asked. “I forgot to write down today’s homework in English.” I pulled out my planned from my backpack and set it down on my desk.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, yeah, sure,” Jason said, taking a while to fish his planner out of his backpack. I think his backpack is more one quarter backpack/ three quarters trash can.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Thank you,” I said. I quickly put Jase’s side by side with mine and wrote “The Game,” in his box for English, making it look like I was writing in mine.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Here you go,” I said, passing his planner back to him with a smile on my face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Um, no problem,” he said, looking puzzled at the smiley expression on my face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">He glanced at his planner before he put it back in his backpack, and then hurriedly took it out again, looking at it closely one more time.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, that was low,” Jase said, trying to resist a smile himself now. “Fine, fine, I lost The Game,” he admitted.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Caroline and Megan joined Jason and I in our laughter, and they gave me high-fives.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I’ll get you back, Skyler,” Jason said with a grin on his face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Class started, and I was fully absorbed in our lesson today, for the first time in weeks. I was busy taking notes when I saw a note fly through the air and land on my notebook. It came from the direction of Megan’s desk, so I didn’t dare open it. I was smart enough to not fall for any of her tricks. I was not going to think about- never mind. Megan tapped my shoulder and mouthed, “It’s okay, open it. It’s nothing to do with //that//.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I wasn’t about to believe her so easily, but she mouthed to me again, “Honestly, it’s fine. Open it!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Reluctantly, I opened up the note.

My mom just texted me right now. She said that it couldn’t wait. Apparently, the doctor said that based on how I’m feeling, they might take out my stitches today! And you know what that means?

OH MY GOSH WHEN DO YOU GET TO START SKATING AGAIN?!

Remember, this is only if I get my stitches taken out today….

JUST. TELL. ME.

Monday!!!

OH MY GOSH!!!! CONGRATULATIONS MEGAN!!!!!! I’M SO HAPPY FOR YOU I’M SO EXCITED FOR YOU DOES CAROLINE KNOW YET?!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan read the note and shook her head no. She tossed the note back to Caroline, who gave her the same skeptical look that I’d given Megan when she first tossed the note to me. I looked at Caro and gave her the okay sign with my fingers and mouthed “Don’t worry, you won’t lose- you know. The note is safe. Open it!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">She looked from Megan to me and back to the note again and opened it. As she read the note her eyes got bigger and bigger and by the time she finished it she looked like a deer caught in front of headlights. She glanced up at Megan and mouthed “Really?” Megan nodded and mouthed “Yes.” We were all smiling. Then Jase lifted up his binder so all of us could see it. There was a piece of paper attached to the front with a piece of type. It said, “The Game [You know, the one you just lost.]”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I facepalmed and slid my hand down the side of my face until I rested my head in my palm, my elbow on my desk holding everything up. We all started laughing silently. Soon our heads were shaking on our desks, trying to hide the fact that we were laughing uncontrollably in the middle of class. When we finally calmed down, I at least forgot about The Game- until I thought about forgetting about The Game. I did a mental facepalm and tried to focus back on class again.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">When the bell rang, I took a deep breath to try to compose myself before Miss Henserman’s class.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, Jase, guess what?” Megan asked as we walked out of History.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What?” he asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Look at this note,” Megan said, handing him the note with the special news her mom texted her during class. He looked at it suspiciously.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Gosh, you guys, I’m not trying to sabotage The Game-” Megan caught herself, but too late. We all groaned. “Okay, well I didn’t mean to do that, but now that I’ve said it, The Game isn’t part of the note, okay?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Jase gave her the same look as before.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, you’re already thinking about it, so even if it WAS on the note, it’s not going to be doing any harm now, now is it?” Megan asked, obviously annoyed.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Mmph. Fine,” Jase said. He opened the note and his eyes sparkled the same way Caroline’s did when she read it during class. He gave Megan a hug as soon as he was done reading it.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, congratulations, Megs! That’s awesome!” he said, enthusiasm obvious in his tone of voice.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Thank you!” she replied. “I’m psyched to get back to training!” she directed at me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I’m psyched that you’re psyched! And I’m ESPECIALLY psyched that you’re coming back,” I said, smiling. “Now you’ll be able to skate with Caroline and I in the afternoons!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I’m so excited about this!” Megan said. “How long do you think it’ll take me to get back into actual //training// again? I mean, it’s already going to take a while for me to walk normally… Maybe skating will come quicker to me than my every day motion…” Megan mused.