Page 21 of Oh, Flutz!

“Put her down!” she bellows, and he does. I’m still dizzy, my heart pounding.

“Do you haveanyidea what could’ve just happened if she didn’t catch herself in time, jackass?” Lian demands, serene features contorted with fury. “Get your act together, both of you! You’re world class athletes. Act like it. This isbusiness.”

I glare up at Bryan, but instead of cussing him out I keep my mouth shut. Lian is right, even if it’s not my fault he’s such a child. I’m getting the feeling I’m going to have to lower my standards if I want to win this.

Lian takes a deep breath, the red slowly draining out of her face. “We’re back on the ice in ten minutes. By then I expect perfect behavior from both of you. Oh, and Bryan?”

His face flushes pink in anticipation, like a child in trouble.

“Try that again, and I’m calling Heffner and telling him you’re done. I don’t care how much I love you and want you to succeed, and I don’t care what your problem is with each other, or if she started it. You do not mess around like that. You’re going to be holding her fucking life in your hands every day. You donotmess with that trust.” Lian looks at both of us, stare hard as metal. “And if this is going to work, you’re going to need that trust.”

I bite my tongue, fighting the urge to look at the boy next to me, whose jaw is clenched so tightly it’s making a perfect ninety-degree angle.

Lian eyes us. “Are we in agreement?”

I can’t help it; I glance back at him. He’s already looking at me, blue eyes round and resigned.

He doesn’t take them off me as he nods.

There’s no way out other than through. At least for now.

I nod back.

“Damn it!”

“Just hold it a little longer!” Lian shouts from the boards, and I clench my teeth, my neck straining, curving my back while my stomach stays flat on top of Bryan’s hands in a platter lift. This is the first moving lift we’ve done, and even though he’s gliding at a snail’s pace, it still feels like he’s going too fast. Going quickly with your feet only separated from the ground by a few inches is one thing. When you’re separated by over six feet, and you have to keep both legs up in the air and try not to look down, it’s another feeling entirely.

“I’m trying,” he returns, clearly struggling, because I can feel it in his hold, in the shaky bumps. Although you wouldn’t know it to look at him, he does seem to be trying—as troubling as it is that this is himtrying. Since we got on the ice, neither of us have said more than two words to each other, as I don’t think either of us want to be yelled at again. At least this way I don’t get a headache from his whiny voice. He hasn’t dropped me again, either.

“You got it, Bry!” the blonde assistant coach cheers from next to Lian, and Bryan lets out a laugh.

Juliet, I think her name was. She seems very sweet, although far too touchy-feely—when Lian introduced us yesterday she immediately dove into a hug that I had to awkwardly extract myself from. I vaguely recognize her, but she must have retired a while ago. In all likelihood, she quit before I even hit the senior level, because she looks to be in her late twenties. Although this is America, so who knows. Their skating committee has a nasty habit of letting their skaters outstay their welcome. The boy below me right now is a prime example.

“Okay, you can put her down now,” Lian calls.

“Gently,” I hiss, and I’m sure he’s rolling his eyes at me again. He doesn’t reassure me or anything, just shifts his hand under me to grip my waist before flipping me over and lowering me back onto my feet. It’s a little wobbly, and he lets go a little too soon, leaving me to land roughly the last few inches. But I stick it, and I pull him back by the hand so he gets close enough to continue into the step sequence we’ve been practicing since we started this session.

It's ridiculous how easy it is. Simple turns, crossovers—but now I have another person stuck on me like a mold infestation, and Lian’s insisting we do it over and over, until we get it perfect.

She nods in what might be approval. “Better,” she calls, as we move past her and through the steps. “Remember to stay close together. Flow. You look like you’re trying to push each other away.”

I can’t help but roll my eyes.Seriously?

Lian narrows her own at me. “And on that note, quit it with the eye rolling. That applies to both of you. Believe me, I’d rather you both be in singles too, it’s easier to deal with one little bitch at a time. But the powers that be have other ideas.”

Bryan nudges me. “Hear that? We’re Little Bitches One and Two now.”

I swallow the ridiculous urge to smile.He isn’t funny.“Glad to hear we have formal titles.”

“I know both of you think this is too easy for you,” our coach continues. “But it’s not going to be this simple making the switch to pairs. There’s the technical aspects and increased training, obviously, but I know you both can handle that. It’s everything else I’m worried about.”

Bryan beats me to the question. “Like what?”

“Like…artistry. And partner dynamics.”

Is it my imagination, or did she look specifically at me when she said that?

“We’re going to be doing team-building exercises along with ballet and other off-ice training. Most pairs teams now focus on strength, but judges like the pretty stuff, and the fans like drama.”

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