Page 63 of Wonderstruck

Daisy got up, wandering over to my dresser and leaning against it, herreflection half-captured in the mirror. “And we’ll all be there to remind you of that before you skate,” she said, her smile laced through her tone.

Cora stayed sprawled on my bed, her elbow propping up her head. With an exaggerated roll of her eyes, she grinned. “I’m buzzing to watch you skate. I’ve been dying for this.”

“Me too,” Daisy chimed. “I haven’tstopped thinking about it.”

A text tone chirped from Cora’s phone, stealing her attention. But as sheglanced at the screen, her dark eyes scanning whatever it was, her smile faltered. Then without a word, she tossed the phone to the foot of the bed. Sitting up, she hugged her knees to her chest, her voice suddenly more clipped. “Besides, it’s the perfect excuse to skip this press event tonight.”

It was as if spotlights fell onto her at thatmoment.

Goldie tilted her head, her brows pinched. “Wait, that was tonight? And you’re not going?”

Daisy leaned forward, curiosity flashing in her eyes. “But isn’t what’s-her-facestarring in it? You’re obsessed with her! She’ll be there. And that blonde surfer influencer from California that you’ve been crushing on forever?”

Cora’s lips quirked at one corner—asmile so faint it was almost a grimace. “Yeah, I know,” she said softly. “But I’m not feeling it. I’d rather celebrate Ror. This is a big deal.”

Her words were sweet, but somethingabout the way she said my name pulledmy attention. It wasn’t like her to hold back. Cora was probably the boldest out of us, like an onyx shield that could handle any hit that tried to break it. She was never the kind to retreat. Not with us, anyway.

Folding my arms, I narrowed my eyes ather. “What aren’t you telling us?

Hergaze darted to me, sharp butguarded. “Nothing,” she said with a small,hollow laugh. “Seriously. You’re more important than some stupid event that I don’t even want to go to anyway.”

I tilted my head, studying her smile, the faint tension in her shoulders. “Yeah, I get that. But there’s something else. I can see it.”

Cora’s gaze flickered between us, thendropped. She let out a long breath andshrugged, her smile softening. “It’s nothing, honestly. I’ve just been in my head lately. All these events, the brand deals, the… everything. It’s like it’s taking over my life. I haven’t touched a canvas in weeks, and I think that’s what’s been nagging at me. I’m afraid I’m losing my grip on everything.”

The confession sounded genuine—toogenuine to argue with. But somethingabout the way she hugged her knees tighter, her fingers fidgeting with the fabric of her jeans, and the subtle glances towards her phone set off a quiet alarm in my chest.

Something was off.That much was clear.

But I didn’t press. If Cora wasn’t readyto share, I’d wait. Pushing her nevergot you anywhere.

“Well, that’s understandable,” Daisysaid, her voice warm as she leaned backagainst the dresser. “You’ve got a lot on your plate. But hey, maybe tonight will help clear your head. Watching Ror crush it might inspire you or something.”

Cora’s smile stretched a little wider,though it didn’t quite reach her eyes.“Maybe.” A moment later she shook her hair from her face, her eyes darting back to me. “But seriously, get changed before I add you to my ‘crushes of the month’ spreadsheet.”

“Miss Aspen, she looks green. And I’msupposed to be the only green one!”Junie, the little eight-year-old who’d gotten the role of the Wicked Witch of the West, stomped her foot in front of me as she turned to find Aspen, her tiny brown pigtails bouncing.

Aspen came bounding over, sweatdripping from her forehead from trying tohuddle up sixteen of the little skaters since they all arrived an hour ago. Her eyes raked me up and down as she crouched to Junie’s level, passing me a smile before turning her attention to her. “I think it is near impossible for anyone to look as green as you right now, Junie.” She arched her head over her shoulder. “How about you go help Leisel with her skates? Show her that neat trick that you do with your laces.”

Junie, clever thing that she was,narrowed her eyes at Aspen. “But she’sGlinda. I can’t be seen being nice to her.”

“And why not?” Aspen laughed.

Junie shook her head like whatever wasabout to leave her mouth was the mostobvious thing in the world. “What if the judges see? They’ll take points away from me for my lack of commitment to the character.”

Both mine and Aspen's heads fellforward, our giggles mingling. The nerves had been building since I walked into the rink, but that little release, that laugh, it did wonders.

“You’ll be fine, now go help her out,honey.” Aspen patted Junie on the tip ofher witches hat, before claiming the spot next to me on the bench. “She has a point, you don’t look well. Is it nerves?”

I nodded, reaching my arms up to mypigtails to tighten the blue ribbons that bound my braids. “I think this is the pinnacle of nervousness. I don’t think anyone on the planet has ever felt this nervous before.”

“I think I have you beat. Don’t you remember that one sectionals when I was up against the girl who’d made it to the Olympic try-outs but didn’t make it through? And the year I finally made it to sectionals justhadto be the year everyone was hoping that she’d win?”

I nodded, the memories flooding mymind. “I do. I think I remember mom holding back someone's hair at some point?”

Aspen nodded, her cheeks reddening.“That would have been me, when I threw up.” She nudges me. “So if you’ve not thrown up yet, I still have you beat.”

I hold my finger up and I shuffle. “Holdthat thought—”

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