Page 96 of My Last Dance

His words made the tension in my shoulders ease a little, but I couldn’t stop wondering why he was choosing to skate with me and why he hadn’t told anyone yet. A little worry in the back of my head whispered that maybe he was still playing me, but I quickly silenced that thought. There’s no way he’d put this much work into learningice dance just for a joke. But at the same time, him saying he “just wants to” wasn’t enough for me. I needed his real reason behind skating with me.

But I had to shelf those questions for later because trivia was starting.

Kappy got every single sports question right. The guy was like a walking sports stats book. He even correctly answered a figure skating question about Sergei Grinkov and Ekaterina Gordeeva.

“Ya know, as soon as hockey’s done, you should get into sports announcing or betting or something. You’d make a killing,” Patrick advised, making him grin.

The other teams scattered around the bar were glaring at them.

When the music portion of trivia started, Patrick jotted down and turned in each answer just as quickly as Kappy had.

But then Barry read out, “This song was originally made for the 1998 romantic fantasy film starring Meg Ryan and Nicholas Cage,” making Patrick’s hand tense around his pen.

“I’m not good at movies,” Patrick said with a grimace.

“Wait, I know this one.” They both snapped their necks to me. “Am I allowed to help?”

“Yeah, as long as you’re at the table, up to four people can play,” Kappy filled in.

“The film has to beCity of Angels, right?” I whispered, peeking at the other teams to make sure they weren’t spying. “That’s Meg Ryan and Nicholas Cage. It’s gotta be that Goo Goo Dolls song.”

“Iris?” Kappy asked.

“You’re sure?” Patrick questioned.

“Maybe? I think?”

Patrick and Kappy shared a look of unease.

“Oh c’mon,” I slapped the table. “Do either of you have a better idea? That’s probably right.”

Patrick sighed while scribbling down the answer. “Okay, it’s our only shot.”

A minute later, Barry announced “Iris” as the answer and that Team Kaptrick won again for the 36th week in a row.

“Let’s go!” Kappy yelled out, grabbing Patrick’s shoulder and roughing him up.

“Wait!” Patrick stared down at the paper. “Wait, I think this is our song.”

“Huh? I don’t know if we need a song, dude,” Kappy said with achuckle. “But if we do, it should be something like ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ or ‘Eye of the Tiger’. We’re the fuckin’ champs.”

“No,” Patrick shook his head, unblinking and dead serious. “Our free dance.”

Kappy’s mouth gaped open.

I gulped.

“I think it’s ours, guys.” Patrick’s voice went louder with excitement. “This is a sign! It’s a winner!”

Patrick and I were clearly no longer telepathic, or else he would’ve heard my screaming mental protests.

“It’s the one. I can feel it.” Patrick said it with firm certainty, but my stomach filled with heavy doubt.

18. PROBLEMS

Working on our short program felt like playing backyard games again as kids. We spent half the time laughing while choreographing the dance parts, and Patrick had amazing ideas for lifts and footwork. We entered lifts in so many creative ways: I cartwheeled into him, I jumped at him, I slid through his legs and he swung me up into his arms. It was incredible. Kappy was stronger than Patrick, and he made me feel completely weightless as he helped smooth me into the correct lift position.

But working on our free dance was the real test of will power.

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