Every turn, every edge, every subtle shift of my weight has a purpose today.
I can’t afford to be a slacker—not with Genevieve in my mind. The thought pushes me harder. Becoming a pro isn’t just about the accolades. It’s about making sure I’m the person she deserves.
So I train. I train until my legs burn, until the muscles in my thighs scream for relief. Raul pushes me, keeps me focused, but it’s my own resolve that drives me forward. I won’t stop.
Ican’tstop.
As the day wears on and the snow begins to lose its sparkle under the setting sun, I keep pushing, every turn sharper, every carve more precise. My legs ache, but I don’t stop. I can’t. Not when I think about Genevieve—her smile, her ability to make me feel seen.
The thought of her pushes me harder than any training drill Raul could throw at me. I want to be the kind of man who can offer her something real. I want to be someone who can stand tall, someone who can provide. And I’m starting to realize… maybe that’s what’s going to make me a pro sooner than I thought. Having Genevieve as a goal to work towards.
Raul’s voice cuts through my thoughts and I catch the familiar gleam of pride in his eyes. Today, he trained with me all day just like the old times. Back when it wasn’t about quick sessions or rushed lessons. We’d spend hours on the mountain, pushing each other until we were both exhausted. Those days were rare now—Raul usually only gives me a few hours, which is understandable, the man’s busy. But today… today, he gave me everything.
Maybe that’s what makes the difference. Maybe it’s not just the snow or the drills—it’s the connection, the way Raul’s belief in me hasn’t wavered, even when I’ve started to doubt myself.
“One last run and then one more?” Raul asks me.
It’s a thing snowboarders say for good luck. On your last run you say,one last run and then one moreso that you say you have one more run, even though it’s really not, this way you don’t try toget a bunch of extra flips in and act all stupid where you can hurt yourself.
I look over at Raul. “Hell yeah,” I tell him.
So we go up the lift and then ride right back down for the second to last time, butactual, last time today.
I glance at him again as we finish for the day and a new kind of determination settles in. This isn’t just about the mountain anymore. It’s about becoming the man Genevieve deserves, and I’ll be damned if I don’t get there faster than anyone expects.
Just watch me.
21
Genevieve
One day later.
Yesterday, my mind was consumed with thoughts of Aspen. We didn’t text or call, and I couldn’t shake the worry that he might be second-guessing the whole “friends” thing. But when I woke up this morning and checked my phone, there it was—a message from him.
Aspen: “Call tonight?”
Is all it says. Ahh! He wants to call tonight!
I respond–
Me: Yes!
I start jumping on my bed like a kid in a bounce house. Lucky for me, Lana’s already in class, so she won’t catch me acting this silly. If she did, I’d never hear the end of it. Lana's a hopeless romantic—totally the opposite of me. She’s convinced fairytales are real and that Hallmark movies aren’t just fiction.
I unfortunately witnessed my parents getting divorced, so I don’t really believe in love. All I know is Aspen makes me feel a type of way that feels like what I think love would feel like.
If that makes sense.
My phone buzzes and I glance at the screen.
Speak of the devil. Mom.
Perfect.
I sigh and swipe to answer, already bracing myself. “Hey, Evie. How’s my girl doing?” Her voice chimes, chipper and rushed, with the faint clatter of hospital chaos humming in the background.
“Hey, Mom. I’m good—just getting ready for the day,” I say, placing her on speaker while I start making my bed. I always feel more in control when I’m doing something—anything—while she talks.
