Page 131 of Oh, Flutz!

“Yeah, yeah. You’re just mad I finished the Hint of Lime chips two days ago.”

“I knew it!” She eyes me suspiciously. “How long were you sitting in the dark with no cereal in your cereal bowl?”

I lift a shoulder.

Alexandra hops up next to me. "What's up with you?"

I give her a wry smile. "Why?"

Her lips quirk. "You’ve got a major kicked-puppy scowl going on."

"Please. Me? Kicked puppy?"

"You're a sad little beagle! Aww, puppy, don't cry–"

"I’mnotcrying," I snap, a little more harshly than I meant to. I avert my eyes from my sister’s, which are suddenly full of understanding.

"It's her, isn't it?"

I don’t bother asking who she means.

"I heard from Nina.”

What am I supposed to say? That it’s killing me to see her back here? That I’ve been absolutely miserable since she ditched me? That people steer clear of me to avoid my shitty mood? That it took me two weeks to get back on the ice and another to land a jump? That I’ve been falling on fuckingdoubles?

At this point, I don’t know if it’s her, or Dad, or everything. But all I know is, she’s the easiest thing to blame. And I'd really thought…

My jaw clenches. It doesn’t matter. She left. And that's all there is to it.

Well, who can blame her?The question I’ve had to work to keep smothered at the bottom of the pit of my stomach suddenly pushes its way up. How can I really blame her for leaving?Why do you think everyone does, Bryan?

Alexandra sighs, a long and drawn-out sound that only makes me clench my jaw harder, making a burst of pain blossom in my molars. I know how pathetic I am, I don’t need anyone to rub it in.

"Bryan, listen, she–"

“I gotta go, okay?” I say. “See you tomorrow.”

Chapter Forty-Six

KATYA

“Go! You’re looking likesnails, not champions!Move!”

We pivot across the ice, Bryan’s hand on my stomach the only thing keeping me from plummeting. I twist around on his palm, reaching behind me for my blade and using it to pull my leg up, contorting myself into a kind of donut shape. Then it’s time to get down, and Bryan secures his other hand to my waist just as I start shifting forward so he can flip me forward and back on the ice, facing him.

Lian motions for us to come over. “Better.”

“Better? Come on, that was awesome. We made it halfway across the ice without even trying.”

Our coach gives him a withering look. “Yes, I’m aware. But she’s going a little wonky on the way down, and we all know that—”

“Transitions or death,” we both finish, sliding each other a look.

“Precisely. You get fifteen minutes, then we’re moving onto the quad twist.”

We shuffle off, stepping off onto solid ground.

“Someone drank too much coffee this morning,” I say under my breath, passing him his guards before putting mine on.

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