Breaking the Ice Read Online Free PDF

Nationals. All I can see is that she has dark, curly hair. Wait . . .
    I turn to Miyu. “Is that—”
    â€œJessa Hernandez. She won Nationals a couple of years ago.”
    â€œWow.” I watch Jessa dig her toe pick into the ice behind her and launch into a triple flip. She rotates three times in the air before landing gracefully on one foot. “I thought she retired after her big meltdown at Worlds. I didn’t know she was skating here.”
    â€œShe’s been trying to make a comeback,” Miyu says. “I think this is her year.”
    Miyu skates off to have a lesson with Karilee, the hugging coach, and I wrench my eyes from Jessa and begin to move around the rink.
    As I watch Miyu work on spins, I realize how ­different she is from Ellery. She never mentioned my outburst at ­Praterville, even though she was the one who helped pick up all the medals. A smile creeps across my face as I realize no one here—not even the coaches—said anything about the competition. It’s like it doesn’t even matter to them.
    I feel lighter somehow, as if the whole thing was just a bad dream. I push off and warm up with an energy I haven’t felt since before Praterville. I don’t think about the judges’ scores or what I said. Instead I fly across the ice, taking care not to get in anyone’s way. I do my favorite old crossover and turn patterns. I don’t think I’ve ever skated this fast in my life.
    It feels good.
    The session flies by. With only five minutes left, I do one last double axel, my hardest jump. Skating forward on one foot, I leap up, twist around two and a half times, and land backward. Perfect. I glide to the boards, where I left my water next to Miyu’s stuff. I grasp my purple plastic bottle and chug. The water’s freezing cold from sitting in the rink. I can almost feel it rolling down into my stomach.
    â€œI saw your double axel,” a voice says over my shoulder. “It’s pretty good.”
    I almost choke on the water as I spin around. A guy standsat the boards next to me. And not just any guy. A really, really cute one.
    â€œUm . . .” He points at my chin.
    Too late, I feel the water dribbling down from my mouth and threatening to drip from my chin. I swipe at it and wish I could think of something funny to say to make him laugh.
    â€œI’m new here,” I say instead. Which is probably the dumbest thing ever.
    But instead of saying I know or Duh, that’s obvious , the cute guy grins. He pushes his swishy brown hair out of his eyes.
    â€œYou probably already know that,” I say for him. I seriously wish I could start this whole conversation over.
    â€œSo, what’s your story?” he asks as he leans against the boards. He’s a little taller than me, but looks about the same age.
    â€œMy story?”
    Miyu slides to a stop next to me. “This is Kaitlin,” she says to him. “She’s checking us out to see if we’re good enough for her.”
    â€œNo, that’s not—” I start to say, but Swishy Hair nods.
    â€œShe’s gotta have a story, or why else would she be here?” he says.
    Miyu taps her blade guards against her gloved hand and narrows her eyes at him. “Don’t you have something to ­practice?”
    He ignores Miyu and waves at me. “See you Monday, Double Axel. Tell me your story then.”
    â€œWhat was he talking about?” I ask Miyu when he leaves.
    She shakes her head. “Who knows?”
    Swishy Hair swoops by us and jumps into a perfect ­double axel.
    And I realize I’m looking forward to seeing him again Monday.

Chapter Six

    DUH. THAT’S Y IT’S FALL DOWN CLUB.
    I read the text from Ellery and try to think of what to say next. Houses and stores slip by the van window as the sun starts to come up. It’s Monday morning, and I can imagine Ellery texting as her mom drives her to Ridgeline.
    Mom