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I don’t think it’ll take that long. Once an ice skater, always an ice skater, right?” I said brightly to Megan.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Megan said. She started sounding a little more discouraged.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“It’s like riding a bike- once you learn, you just don’t forget,” I said, trying to make her feel better. She still looked distressed. “Okay, Megan, be logical. You’ve been skating since you were four. You’re an awesome ice skater. Ice skating is second nature for you, as normal as breathing. It can’t possibly take //that// long for you to get back into things, can it?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No, I guess not,” Megan said. She sounded a little brighter, but she still didn’t sound fully convinces. I sighed. I didn’t want her skating to take a nosedive because of this incident.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Class with Miss Henserman did not go by quickly. Her classes are always a drag- she always has to elaborate on every section of her notes, make sure that the kids write their names on their papers at the beginning of class before we start anything (and she goes around the room to check), and ask us random questions about her horse and her family to give us team points. The last part I don’t understand in the slightest. How the heck are we supposed to know anything about her and her family (and her only friend- her horse) unless we’re like the ultimate brown-nosing stalker student?!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Class dragged on, and I was coming pretty close to falling asleep several times, but Megan was good about shaking me awake whenever my eyes started closing. When the bell rang and saved me from eternal torture in Science class, I ran out the door and straight to my locker. I got everything that I would need for homework and slammed my locker door shut. I was about to walk out of the school doors when Caroline ran up to me.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, Skyler, do you want to do homework in the library with me?” she asked. “That way we can work together without our parents and coaches finding out.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh. Well, I’d love to, but I have to ask my mom first,” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Of course. Sorry about the last minute notice, I just thought of it right now, to be honest,” Caroline said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I punched in my mom’s number on my phone and pressed the call button. She answered on the third ring.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, Skyler! Did you have a good day at school Do you have a lot of homework?” Mom asked me, the way she did every day after school.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hi, Mom. Yeah, I had a really good day, but I do have a lot of homework. I was wondering if I could stay here for a little while and do homework at the library with…”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I looked around, trying to find someone I could say instead of Caroline. I saw Megan and waved her over while I talked on the phone with Mom.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“…with Megan! Is that okay?” I asked. Megan gave me a quizzical mouth and mouthed “What with me?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh! Um, sure, honey. Just give me a call when you need to get picked up. Will Megan need a ride home?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Um, I’ll ask and tell you when we’re done, okay?” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay. Get your work done, sweety. Bye,” Mom said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Bye.” I heard the phone click off as Mom hung up the phone.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What is it?” Megan asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, Caroline was asking if we wanted to homework after school, so I called my mom to ask. I told her I was doing it with you so she wouldn’t flip out about me spending time with Caro,” I explained.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh! Okay,” Megan said. Then a concerned expression flashed across her face. “Wait, I AM invited, aren’t I?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Caroline and I facepalmed. “Of course you are, Megan,” Caroline said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh, good,” Megan said, taking a deep breath. “Have wither of you gotten the chance to start on any of the homework?” she asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Caroline gave her a mind-boggled look. “It’s five minutes after school is over, Megan, when would we have had the chance to do homework?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Miss Henserman’s class. Anything is better than talking about that horse,” Megan replied. We all started laughing and made our way down to the library.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler, I think Ashton really likes you,” Caroline said, poking me in the shoulder.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh yeah? What gives you that idea?” I asked, although I had a sliver of hope tucked somewhere in the back of my mind.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Now Megan and Caroline facepalmed.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“First, he’s always talking to you,” said Megan.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Second, he’s always putting his ARM AROUND YOU,” Caroline said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Third, he always seems concerned about you when something’s wrong,” Megan said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Fourth-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, okay, I get the point,” I said. I sure hoped that they were right!