Page 68 of Oh, Flutz!

“Katya. What are they?”

She tries to pull her hand away, but I don’t let her. “Let go of me.”

“Not until you tell me.”

“It’s none of your—”

“So help me God, Ekaterina, if you say it’s none of my business I might actually slap you.”

“It’s nothing.”

I scoff.“Yeah, totally, because you just ripped your bag apart trying to find them.”

“What do you think they are?” she fires back. “You think I’m doping?”

“What the hell am Isupposedto think?”

“You are unbelievable. You seriously think I’d do that? Is that what you think of me?”

I shouldn’t have said that. Why did I say that? I shake my thoughts away. “Of course not. Not unless someone told you to, at least, and let’s be real, your team doesn’t have the greatest track record.”

“That’s not true!” she bursts out, and I shake my head again. Why am I even letting her deflect?

“Katya—”

“I said letgo!”she yells, ripping her hand away, and the pills go flying, scattering across the room and rolling along the floor.

She blanches. “Oh, no no no—” She drops to the floor, trying desperately to get them before they all roll away, and I grab her by the shoulder.

“Listen to me! What are they for?”

“Let go!”

“I’m calling Lee!”

“You wouldn’tdare,” she seethes, and we both startle at a voice that comes from behind.

“No need,” Lian says coolly, standing in the doorway. “I’m already here.”

I immediately release her. We both go dead silent.

Lian’s gaze travels from Katya to me. “Is anyone going to tell me what’s going on?”

Shit.

I do my best not to look at either of them. If Lian pegs me with the x-ray look, I’m going to be spilling my guts.

I glance at my partner, who’s looking deceptively collected for someone who was just having a meltdown a second ago.

This is the last thing either of us need right now. God, why does she have to be socomplicated?The Prix Series starts in two weeks. We need to be training; we don’t have time for whatever this is.

As soon as I think it, though, guilt twists through me. I mean, it’s totally rational for me to think about competition, considering that’s the whole reason we’re even here, but…no, it is selfish. Clearly there’s something going on that needs to be dealt with, one that ignoring won’t fix. And, for better or worse, Katya’s my partner now. I have to look out for her. Especially since, between her coming hours early to practice, the weird eating habits and—well, whatever the hellthisis, it doesn’t seem like she’s looking out for herself.

“Katya. I don’t know what the policy was back home, but in my rink, on this team, there is zero tolerance for this kind of behavior.”

“Lee, I can—”

Our coach holds a hand up, and I fall silent. “No, Bryan. You can’t handle this on your own. This is my job.” She motions to the pills all over the floor. “Clean those up, please.”

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