“What the hell was all that about?” I ask when Katie is out of sight. “That could have been a perfect opportunity.”
"I didn’t want to go, okay?” Wren pants, her big green eyes boring into me. “My social battery has already run out and I swear I’ve never spoken to Katie before today. The thing is, she’s really nice but I don’t want to build our friendship around the basis that I’m sort-of popular now. I’m sure she’s great but I just-”
I cut her off, placing my arms on her shoulders as she clutches the books to her chest. “Hey. Can you chill? I just wanted to know why you didn’t want to go and now I do. You don’t have to explain everything to me. I’m not going to push you. Okay?”
“Okay.”
“Okay. Now give me your books,” I demand.
Her eyebrows crease. “What?”
“Let me hold your books for you, woman,” I say, plucking the books from her. “Oh, and your bag too.” I sling her tote bag over my shoulder, feeling ridiculous and proud all at the same time. She shakes her head at me, laughing.
She hooks her arm through mine again, walking us down the corridor towards her class. “These are the kind of fake-boyfriend perks I need.”
“You know…” I start. “I can give you all the perks if you want.”
“I’m good,” she replies, scrunching her nose. Her phone rings and because her hands are finally free, she reaches into her back pocket and pulls it out. “I’ve got to take this. It’s my dad. My class is jsut there. I’ll see you later.”
She starts to collect her books and her bag from my shoulder. She starts to walk, leaving me behind but I call after her. “I think your forgetting something.”
“What? I have all my books,” she concedes.
“My kiss.” I grin.
“Right. How could I possibly forget?” she mimics, walking back up to me and presses the softest kiss to my cheek.
This is going to be perfect.
I get to watch her study. I carry her books. I walk her to class and then I get a kiss on the cheek. Fake dating Wren Hackerly might be the best thing to ever happen to me.
CHAPTER 14
WREN
What was I doing and why couldn’t I make myself stop? Even though I’ve kept up with my gym and skating routine, the little free time that I have has been spent with Miles. Miles Fucking Davis has taken over my life and the worst part is – I don’t mind.
I knew the girls were right when they said he made me a happier person because he does. He doesn’t pester me about skating, about my diet, about school. We just talk. A lot of it is nonsense but we talk. And it feels good.
He’s been pushing the line lately but so have I. There is no denying that there is constant sexual tension between us but we’re both working hard on not acting on it. Sure, we’ve both said a flirty comment here or there but in private we’ve never done anything that weshouldbe doing in public. I am still sticking to my main rule: if this get too real, in whatever way, we have to let each other know. I can’t risk this becoming too powerful.
It wasn’t easy helping Miles get back to his position that he was in before everything happened. We’ve been to the gym nearly every day over the past two weeks, gradually getting more difficult but he’s stayed on top.
Being seen around campus with Miles definitely has its perks. I never used to wander around other than when I was on my way to class, but it turns out there is a life outside of the rink.
We went to the campus library, Miles’ arm over my shoulder and I could have sworn there was paparazzi. Okay, maybe not but it felt like it. We were constantly interrupted by other people who were calling him ‘bro’ as if they spoke before that interaction. The guys want to be him. I get it. He’s hot and he’s popular but by the way some of these guys are up his ass, you’d think he’s Brad Pitt or some shit.
And the girls — they are even worse. They come over and say “Hi” as if they weren’t the same people who mocked me after regionals. As if they weren’t the ones who dropped out of figure skating, leaving the rest of us to somehow salvage the little hope our team has. I guess people are just glad to see us happy again.
I’ve spent most of this morning at the rink, spinning and gliding until my head starts to throb. I’m trying to add the finishing touches to my routine for the showcase but filming it has been a nightmare.
Scarlett doesn’t have the patience to stand and film it for me, even though she says that shelovesto watch me skate. And Kennedy is just a lost cause who claims that her arms ache too much to be able to film a five-minute performance. I go through my routine full out for the millionth time and I don’t even need to strain my eyes to see that he’s here.
“You’ve got to stop sneaking up on me like this,” I say as I land my Lutz on a wobbly leg, groaning at myself.
“Do you have eyes at the back of your head or something?” Miles asks as I see his blurry figure walking down the last set of stairs. He stands at the end of the rink, his forearms dangling on the railing, a lazy smile hanging on his mouth.
“No, you just breathereallyloud,” I say sarcastically. He rolls his eyes. “What do you want?”
