Page 33 of Rinkmates

“What’s so special about him?” I ask, stretching my other leg on the ballet barre. Stacey catches my eye as she finishes stretching at the other end of the studio. Rumor has it she’s already flirting with some stars to make sure she’ll get a good partner—apparently, she wants some guy named Aiden.

“Liora! Have you seen him? He’s absolutely gorgeous!” Priya brings me back to reality.

“Who?”

She clicks her tongue. “Mason Stone!”

She nods toward the back of the room and I lean over slightly to steal a glance at the blond actor.

He looks like Prince Charming…if he was secretly a villain.

It’s like we’re divided into two groups. The skaters and the stars.

Grace and her team cast the stars back in October, and now they’re looking to narrow down the field and pair us up after today’s final casting round.

It’s crucial that we get along with our partners because this show is a bit different from the ice dancing shows that are already out there. We don’t have coaches to guide us. Each team is responsible for creating their own routines. So, it’s not just about ice-skating skills—being a good choreographer is equally important. That’s why they’re paying such close attention during these initial casting rounds.

Mason saunters over to Stacey, offering her tips on her stretches as if he’s the expert. I cringe, but Stacey laughs—not a genuine laugh, but one that seems aimed at getting his attention. They’d make a perfect match. I think he was in a popular soap opera, but after the show ended, he sort of vanished from the spotlight. Maybe he’s hoping this reality show will be his big comeback.

“Nah, he’s absolutely not my type.”

Priya pouts. “You only say that because you have Riley.”

“I don’thaveRiley.”

“TikTok says something else.”

“S-sorry, but did you say Riley?”

Patricia, another skater who seemed rather shy last time, approaches us cautiously. She has bronze skin and a brown ponytail that she nervously twirls around her finger, as ifgatheringthe courage to talk to me took all her strength.

“Is it true that you…live with—with Riley Huntington?”

I swallow.

All this attention because of one stupid video on social media?

This can’t be real. The clip is seven seconds long. Seven. Stupid. Seconds. But now, everyone and their dog is asking me ifI’m his girlfriend. It happened in the subway. On my way to the rink. When I went grocery shopping.

Are you Huntington’s girl? The girl from the video?

It’s unbelievable, especially when you consider that only a single second actually shows my face. I scrolled through the clips and had the urge to watch all the different types of videos his fans had made, but it became overwhelming and I had to stop.

But whatever—I’ve practiced this. I need to be happy they ask about him. It’s easier to talk about a guy than my past.

Smile. Be glad. Smile—damn it.

I grin at her and hope I don’t look like a serial killer. “Ohh,yes, Riley’s myboyfriend.” Ugh. This feels weird.

And just like that, I have four girls swarming me, bombarding me with questions about how it happened and how long it’s been going on. I look at Priya and mouth a desperateHelp me, but she just steps back like a crab, clearly enjoying my misery. She may look like a sweet Disney princess, but oh my friend is evil.

So, I stutter out awkward responses about my hockey boyfriend, who I haven’t seen in three days and actually know almost nothing about. But hey, he has a cat now. No. Wait. What the heck did I say? He doesn’t have a cat. Shoot. What if he’s allergic? My brain must be on vacation in Hawaii without me.

“All right, everyone, Liora James is next!” calls out the casting director, clapping his hands to gather our attention.

I take the opportunity and almost stage dive out of the situation. Even though I was nervous as hell a minute ago, the ice calls to me like a sanctuary now. Why is everyone so interested in a relationship?

I’m starting to think that maybe agreeing to this was way bigger than I thought it would be. I figured we could just tell everyone we’re together and that’d be it.

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