Brazen Girl by Ali Dean Page 0,67
of my little story, earlier this morning, and as the others zone out on their screens, I decide to check the status. Just like yesterday, within an hour of posting, every single one of my friends, including Phoebe, Wyatt, Levi and Devon, have liked and commented something encouraging.
“You guys are quick,” I tell everyone in the kitchen.
“It’s an awesome post. Both of them,” Taylor tells me. “Good for you for sharing all that.”
“Yeah,” Moses agrees with a nod. “It’s obvious you’re not after attention, that you genuinely want to be real and share what it’s like coming back post injury. Half the posts about injury are for dramatic effect, but yours is understated. I know plenty of people will appreciate it.”
Brie comes over and takes the chair beside me at the kitchen table. “How you feeling about today?”
“Excited. Thanks again for letting me take your spot.”
“I’ve been skating with you these past couple weeks, remember? I know you’re ready to kill it out there.”
My friends continue to fill me up with praise and positivity as we make our way to the park. I’m not usually comfortable being the focus of attention, especially since three of these guys are competing today too, but I’m getting better at handling it. They need this too. They need to know they’re doing what they can to help me move forward, and I can appreciate that.
Once we arrive, much earlier than we need to, I’m grateful I’ve been pumped with confidence for the past couple hours. It’s already crowded, and I know this is only a portion of what’s to come once the contest begins in a few hours. Not only that, but a few of the faces are familiar, and not in that warm fuzzy way. As expected, Sarah Kase and Camila Gonzales are here.
I’m not sure how I avoided thinking about it, but somehow I wasn’t really prepared for Camila accosting Beck yet again. Maybe I thought she’d been putting on a show for the cameras. Maybe I figured since nothing really happened, she’d walk away with her tail between her legs, kind of like Sarah Kase seems to be doing. Maybe I just feel like everyone should know by now that Beck is my boyfriend, dammit!
Camila jumps on Beck, literally, as soon as she catches sight of him. She runs across the arena like a crazy person, calling his name. Then she leaps into his arms, legs wrapped around his waist, leaving him no choice but to go with it. Okay, he could push her off and shove her to the ground, but this is Beck we’re talking about. He doesn’t have it in him to be that harsh.
Wait, hold on. Maybe he does have it in him. I watch as Beck pries her hands off his neck and kind of pushes her off of him. I can tell he’s exercising restraint to be gentle when he’d rather tear her off him more aggressively. She doesn’t go easily, and she tries to make it look smooth when she finally gives in and detaches herself, laughing.
My eyes dart to Sarah, who watches with narrows eyes. She didn’t come over or say hello when she first spotted us, but I notice resolve take over her expression before she takes long strides in our direction.
Summer leans closer to me and murmurs, “Didn’t the contract end today?”
“Yeah, it ends today.”
“Then go over there and put your arms around him or something!”
“But I don’t think we’re allowed to be public until tomorrow.”
“Who cares?” Naomi asks from my other side.
“What if it messes with my focus? I need to be thinking about competing, not all this,” I say waving in the direction of the two girls now facing off Beck.
“Go save him!” Naomi hisses. “He needs you.”
I look around at the rest of our group, who look somewhat helpless as they watch this unfold. Are Summer and Naomi right? I’m the only one who can rescue Beck, but is now the time? What about the big kiss we had planned after we competed tomorrow?
Someone shoves me from behind and I turn to find Zora. “Go!” she mouths.
Without overthinking it, I move until I’m standing beside Beck.
When Camila notices me, she gives me this look that is both dismissive and disgusted. I’m not sure if she thinks I’m some random fan and doesn’t recognize me, or if she’s just that rude. She at least pretended to be nice to me when we encountered each other before.
Sarah doesn’t seem to