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A twinge of anxiety rippled through me under the swell of the music. This was the lift that’d really given us trouble before. We’d failed in practice more often than we’d succeeded. If we hadn’t even pulled off the easier one properly…
I shut out those doubts and gave myself over to the movements. Wehaddone it before, just yesterday. We could do it again.
Jasper’s fingers squeezed around my hand and against my thigh. My body soared upward in his grasp to twirl three full times in quick succession.
I followed every shift of his body in time with the peak of the melody. We were still united, still in sync in every way that mattered.
Yeah. We could do this. Watch us now.
I came down at the perfect angle, the tips of my skates’ blades connecting with the ice like they were magnets. A whoop of approval carried from the crowd.
We glided around into the last jump-spin combo and twined together in our ending pose. We were both panting for breath, but I could feel Jasper’s triumphant grin against my cheek.
Applause thundered through the arena. My own grin stretched so wide my cheeks ached.
We’d done it. We’d recovered and proved just how good we could be.
Jasper took my hand, raising it high towards the rafters. The clapping only grew louder.
My gaze veered to the row of judges with a rush of relief at the smiles on their faces before they ducked their heads to consider their notes.
Jasper nudged me in the arm on our way back to the stands. “You were really something out there, Punk.”
I beamed at him. “So were you. I’d say that was a pretty good start to our competitive partnership.” I paused with a slight listing of my stomach. “Well, as long as the judges think so too.”
Niko didn’t appear to have any doubts on that score. Our coach welcomed us to the bench with his face lit up so bright he outshone the overhead lights.
“You two were amazing!” he crowed. “I knew you could do it!”
Even Rafael couldn’t completely contain a smile. He studied the judges. “What about their scores?”
“Just a moment.” Niko motioned to the judging table. “Look, they’re handing them over to the announcer now.”
My heart started pounding so hard it drowned out every other sound. The announcer raised his microphone to his lips, but all I heard was the frantic thudding and another round of cheers from the crowd.
Niko grabbed my arm and Jasper’s and pulled us both into a joint hug. “You’re in! Not that I had any doubtsbeforewatching you, let alone after.”
I blinked at him, breathless. “But—aren’t there still some more pairs who need to compete?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Niko announced gleefully. “Your score is the third highest out of everyone who’s performed so far, and there are only five more pairs left. Even if they’re all geniuses, you’re guaranteed to be in the ten who’ll compete properly tomorrow.”
He wrapped his arms around us, happiness radiating through our little huddle. “I’m so proud of you two. This is just the start, and it was a fantastic one.”
A giddy laugh burst out of me. I hugged him back and then pulled Jasper into an embrace just the two of us. Even after I finally sat down on the bench to swap my skates for my sneakers, the sensation of floating stayed with me.
Rafael leaned over from behind me, murmuring by my ear so that only I could hear him. “I’m going to take a walk around the perimeter. I just want to be sure everything is fine, if you know what I mean. But that performance was incredible, Lou.”
I nodded, understanding completely. I couldn’t blame him for wanting to be on the safe side after what we’d accomplished earlier today. And a big crowd celebration wasn’t really my bodyguard’s style.
As for me, I was riding the wave of adrenaline coursing through my veins with nothing on my mind but this first small but perfect victory.
I had arrived, and I was already making my mark.
TWENTY-EIGHT
Luciana
Takeout had never been sodelicious in my life.