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We finally got to the library and took the stuff we needed for homework out of our backpacks, putting our backpacks on the rack. The library has a strict policy on keeping your backpack on the rack so that it won’t “serve as a safety hazard” and get in people’s way when exiting the library. The librarian is really strict about those rules, so we shoved our backpacks in the middle of the rack, as close to the edges as possible, and walked in. We sat at one of the tables and got to work. We had three pages of math to do in the workbook, a page of questions to answer for history, a vocabulary list due for Henserman, and thirty minutes of reading for English. I always loved how that was the only homework Mr. Keating assigned, so if my parents bothered me about getting to homework and putting down my book for once, I could say that it //was// homework and that I was required to do it. Works every time.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan and I introduced Caro into our homework system for when we get to work on it together. We do the work by ourselves but ask each other questions if needed and then go over all the answers when we’re finished. It goes by really quick that way and we’re reassured that we did everything correctly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We worked in silence until I had a question on the history homework.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Hey, guys, do you know what the answer to-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“YOU GIRLS GET QUIET BACK THERE!” screamed the librarian. Caroline, Megan, and I rolled our eyes at each other. The librarian, Ms. Marcapolis, “will not condone obnoxious behavior in [her] library,” so that pretty much means no one can say a word- except for her. She always has at least three teachers in there gossiping with her, loud enough for all the kids to hear, too. It’s quite funny! She’ll have //just// gotten through screaming at one kid for talking, and then she’ll go back to her loud- and in all honesty, very obnoxious- conversation and it keeps going on like that until she finds another victim- I mean student- to yell at. This time was no different. I was surprised to see that Mrs. Anderson was the one she was talking to today. Mrs. Anderson usually preferred the solitude of books over socializing most of the time, kind of like me even though I didn’t always get the chance.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We tried to focus on our homework, we really did, but it was just too hard sitting in the library with Ms. Marcapolis yapping her head off. We packed up our stuff and left, going to our bench on the Big Tree to work.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The written homework took hardly any time at all after we were able to focus. We didn’t have a single problem and when we compared answers, they were all correct.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The problem came when we got to reading.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Again, I can say that we put an honest effort to focus, but attempting to sit in silence with your two best friends was quite a challenge! We kept on looking up at each other and giggling, and while we’d been “reading” for twenty minutes, we probably only actually //read// for about ten. Finally, the seventh time we started chattering and giggling, Caroline said, “STOP! We need to focus or we won’t get any good reading done.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I think you’re right,” Megan said, still grinning. I think we couldn’t have stopped smiling if we tried. For me, the main reason was that I was with my friend__s__. As in BOTH of my friends. Which included Caroline. And it made me //extremely// happy that we were able to work with each other, and that Caroline had proved she was telling the truth, and meant every word she said when she claimed that she was sorry.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Here, I have an idea,” I said. “Why don’t we read- and I mean ACTUALLY read- for another ten minutes, and then we get to talk for five minutes, and then read for another ten minutes. Then we have to go home, but we’ll be able to talk while we wait for our parents.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">That set us all on track. I set my alarm for 3:40 and sat down on the bench again, leaning against the rough trunk of The Big Tree. It felt like right when I was finally //really// getting into the story, when I started losing track of the things around me and letting myself get lost in the plotline- //that// was precisely when the alarm went off, waking me out of my reading daze.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Caroline and Megan exploded, like they were literally holding their breath for those ten minutes while they read.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Can you believe what Miss Henserman was going over today?-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Miss Henserman what about Mr. Keating?! Boring-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“At least he played that game with you-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I know but Ms. Macie was a real drag WHO CARES ABOUT THE BILL OF RIGHTS AS AN EIGHTH GRADER-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I facepalmed as I listened to Megan and Caroline go completely insane as they talked about pointless things like they were presenting the world with the most important thought to ever grace its presence.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">It was pretty funny. I sat there staring at them with the same look Sara gave me when she was- I’m not sure, not exactly annoyed, but waiting for me to shut up- and when their five minutes of talking were up, I opened up the blow-horn app on my phone and blew the horn in their ears.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“OW!” Megan screamed, rubbing her right year. Caroline had the same reaction.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Well, I’m guessing that was our cue to read…” Caroline mumbled under her breath.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yes, it was,” I said, smiling widely. We sat there and read for ten more minutes, and then it was time to call our parents. I texted Megan, inviting her to our house, and she replied yes. I didn’t want to ask out loud because I knew it would hurt Caroline’s feelings, and I knew that I would never be able to have her over.