Page 27 of Facing Off
I smirk. “Given the choice, I’d much rather be around you.”
“Like you watch ballet,” she scoffs.
“Should I rip up my season’s subscription to your studio?” My voice lowers to a conspiratorial whisper. “Are you telling me to not support the arts?”
“Yes, to all of the above,” she snaps. “Don’t you getit? You’re not supposed to be here. So even if my overprotective brother asks you to spy on me, never listen to him.”
My smile freezes in place.Never? Does that also mean she never wants to see me?
I guess since the last time we met, nothing’s changed. She doesn’t want me around. I should take that as the rejection it is and move on.
Why can’t I do that?
Her nostrils flare. “I’m good, so you can go. I’m going to go find my dance mistress, which meansleave.”
I debate stopping her, but her parting look halts me in my tracks. It screams that if I push any harder, she’ll never forgive me. There’s this distress behind her dark eyes. As if she can’t handle this conversation any longer and needs to be alone.
I watch her leave. Then I have no choice but to force myself to walk out of the building. Later, when I’m back home, my cat, Diana, watches me repeatedly rub my face while I pace.
“She said she’s fine,” I say. “But I should tell Quinn about her performance, right?”
I take my phone out. I’ve already texted Quinn that I’d found Sonya, but I haven’t mentioned what happened on stage yet. That follow-up message is already drafted.
Turning the screen over, I let Diana read it.
Mayday! Sonya fell! Come home right away! Let’s assemble a team to see what she needs!
On that team would be Kavi. And grumpy Lokhov. And me, of course. And we’d sit Sonya down and ask her what’s going on, and she would…
Hate us.Hate me.
My shoulders curl in, when I imagine her reaction. I have a pretty solid gut feeling that she’d actually neverspeak to me if Quinn came home once I tell him about her fall. I wrinkle my brow and chew on my lip.
She said she was okay, Adrian.
But is she? If I go against her word, does it mean I don’t trust that she knows her own feelings? Is that…misogynistic?
I drop down on the couch and groan. Diana plops down on my lap, telling me in her own way to calm down. And that I’m behind schedule. I should be reviewing more hours of game tape.
Because if I don’t, I’ll also fail my teammates. That’s not an exaggeration. Being the captain of the Wings is more than having an extra letter stitched on my jersey.
I’m responsible for leading the team during our games and practices. I’m also the designated liaison between the team, coaches, and management. It’s my job to make sure we’re all working towards the same goals. On and off the ice, I have to be the glue that pulls us together.
If I do all that…
A great captain can flip a losing streak into a winning streak.
There’s a problem, though.
I haven’t been feeling like a great captain lately, no matter how hard I try. Nothing I’m doing is working.
I cuddle Diana, sneezing multiple times in a row. The allergy pills are too far away. I don’t want to stop petting her.
Diana licks my cheek. I sigh. Okay. I’ll watch the game tape now, so I can figure out how we can win again before our new season starts. And I’ll wait a few days before prodding Quinn, to see if Sonya told him about what happened herself. If she doesn’t, then I’ll mention it. That’s my plan for now.
12
SONYA
