Page 28 of Jesse and the Ice Princess
"You can't make me go to detention off campus." She shifted her eyes from Jesse to the principal.
"Think of doing this for your school."
"Yeah, because my school cares one bit about me," she scoffed. "It doesn't matter to me if the team wins their big game. I have a competition to prepare for."
Jesse started to say something, but she cut him off. "I'll do it. One practice. It won't be a detention, so you can rip up that slip." This was the only way to avoid having her mom find out about her trip to the principal's office.
Principal Morgan took the slip and tore it in two before tossing it in the trash bin under his desk.
Jesse grinned. "Welcome to the team, Charlie."
"One practice," she repeated.
He nodded, but his smile remained in place.
"All right, kids." Principal Morgan stood. "Get to your next class. I'll be at the game against Venice. Good luck, Jesse." He paused. "And good luck in your competition, Charlotte."
His words surprised her, but she didn't show it as she walked past the secretary and into the deserted hall.
A laugh sounded behind her, and she turned to find Jesse shaking. "I'm Charlotte Morrison, the decorated skater suffering through the inane hockey obsession in this school," he repeated, imitating her voice. "I can't believe you said that to the principal."
All the air rushed out of her and she deflated. "Oh no." She buried her face in her hands. "What did I do?"
A hand squeeze her shoulder, and she lowered her hands to look at Jesse. "Hey, it turned out okay."
Before she could stop herself, she swatted his arm. "This is all your fault. Are you happy now? You got what you wanted. Now, I have to help you."
"Have you ever thought it might not be as bad as you think? That you might actually have fun?"
Her jaw clenched. "Okay, Jesse." She said his name like a curse. "Here's how this will go. You will approach my dad and tell him you asked for my help. He'll never believe I volunteered it. Under no circumstances is he to learn anything about the principal's involvement."
He drew an X over his heart. "Promise."
"Stop smiling."
"Why?" His smile widened.
"Because this isn't a smiling conversation. I'm mad at you."
"Any conversation can be a smiling one, but can we stop using smiling as an adjective? It's weird."
"You're weird." She started walking toward her locker.
He fell in step beside her. "Nice comeback."
"Why won't you leave me alone?"
"Because the ice princess has hockey moves, and I'm dying to figure out what other kinds of secrets she possesses."
"We aren't friends."
"We could be."
The bell rang overhead, and students poured into the hall around them. Charlotte reached her locker as she lost Jesse in the sea of people. Okay, she ditched him but same thing.
Because she knew the truth. There was very little room in her life for friends, especially ones she knew would consume every part of her.
Jesse Carrigan was trouble.
