Page 32 of Oh, Flutz!

“Wait, Katya,” I call out, starting to jog over there, but she doesn’t hear me, or just ignores me, because she skates out, the rope pulling out to follow her.

“Katya!”

She starts going for a quad Salchow—it’s beautiful, and she touches down, immediately launches her foot behind her, toe pick driving her in the air.

It’s right then that I notice something that makes my blood go cold.

“Katya, stop!” I break into a run, and it’s practically playing out in slow motion—one, two, three, four rotations, the rope unspooling faster and faster from the pulley and me practically going into cardiac arrest trying to get to it before it’s too late.

I run down the side and to the corner, diving for the rope just as she’s coming down and yanking just instants before she lands or the rope runs out; whichever comes first.

She yelps as her body goes up when she’s expecting to go down, and I let go right then as a reflex, sending her crashing to the ground, groaning and splayed out.

"Jeez!" I rush to the door, heart pounding. “Are you okay?”

Katya doesn’t respond, just grits her teeth, hugging an arm to her chest as she sits up, then gets to her feet, slowly and wincing.Oh, no.

She’s too far away for me to try and help her, which is fine because she probably wouldn’t allow me anyway. When she’s finally up, she skates over to me, rubbing at her ribs.

“Do you want me to go get—”

“Why did youdothat?”

Okay, I wasn’t exactly expecting her to thank me or anything, but I wasn’t expecting her to start yelling.

She picks up her guard from the ledge and whacks it against the boards in frustration, sending snow flying. “Fuck! I had it!”

I draw my brows together after the initial shock wears off. “Had what? A near-death experience before I saved your ass?”

“No, you idiot, I had the jump! Ihadit, finally had it, and then you just had to get in the way. What are you, stupid?”

“Um, hello? Look who’s talking! You were the one using the harness without someone to hold it for you.”

Katya rolls her eyes, slinging her guard on and starting to rummage through her bag. “Please. We learned how to do it ourselves as kids. You Americans, always needing someone to hold your hand for you.”

“Oh, goodgrief–”

“I’ve been using it myself all week, I haven’t broken anything yet.”

“Well, then you’re really luck—” I stop. “Wait. You’ve done this more than once? Are you insane? You could’ve cracked your face open, and no one would know!” Accidents like that aren’t as common as you might think in this sport, but when they do happen, it’s because of reasons like this, when skaters get stupid and ignore instructions, not to mention common sense.

I’m not even kidding at this point. I think she might actually be out of her mind.

She shoves the bag aside roughly, turning back to me with eyes blazing. “Why do you evencare?”She lets out a harsh laugh. “I could crack my head open if I like. It’s not as if you give a shit.”

The urge to throttle her is immense. “Of course I give a shit! You’re my partner, or did you forget? You know, maybe youshouldhit your head. When else are you gonna get it into that thick skull of yours that you aren’t in singles anymore?”

Her features harden. “Probably about the same time you actually land a quad.”

I scoff. “You know what? Forgive me for trying to make sure you don’t seriously hurt yourself. I should’ve just let you fall.”

“Maybe you should’ve,” she snarls, before turning on her heel and stomping off, skate guards clunking against the floor and red ponytail swinging violently as she goes.

I don’t understand her. I don’t understand this girl at all.

God, she’s infuriating. Why is it so impossible for her to understand that, okay, I might not be her biggest fan in the world, but I don’t want her tobreaksomething? If she keeps pulling stunts like this, she eventually will; and then we’ll both have to pull out.

And that can’t happen. I can’t let everyone down again. I don’t know if the AFSC would even let me try to find another partner if she screws us all, so it could mean the end for me. Game fucking over, because Katya can’t get her head out of her self-destructive ass.

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