Page 110 of Oh, Flutz!

Instead, I just think about the one time he won’t be able to.

Chapter Thirty-Four

BRYAN

Okay, before anyone yellsat me, it wasn’t a lie.

My stomach actually was starting to feel like maybe I shouldn’t have eaten that hot dog, but the second I saw the frozen look on Katya’s face, I knew I was going to have to take a bullet to my pride because she’s stubborn enough to pretend she isn’t two seconds from throwing up.

Note to self:Katya doesn’t like heights. Or maybe just the drop scares her. Considering I lift her ten feet off the ice every day, you’d think I would’ve known this by now, but whatever. I’m willing to let my ego suffer a little bit, if it makes her feel any better.

I zip up my bag and let it drop onto the floor, trying to quit grinning like a psycho in the middle of the sidewalk where everyone’s been setting up.

Yasha. I mean, it’s better thanmudak. I’ll take it.

God, am I in middle school again? Why am I so giddy over a girl giving me a nickname? She makes me stupid, I swear. She can’t complain about it anymore, because it’s definitely her fault that the original levels of stupidness have gotten to this level. I’ve actually gotten delusional to the point that the smallest thing will get me hyper like I’m off my meds, which I’m not.

I blow a breath out, popping the collar of my plain white shirt and slinging my guards onto my skates. We’re on in ten, and I’m supposed to be ready to go, but, as usual, I’m a little behind.

“Bryan!”

I turn around, looking for whoever just called my name, and my mouth drops open. My parents and sister are right there in front of me.

“What the hell?” I blurt, and my mother huffs.

“That’s how you greet your family?” she asks, but she removes her hand from my dad’s shoulder and walks over to envelop me in a hug. “Hi, honey.”

They’re here. They’re really here.

Alexandra immediately bounces over and leaps onto me, clapping me so hard on the back it could count as a Heimlich maneuver. “You better not fall, I had to sit in the car for five hours!”

Dad gives her a look. “You blasted Taylor Swift the entire time, I think you were perfectly happy.”

Alex rolls her eyes, and I finally get my head around the initial shock long enough to ask the question. “Wait, why are you guys here?”

Mom smiles eagerly, rubbing my arm in excitement. “We wanted to see our boy skate, of course!”

My dad almost cracks a smile, too. “It wasn’t that far, we only had to drive a few hours. And after all, even if it is just a show, this is probably one of the last times we’ll get to see you perform in front of such a big crowd.”

I frown. “What do you mean?”

He frowns back. “This is your last season, right?”

What?I snort. “Dad, really? Come on. Who told you that?”

“I did,” Mom replies.

My stomach sinks to the floor.

“I mean…you never outright said it, but you’re twenty-one years old, Bryan. You’re an adult now, you don’t need skating anymore. None of us need it. You understand what we mean, don’t you?”

“Mom!” Alex cries in horror. I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.

“You don’t live at home anymore; I don’t need you occupied while I’m at work. You’re not going to college, of course, but you can always coach.” She shakes her head, but she’s smiling. Why is she smiling? “There’s no need to drag it out any longer, honey. It’s—we haven’t liked to see you doing poorly these last few years. We’re glad you get to go out on a good note.”

Dad nods. “Katya is a very special girl to get you two this far.”

What are they saying? That I didn’t do any of the work? I’m numb. I can’t—I don’t. “I didn’t move out,” I say, my voice coming out impossibly normal.

---