Page 114 of The Baller

“What? No. We’re not cuffing? Are we?”

Millie shrugged. “Not unless you break up in the spring.”

“Yeah, that’s not happening. We’re in love,” I declared and pulled Radley closer, planting my lips on hers, just to really hammer the point home. We werenotbreaking up. “What’s the opposite of cuffing?”

“Wait,” Parker said, scrubbing a hand down his face, “are you saying they’re breaking up in the spring? Is that what happens?”

“If they’re cuffing, most of them are done by Valentine’s. It’s a high-pressure holiday.”

His entire face lit up with the world’s most excited – and yet most evil – looking smile. He only needed to tap his fingertips together and he could be the next cartoon villain. “How can we find out?”

“We can do some undercover work.”

“How exactly are you going to do that?”

Millie’s up-to-something grin reappeared. “I’m not the daughter of a C.I.A. operative for nothing.” She handed Radley her hot chocolate, then turned to Tanner and Parker, reached up, and pulled both their beanies off, switching them.

“Hey!” Parked grumbled, running his hands over his head. “What did you do that for?”

“Tanner’s pink hat is too obvious; he needs the black one.”

“Obvious for what?”

“Obvious for being undercover,” she replied with utmost seriousness, and stepped onto the ice. “Put your sunglasses back on. We’re going to find out what’s happening.”

The look on Tanner’s face was far from serious, like all his Christmases had come early as he slipped his aviators onto his nose. “Happy to offer my undercover services. Just to be clear, I’m okay if we need to make out… you know, if it means our cover isn’t blown.”

Millie’s eyes nearly stuck in a roll. “Okay, sure. Let’s go.”

The three of us watched as they skated off; Tanner making a grab for Millie’s hand, only to be shoved away.

“I should have warned Millie than Tanner likes a challenge.”

“I can’t watch this,” Parker grumbled, without making any attempt to move or look away. Instead, he removed Millie’s hot chocolate from Radley’s hands and drank it.

The pair of them zipped in and out of the crowds, closing in on Scout and the Douche until they were right behind them. They followed for a couple of feet before overtaking them. Tanner twisted around so he was facing Millie, before skating them away to speed around the rink. It didn’t take long for them to be back by Scout, repeating exactly what they’d done a minute earlier.

“How did they get together?” Radley asked.

“I heard they met on an app.”

“What kind of douche uses an app?” Parker grumbled again. “He’s such a douche. Radley, don’t you think he looks like a douche?”

Her head quirked a little, as she really put some thought into it. “Yeah, I guess he does look kind of douche-y.”

“Who looks douche-y?” asked Ace in a spray of ice as he joined us.

I shook myself dry. “Dude, what did you do that for?”

“Because it’s fun,” he shrugged. “Who looks douche-y?”

“The Rangers guy Scout is dating,” Radley replied, her eyes still glued to Tanner and Millie who were now holding hands.

“Oh yeah, he’s a total douche.”

Parker thumbed to Ace. “See? This is the kind of support I need. This is why he’s my best friend, no hesitation whatsoever before he answered. Is he a douche? Yes.”

“I got you, buddy,” Ace said and ruffled his hair. “Anyway, why are we all standing around?”

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