Page 123 of Ice Mechanic

“You should take one of those ancestry tests,” Rebel says, walking up to me with a popsicle extended.

I spin to face my best friend. “Huh?”

“Check your DNA. You might be part bubble wrap.”

I muster up a smile for her as I accept the popsicle.

Rebel jerks her chin at the door of the garage and walks steadfastly toward the coffee station there. I follow her and plop into the chair around a pretty metal table. Rebel’s latest needle-work—two wonky rose-shaped coasters—decorate the metal top.

“Why is it so hot lately?” I whine, pulling at my white tank top. “You’d think we were welders instead of mechanics.”

Rebel eyes me, saying nothing.

I squirm under her steady gaze. “Why are you staring?”

“What’s your deal, Brooks?”

“I don’t understand the question?” The popsicle wrapping rips away easily and I go to town on the cold delight.

“Chance called me. He wanted to know if you were okay.”

“Really?” I say as casually as I can.

“Are you ignoring his calls?”

“Did he say that?”

“He didn’t have to.” Rebel tosses her hair over her shoulder. “Why would he be calling me if he could reach you?”

“I’m not ignoring him. I just… told him I’m busy and I’d rather we keep in touch through text.”

“Are you responding to his texts then?” Rebel grills me.

I clear my throat. “When I have the time.”

She makes a frustrated sound in the back of her throat. “April, I love you, but sometimes, I could just…” She makes a squeezing motion towards my neck.

I press a hand there, turning slightly away.

“Do you really believe Chance is seeing Fina behind your back?” Rebel demands.

I choke on a chunk of tangerine-flavored ice.

Not even a flicker of mercy crosses Rebel’s face as she watches me fight for my life. It’s like shewantsme to die a violent death for ignoring Chance.

“I showed you what happened on the cameras.” She arches a perfectly trimmed brow. “Do you need me to re-send the video from that night?”

“No,” I mumble, wiping the corner of my lips.

A few days ago, when the gossip sites started whispering about Chance and Fina, Rebel flew into a righteous rage.

“I’m going to expose that cheating, lying, backside of a camel for who he really is!” she ranted.

Rebel stormed off on her valiant quest for the truth, only to return with a sheepish frown and footage from The Tipsy Tuna exposing that:

(a) Chance barely talked to any of the cheerleaders we saw that night;

(b) the cheerleader who’d pounced on him for a hug had done so without invitation and was quickly brushed off by Chance.

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