Page 35 of Jesse and the Ice Princess
"Spit it out, Hadley." She pulled her friend against the wall so others could get around them.
Hadley sucked in a long breath and puffed out her chest. "I Hadley Awesomesauce Gibson—"
"Not your middle name, but go on."
"I hereby bequeath my crush to one Miss Charizard Morrison."
Charlotte bit back a laugh. In her serious world, Hadley's ridiculousness was a welcome distraction. "You can't just give me your crush."
"Why not?"
"It doesn't work that way. I don't have a thing for Jesse Carrigan, and you can't wave some magic wand to make me."
"What's wrong with him?" Charlotte knew that tone, her defensive tone.
But she was over this obsession with the guy. "He's beloved. By everyone."
"Except you."
"Yes, except me. He hasn't done anything to earn that love. He uses charm as a manipulative tool. I'll bet even his parents bow to his every whim."
Hadley pursed her lips. "Okay, Miss 'My parents’ entire lives revolve around me.'"
"They don't."
She held up a finger. "Let's see. Your mom quit her job the moment you showed any skating ability." A second finger. "Your dad bought an ice rink so you'd have somewhere to train."
"That wasn't just for me."
"Sure, okay. They schedule their lives around when Charlotte needs to train, what she needs to eat, and who she should spend time with."
Charlotte crossed her arms over her chest. When did they go from talking about Jesse to talking about her? "You know what they've never given me?"
"What, Char? You know I love you, but what could you need that hasn't been provided in spades?"
Tears built in her eyes, but she didn't let them fall. "Choice."
Hadley opened her mouth and closed it again; for once, she had nothing to say. She stepped out of the way to let people pass them and get out to the parking lot.
Charlotte turned toward the door. She stopped with her hand on the glass, wanting to say something else. Instead, she just shook her head and pushed open the door.
* * *
Charlotte couldn't remember ever feelingnervous walking up to the large glass double doors of her parents' ice rink. It was her home, the place she spent most of her time.
But now, today, it felt like a different world.
Gone was the quiet she experienced every morning when she alone owned the ice.
With Hadley and Jesse's words mixing in her brain, she pulled open the door and slipped inside.
Her mom looked up from the front desk, surprise coating her features. "Charlotte, you should be at home going through your afternoon exercise routine."
"I know." She looked down at her shoes, not meeting her mom's eyes. "I'm sorry, I just promised I'd help at dad's practice today."
"Hockey practice?" Her eyebrows shot toward her hairline.
"Um." She picked at the hem of her jacket. "Yeah."