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I called Mom and told her that I was ready, and strayed off a little farther from Caroline to tell her that Megan had to get her stitches out, but was going to come over after.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I hung up and then went to Caroline and Megan.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“My mom is coming to get me in the parking lot, the other way. I’ll see you tomorrow morning,” Caroline said. She gave Megan and I a hug and then walked away, waving behind her shoulder before she was out of sight.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I’m so happy I get to go to your house!” Megan said. I laughed and said, “Yeah, Megs, I am too.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan’s phone went off twice, and she opened it up to look at who texted her. As she read the texts, her eyes widened and sparkled. She closed her phone and squealed, giving me a hug so huge that I could hardly breathe.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What?!” I asked as I excited as I could with barely any oxygen in my lungs. I assumed that it was about her knee, because she wouldn’t have been so excited otherwise.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Not only do I get my stitches out today…” she said. I was correct- it was about her knee! “But I get to start doing off-ice training tomorrow morning!!!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I started squealing myself and gave her a huge hug, being careful not to knock her over. I didn’t want to be the one to make her bend her knee and pop out her stitches before the doctor could take them out.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I’m so happy for you Megs! That’s awesome!” I said. Then an amazing thought popped into my head.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Megan…” I began.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yes?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Should I ask my mom if you can sleep over? I mean, we could take you to practice tomorrow morning with us. It could work! It’s just the matter of convincing her…” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan got a doubtful look on her face and said, “I don’t like the odds of that happening today, but I would love to! It’s worth a shot!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We got to my Mom’s car and hopped in the back. Megan’s mom was in the front.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Oh! Hey Mom!” Megan said. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I wanted to be with you when you got your stitches out, honey. How was-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Wait, are we going to get them out //right now//?” Megan asked. Her face went pale.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yes, I thought you were excited about it,” Megan’s mom said, slightly perplexed. “Don’t you want to get back to training?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan gulped. “Yes, I do want to get back to training, of course…”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Then what’s the problem?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“… I’m scared,” Megan said. “I don’t want it to hurt. At least they put me to sleep when they put them //in//. He said that I had to stay awake when they came out….”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I squeezed Megan’s hand. “You’ll be okay, Megan.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I had stitches in the front of my knee, once. I fell on a sprinkler head and had to get twelve of them. In all reality, getting the stitches out hurt //tremendously// for me, and I couldn’t imagine how painful it would be for Megan. At least my stitches were in the front of my knee; hers were in the back.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We drove straight to the hospital, and the closer we got, the paler Megan’s face became.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Megs, honey, you’ll be fine,” Mrs. Evans said, squeezing Megan’s good knee.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan gulped again. “Thanks, Mom.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">When Megan limped and the rest of us walked in the hospital, I could tell that Megan wasn’t ready for this. I tried to comfort her, even though I knew this was going to hurt.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Think of it this way, Megan. It can’t hurt any more than a double axel fall. Face it, once you’ve had one of those, nothing else can hurt the //slightest// in comparison,” I said, grinning at her.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan laughed, and some of the color started to come back to her face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, you’re right about that,” she said. We waited in the waiting room, and when they called her name, the color drained from Megan’s face all over again.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Mom, I don’t want to go,” she whispered.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Mrs. Evans sighed. “Honey, you have to.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Come on, Megs. I’ll be right there next to you. Think about it, after you get these out, you get to start training again, and then it’s only a matter of time before you get back on the ice again,” I said. I squeezed Megan’s hand and helped her out of her chair. “Let’s go.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan took a deep breath. “Okay. Let’s go.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">As we walked to her room, Megan tapped me on the shoulder.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, Megan?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Skyler? This is going to sound really dorky…” Megan said, blushing slightly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Ah, don’t worry about that. What is it?” I said.