“Unfortunately.” I dial Carter, praying he answers even though it’s past eleven PM.
He picks up on the second ring. “Maya? What’s wrong?”
“I’m at the arena. Found someone injured. I need your help.”
“Who?”
I look at Ryder. “What’s your last name?”
“Beaumont. Ryder Beaumont.”
I hear Carter suck in a breath. “You found Ryder Beaumont? Injured? At the arena this late?”
“Yes. Can you come?”
“I’m on my way. Don’t let him convince you he’s fine. He’s not fine.”
Carter hangs up, and I turn back to Ryder. “He’s coming.”
“Great. Your brother is going to tell everyone I’m injured, I’ll get benched, and my entire future is over.”
“Your future is already over if you keep destroying yourself in secret.” The words come out sharper than intended.
Ryder looks at me with something like understanding. “You sound like you know something about that.”
“I know enough.”
We sit in silence for a moment, both of us carefully not looking at the blood still on the ice. Both of us carrying secrets we’re not ready to share.
“Why are you here this late anyway?” Ryder asks finally.
“Couldn’t sleep. Sometimes I walk around campus when I can’t sleep.”
“And you just happened to walk past the arena?”
“I heard someone skating. Got curious.” I don’t mention that I’ve been avoiding the ice arena for two months, that walking past it tonight was a test I clearly failed, that hearing the sound of skates on ice triggered something I’ve been trying to bury.
“You skate?” he asks.
“No.”
“That was a very fast no.”
“Because the answer is very definitely no.”
He studies me, and I can see him putting pieces together. The way I reacted to the blood. The shaking hands. The panic attack I barely controlled.
“You used to skate,” he says quietly.
“I used to do a lot of things.”
Before he can push further, Carter arrives, bursting through the arena doors with the energy of someone who’s been told his teammate is injured and his sister is involved.
“What the hell happened?” he demands, looking between us.
“Practice accident,” Ryder says at the same time I say, “He fell.”
Carter’s eyes narrow. “What kind of practice has you here at eleven PM?”
