rl

rms while some people passing by the area had their m

e asked, clearly sho

guys jumped her. Stole her equipment and her knees are al

lingered on her for a moment longer than n

r," I said, motio

amining Cheryl's knees whi

e had closed her eyes, wincing at the pain, like she was trying to block out the world. Her br

ut her... I thought. She

he looked at me while I stretched my hands t

jaw thinking when th

ittle girl who used to skate w

where I had stored that little girl photo I had g

My father had forced it on me early,

looking miserable and ha

he'd been skating at the rink outside the school whe

grieve, so he just got angrier, pouring all his hope

kate faster! What the fuck is wrong with you? Sto

to be there or eve

that

es scraping the frozen surface, te

ttle girl had

these bright gray or blu

te stranger, smiling and sitti

er voice cheerful. "

too stunne

ust... have fun. She'd laughed when I fell, but not in a mean way. In a way that made me want to laugh too.

me in my life I actu

days but after a week,

er forgotten a

be the hundredth time, trying to figure out who she was.

ing at the gir

the same face and the sa

s to b

A little bit surprised I was still standing here. "S

still stari

stop coming

have happ

on? She

tanding in the doorwa

said. "Sh

seeing you care about a girl. Like, actually caring and not just-" He pumped

my eyes.

your usual thing. You don't s

e, as much as I despise that queen snake

Re

forcing her

the teasing, man.

te was right, though. I checked about the journal on the

What are you

e and handed it over. "It's...

as my eyes scanned

Analysin

skated... each push sending him gliding across the ice, his muscles flexing beneath his wet jer

nds touching me? What if th

s skating... running his gloved hand through it and pushing it off his fore

through it. I want to tug

e pins me there, his mouth on mine, his hands gripping my hips, and I

and I turned off th

my said. "Are

ournal get to th

quiet voice so no one else could hear. "Like, really detailed stuff. It's

hing when Cheryl coughed,

er gaze landed on the white walls

de for a second and she tried to s

n? You're

standing over her. My ey

alist for the team

odded

e. "Recover quickly. Because w

ent pale again as she recognized the journal text on t

ot of questions to

r hands were gripping the sheets

walk away w

around. I just stood th

," I said, "We'll t

re while Remy followed me. "Ca