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Ummm… Can I hold your hand while they take the stitches out?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I looked at Megan. “Of course, Megan. I’ll be right there with you.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">She exhaled. “Thank goodness.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We finally got to the room where they would be pulling out her stitches.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, Megan, we’re going to get the doctor in here to take the stitches out. However, we have some questions to ask you first,” said the nurse that came after she was settled.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Of course,” she said, barely audible.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Have you been having any pain while you walk or move around?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Have you ever felt your stitches pulling?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Have you done anything that would put great amounts of strain on your knee over the past two weeks?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, then we’re ready. The doctor will be right here to see you,” the nurse said, exiting with a smile.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Honey, everything will be fine. Just think about, this whole ordeal will all be over soon,” Megan’s mom said, tears in her eyes. She sniffled and coughed and excused herself from the room. We could hear her lightly crying from outside the door.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">My mom looked at us and said, “I’ll be right back, girls.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We tried our best to listen to how the conversation was going, but we could only hear bits and pieces.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I can’t believe…. Caroline…. She’ll never…” came from Mrs. Evans.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Charlotte… Okay… Caroline…”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">From what we could hear, most of their conversation was about Caroline. They didn’t have very nice things to say about her.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan and I looked at each other, and I could see the distress on her face.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Megs, don’t worry about it, it’s not a big deal,” I said. I could tell that this was making her really stressed out, and I didn’t want her to go into this already in complete anxiety and distress. But I didn’t know what I could possible say that would comfort her, so I just left it that and gave her a hug.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">She sighed and said, “I better get a lollipop after this.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I started chuckling. Then I looked at Megan and started laughing. Really laughing. The kind of laugh that brings tears to your eyes.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan started laughing too, and that was when Mom and Mrs. Evans walked back in. Mrs. Evans looked completely composed, like none of that ever happened, and smiled at the sight of the two of us laughing.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Then the doctor walked in, and we stopped laughing. However, Megan didn’t seem like she was so upset about it anymore. She was still smiling and said, “Okay, let’s make me training fit again!” enthusiastically.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The doctor smiled. “I’m glad you’re so excited about this! Okay, just lie down on the table here, tummy down- yes, that’s right. This might hurt, just a little, okay?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan took a deep breath and said, “I’m ready.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">She grabbed my hand and shut her eyes tight. “I’m ready,” she repeated to herself, as if trying to convince herself of the fact. I looked at the back of her knee- they had fourteen stitches to pull out. I hoped with all my might that it wasn’t going to pain her too much.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, Megan, here we go.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The first one was pulled out, and Megan shrieked softly. She squeezed my hand so hard that my knuckles cracked, and she cringed on the table. I felt my stomach clench with empathy. I did the same thing when I was getting my stitches out.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The second one came out, and Megan reacted the same way. She continued like this for the next three stitches, my knuckles popping each time.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">On the sixth stitch, I could see tears starting to spill at the corner of her eyes. I could tell that she was trying to hold them back, but I knew that they could come gushing at any second.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">It was on the eighth stitch that she started sobbing. My knuckles felt like they were being ground with a mortar and pestle, but I stayed where I was so I could support Megan.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Just a little more, Megs,” I whispered in her ear.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">By the tenth, she was still crying, and now she was starting to wale instead of shriek. I could feel her pain. I remembered what it felt like to get the stitches pulled out of me, and it was my turn to cringe. I squeezed Megan’s hand a little tighter.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">She went through the next two with her face on the pillow the doctors had supplied for her, crying into it.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Only two more, Megan.” I had started crying myself. I hated seeing my best friend in so much pain.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan got through it, and I guess she was counting, because as soon as the fourteenth stitch was taken out, she said hurriedly, “ARE WE DONE?!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The doctor smiled sympathetically and opened her mouth to say something, but I beat her to it.