Page 48 of Jesse and the Ice Princess
She lowered herself into a chair and reached for a roll, but her mom stopped her hand before she could take one. "Half."
Charlotte should have known her mom hadn't changed that much. She took the ripped roll her mom offered.
"And no butter."
"Sure, mom."
Her mom served her a small portion of chicken and rice casserole before focusing on her own. She took small rabbit-like bites.
They ate in silence, no one remarking how odd it was to sit down to dinner as a family.
But Charlotte's appetite was replaced with apprehension. They hadn’t come home early for no reason.
Finally, her dad put his fork down and wiped his mouth. "Charlie, we know you weren't at Hadley's. She stopped by looking for you."
"Oh."
To his credit, his expression didn't change. "Honey, the storm had us worried for you."
She'd never been a liar, so the truth came spilling out. "Jesse needed my help to pick up his sister. She was alone and scared. And then we went back to his house. I didn't think you'd mind since you're never here for dinner anyway, and—"
"Charlotte," her mom cut her off. "We aren't here in the evenings because we are doing everything we can to provide a life for you."
Her dad's fork scraped against his plate. "I don't want you spending any more time with Jesse."
She shot from her chair. "Why? Am I not allowed to have friends now?"
"Don't be dramatic, dear." Her mom sighed. Again. "You have Hadley."
"I—"
"Now is not the time for a change in your routine. The biggest competition of the season is next week. That should be your focus. Not hockey. And not this boy."
Of course, it all came back to figure skating. And there was no end in sight. While she went to school at USF in the fall, she'd have to live at home and continue training with her mom.
She didn't want any of it. Not anymore. How had something she loved so much become a weight around her neck?
"Are you done?" She pushed her uneaten food away.
"Charlie..." Her dad started to play his usual peacekeeper role, but even he didn't have the words. "I don't think you should come to practice again."
Had it really only been hours ago she'd seen the pride in his eyes as she worked with his players? They were going to play better because of her. But that didn't mean anything because she was just an ice princess, right? Even to her own parents.
"This is just perfect." She stood.
"We haven't excused you, Charlotte." Her mom's eyes weren't unkind, but she didn't hear how constricting her own words were.
"I'm excusing myself. We've talked enough. Don't worry, guys, I'll continue to be your skating monkey." She glanced down at the table, only deliberating a second before taking two rolls from the basket. "Thanks for the bread, Mom."
By the time she got to the stairs, she'd already stuffed one of them in her mouth as tears ran down her face.
No Jesse, but she'd known that wouldn't amount to anything.
No hockey, but that was only a pipe dream.
She kicked her door shut and grabbed her phone before falling face first onto the bed. Lifting her head, she blinked tears away to see the messages on the screen. Two from Jesse—she deleted those without looking at them.
Five from Hadley ranging from "I'm sorry" to "If you don't call me soon, I'll assume you were kidnapped."
