“Did you enjoy trying partner skating, Ella?” Mom says to our third private lesson of the day, a new thirteen-year-old girl who has potential.
She nods emphatically. Of course she does. Who wouldn’t enjoy Ice Dreams’ resident unicorn’s undivided attention for thirty minutes? Stuart Trout is an asset. He may have earned us a new student. He also brought homemade lasagna with him, and I haven’t had anything to eat since Brandon’s macaron. So as much as I want to be mad at him for suddenly appearing at Ice Dreams and squeezing me out of this private lesson, I’ll let it slide this time.
“So, are you the partnering teacher?” Mrs. Booker looks at Egg and he gives her a boy-next-door smile. She pulls out her wallet.
“Not full-time,” Mom says and the woman puts her wallet away. “But we love having Stuart teach a few privates every time he comes home to Phoenix.”
Mom gives Egg a pleading look.
“That’s right.” Egg is selling it to the cheap seats. “I’m here in Phoenix … a lot. And I love helping out at Ice Dreams.”
I roll my eyes.
“We can help you look for a partner for Ella,” Mom says. “Though it may take a little while. In the meantime, we’d be happy to keep training your daughter as a single skater. And if you want to book some extra pairs sessions with Stuart when he’s in town, our private lesson skaters have priority.”
Mack waves from the snack bar to get my attention.
“What?” I mouth at her.
“Choi,” she mouths back and points at the door.
Mom puts her hand on my arm. “Olivia, could you get the new student packet from my office for the Bookers?”
“Sure. Give me a second.” I swap my skates for Chucks as Mom asks the Bookers what kind of partner they would like for their little sparkle pony. Like Ella’s suddenly going to have boys lined up at her door. Nope. Not how this works.
I jog over to Mom’s office and blow the dust off the packet before heading back.
“Hey, Olivia, could you come take the garbage out for me after you’re done?” Mack says on my way back.
“I thought you already did.”
“Well, there’s more. Come. Get. It.”
“Oh, ohhhh. Sure thing.” Our wingwoman skills are severely lacking.
Since the Bookers don’t seem to remember I exist, thanks to Egg, I hand Mom the packet and then collect a quarter-full bag of trash from Mack. As soon as I walk out the front door, Jonah grabs the trash with one hand and my hand with the other and pulls me behind the building to the dumpster. His lips meet mine before the bag of trash even hits the bottom of the dumpster.
“I love you,” Jonah says when we finally break away.
We both take a deep breath and gag. The stench is unbearable.
“I love you too.” I push Jonah back a few steps away from the dumpster. “But you win the gold medal for the least romantic declaration of love ever.”
He pulls me back a few more steps. “Can I have a redo somewhere more romantic when I get back?”
“Get back? From where?”
“Salt Lake City, well, Kearns to be exact. The Utah Olympic Oval. They’re considering me for the FAST program. It’s a training team.”
“That’s … great.” All the bubbles in my belly from thirty seconds ago suddenly feel like porcupines.
“Yeah, it is. Except the part where I’d have to live in Utah.”
“But that’s what you’ve always wanted. It’s one step closer to the Olympics.”
“Yeah. I did. I do.” Jonah runs a hand through his hair. “Who knows? They might not even want me, and then all of this drama will have been unnecessary.”
I step into Jonah and wrap my arms around him. “Of course they’re going to want you. Sharing you with them for a little while will be hard, but it will also make your return even sweeter.”
“Ten months.” Jonah’s arms tighten around me. “Dad and I would be gone for ten months.”
The porcupines turn into cinderblocks. I have no words.
Jonah’s fingers tip up my chin until I can look him in the eyes again. “You know, a few months ago, I wouldn’t have given this a second thought. I would already be sitting in the car with my suitcase packed ready to move to Utah. Anything to get the hell out of Phoenix. But then I met you, and I don’t want to be inside the Skater Bubble twenty-four-seven anymore. I want to be out here with you. Okay, not by a dumpster, but you know what I mean.”
We shuffle backward together a few more feet.
“‘A’ Mountain,” I say and Jonah looks confused. “When you return from Utah, I want to hike to the top of ‘A’ Mountain in Tempe with you, and then you can tell me loudly, profusely, and repeatedly that you love me. Chocolate optional. Flowers mandatory. That would be a gold-medal-worthy declaration of love. Deal?”
“Deal.” Jonah puts out his fist for me to bump.
When we flick out our #1s, I feel a stab in my heart. That’s the price you have to pay to be #1.
“I better head inside. I promised my parents I would skate directly here if they’d release me from house arrest. Dad is meeting me here.” Jonah kisses me one last time before lacing his fingers through mine.
We head back to the front of the building to retrieve his gear. Jonah slides the strap of his bag across his chest and retakes my hand. My heart fissures. I don’t know how the light is going to stay on at Ice Dreams—not to mention the literal lights—without Jonah here.
“Don’t say anything to your mom or Stuart, okay? Not even Mack yet.”
I nod. I am not okay with this. Any of this.
“I’m still working on the phone situation.” Jonah opens the door for me. “Note to self: Reminding your mother when she catches you in the middle of a half-truth that she’s the one who told you to act more like a normal teen … not a good idea. Especially when other moms are standing around. I mom-shamed her in front of the Surly Gurlz, and now I’m paying for it big-time.”
Parents. I purposely don’t slap a kiss on my parents’ poster as we enter Ice Dreams.
When we pass the Bookers on their way out, Ella’s eyes follow Jonah. Yep, Gold Medal Ice ain’t got nothin’ on us.
“Put your hands together for JONAHHHH ‘QUICK SILVER’ CHOOOOOOI,” Mack yells across the rink.
“Hey, I don’t get a derby intro today?” I say.
“No, because you’ve pooh-poohed every one I’ve come up with so far.” Mack retrieves our water cups out of habit. “Also, I have exactly six brain cells firing at the moment, thanks to Fiona, so all you’re gonna get is a ‘welcome back, Liv.’ How was the dumpster?”
Jonah and I look at each other. Parentheses appear at the corners of his mouth.
“Never mind, I don’t wanna know.” Mack pushes our filled water cups across the counter.
“Thanks, Mack.” Jonah chugs down his water. “I better go change. Skate with me during my break, Olivia?”
“Of course.” I’m on borrowed time as it is.
After Jonah enters the locker room, Egg and Mom meet us in the snack bar. Mack slides a cup of water to Egg and some hot tea with honey to Mom before they even ask.