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“It’s all over, Megan.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">She cried a little more, whether from relief or pain, I wasn’t sure. Then she wiped her eyes and blew her nose and looked at me. “Gosh, Sara would’ve killed me if she’d seen how I’d been acting,” she said, starting to smile. We started laughing at that, and the doctor came back in. We hadn’t even noticed that she left in the first place!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Here you are, Megan,” she said. She held out a grape flavored lollipop. Megan gasped and yanked the lollipop from the doctor’s hand. “Thank you thank you thank you!!!” she squealed.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I laughed and said, “Grape’s her favorite.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">The doctor checked her knee’s motor skills. Megan wouldn’t bend her leg for anyone; she was scared that the skin would open back up again if she over used it.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">However, after talking to her for about fifteen minutes, bringing up Sara several times, I convinced her to move her leg for the doctor. They went through a few exercises she had to do every day to slowly rehabilitate her knee, and a few exercises she was always going to have to do before going on the ice from then on, even years from now to keep her knee from growing stiff again.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">When we exited the hospital, Mrs. Evans and my mom gave Megan a hug before she hopped back in the back. For the first time in over a month, she was able to keep her knee bent and sit normally in the car.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Aren’t you glad it’s all done?” I asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Absolutely! I’m mostly happy about this lollipop! They remembered from the first time not to give me a Tootsie Roll pop. I hate those,” Megan said. I smiled at her.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I mouthed “Should I ask them yet?” pointing at our moms, and she mouthed back “YES YES YES NOOOOOOOOWWWWW!!!!!!!!!” bouncing up and down in her seat so fiercely I was scared she was going to make a hole and fly through the car roof. “Calm down!” I mouthed at her. She took a deep breath and composed herself. “Okay. Ask!” she mouthed.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I cleared my throat. “Um, Mom, Mrs. Evans, Megan and I were kind of wondering if she could sleep over at my house today. We could bring Megan to practice with us tomorrow morning. I’ll make sure that tomorrow morning we stay focused and everything.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Mom and Mrs. Evans looked at each other and did that freaky adult telepathic thing where they seemed to make a decision without so much as saying a word to each other.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Then Mrs. Evans turned in her seat and said, “Are you sure you want to Megan? You don’t want to be at home the first night that you have your stitches out?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan started bouncing up and down again, and if not for the seat belt, she WOULD HAVE flown through the roof.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“YES MOM YES YES YES PLEEEEAAAASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Mrs. Evans took a deep breath and looked at Mom. “I wouldn’t want to impose on you, Rose.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Susan, it would be a pleasure to have Megan over. I just need your approval first,” Mom replied, smiling at the two of us in the rear view mirror.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“And you’re sure you’ll be okay Megan?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan looked like her head was about to explode.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I think she’ll be fine, Mrs. Evans,” I answered for her. I had a feeling that if she spoke than she would’ve completely blown a fuse.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, Megan. I’ll bring your pajamas after you get settled, okay? And call me if you need me, you know my number. And-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“MOM. I’ll be FINE. Don’t you think that Mrs. White can take good care of me?” Megan said, excited and irritable at the same time.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Okay, okay. Have fun, girls,” Mrs. Evans said. We had pulled up to the Evans’s house, and Megan’s mom was walking out of the car. “Megan, I’ll bring your things later, sweetie. Have a good night, okay? Be careful with your knee.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah okay, okay bye Mom! Come on let’s go!” Megan said, smiling wide.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Mom and I laughed at Megan’s excitement.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">When we got to my house, Megan and I ran straight to my room. And now that Megan’s stitches were out, she actually //could// run! It seemed as if she had completely forgotten how scared she was a moving in the first place as soon as she stepped through the doors. We grabbed my iPod and the books that we were reading and ran to the patio in the back.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We always loved reading together. We were the kind of friends that didn’t always need to be talking when we were together. Just being in each other’s presence was fun for us.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We situated ourselves in our favorite chairs right beside each other and put one ear bud in our ear. I turned on some music and we sat and read next to each other. We went on like this for about ten minutes, and then Megan broke the silence.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I just wish that Caroline could be here with us…” she said, obviously upset.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">I took a deep breath. The last time Caroline had said this, she threw up, and I didn’t want Megan to end up that way too!

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Megan, you know that her skating career relies on her NOT being here,” I said. It was the truth, and even though I felt a little bad about it too, I wasn’t about to let that ruin my time, just the same as I was with Caroline at Pickwick that day.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan sighed. “I guess you’re right. But I just didn’t wish that things had to be this way! It’s not fair to any of us… And it’s all because of Clarissa!” Now she sounded really upset. I had to turn this around.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Megan, Megan, please, let’s just forget about Caroline right now and enjoy our time together at the present,” I said. “Caroline would understand. I mean, you understood when I was skating with Caroline that day without you, while you had your stitches in, didn’t you?”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Well, yes, but-”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“There are no ‘buts’ about it. I want you to be able to enjoy your time with me right now without having to worry about Caroline, okay? Relax and get back to your book.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan visibly relaxed after that and went back to her book. She was just as happy as she was before that first thought about Caroline had crossed her mind.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We went on reading with each other for about another twenty minutes, and then Mom called us in for an early dinner.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What did you make?” I asked Mom as Megan and I walked through the back door.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Your favorite,” she said, her eyes smiling as much as her mouth.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Potato and egg omelet?!” I said excitedly. “Yay! Thank you!”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Yeah, yeah, you’re welcome,” Mom said nonchalantly.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">Megan and I devoured our food in a matter of minutes, and when we were finished, we grabbed our books from the back patio and ran to my room upstairs.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“You girls don’t want seconds?” Mom called after us as we ran to my door.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“No thanks, Mrs. White!” Megan called back.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What she said,” I called.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">We got inside my room and closed the door behind us.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“What’s your bedtime?” Megan asked.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Umm, it’s usually around 7:45, but I think it’ll be okay to stay up a little later today,” I replied.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Wow! We still have two hours left,” Megan responded. We were always the kind of people that obsessed over keeping track of the time, but Megan was more into it than I was. Sometimes when we did homework together, Megan would try to set time goals in which to finish part of her homework.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I’m SO excited that you get to go back in tomorrow!” I said. And I truly was, as well as Caroline and Ashton. We all wanted to see her back on the ice, but we knew that she would have to stick to only doing off-ice training for a while before they allowed her to actually skate.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“I am too!” Megan replied. “But I’m MORE excited to see how you and Ashton act with each other in the mornings,” she said with a sly grin. I could feel myself blushing.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Well, there’s not that much to see,” I responded. “We just talk a little here and there.”

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Have you been rambling?” Megan asked me. I thought for a little before answering.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17px;">“Surprisingly, no!” I replied. Now that I thought about it, it really WAS surprising that I was keeping my cool around him. I mean, with the whole feeling like I was going to melt every time I saw him, I would’ve thought that I would be stumbling through everything I said to him. But thankfully, ever so thankfully, I’d been keeping myself together!