Page 29 (1/2)
Wendy had a big sreat"
Becka smiled sheepishly "So do you" She inspected Wendy almost in disbelief, as if Wendy had been resurrected from the dead "You cut your hair"
Wendy touched it self-consciously "Is it too short?"
"No!" Becka said quickly "It’s really cute"
Both of thehed, and Becka looked over "Oh! This is Emily My new Tree Tops friend"
Eernails were painted seashell pink, and there was a Pokémon appliqué on her thu up her skates "Do you guys skate a lot?" Emily asked "You both have your own skates"
"We used to," Wendy said, glancing at Becka "We took lessons together Well…sort of"
Becka giggled and E," Becka answered "Just…remember the skate rental room, Wendy?"
"Oh my God" Wendy clapped a hand over her uy’s face!"
Oh-kaaay E, as if she realized where she was--or, perhaps, who she was
When Wendy finished lacing up, they all stepped onto the rink Wendy and Becka i backward Emily, who only kne to skate forward in a so and oafish next to the for a while E noises their skatesJeremy?" Wendy asked Becka
Becka chewed on the end of her wool mitten "Not really"
"Who’s Jereirl in a Brownie uniforuy I lanced at Wendy uncomfortably "We went out for a month or two It didn’t really work out"
Wendy shrugged and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear "Yeah, I was going out with a girl froo anywhere either And I have a blind date next week, but I’o Apparently she’s into hip-hop" She wrinkled her nose
Emily suddenly realized that Wendy had said she Before she could ask, Becka cleared her throat Her jaas tense "I o on a blind date, too," she said, louder than usual "With another boy froood luck with that," Wendy said stiffly, spinning to skate forward again Only, she didn’t take her eyes off Becka, and Becka didn’t take her eyes off Wendy Becka skated up next to Wendy, it seehts dihts swirled around the rink Everyone except for a few couples tottered off the ice "Couples skate," said an Isaac Hayes imposter over the loudspeaker "Grab the one you love"
The three of them collapsed on a nearby bench as Unchained Melody belted out of the speakers Ali had once re out of couples skate "Why don’t we just skate together, E Eet what it felt like to wrap her arms around Ali To smell the sweet, Granny Smith apple scent of Ali’s neck To squeeze Ali’s hands when Ali lost her balance, to accidentally brush her arainst Ali’s bare skin
Emily wondered if she’d remember that event differently next week Would Tree Tops wipe those feelings from her mind, the way the Zamboni machine smoothed away all the nicks and skate-marks from the ice?
"I’ll be back," E clumsily on the blades of her skates to the bathroo hot water and stared at herself in the streaky ht decision, she told her reflection It was the only decision After Tree Tops, she would probably date boys just like Becka did Right?
When she walked back to the rink, she noticed that Becka and Wendy had left the bench Eet a snack, and stared at the darkened rink She saw couples with their hands intertwined Others were atte One couple hadn’t evenat it by one of the entrances The girl plunged her hands into the guy’s curly dark hair
The slow song abruptly ended and the fluorescent lights snapped back on Eirl wore a fa white ice skates The guy’s had rainbow laces And…he was in a pink A-line dress
Becka and Wendy saw Emily at the same time Becka’s mouth went round, and Wendy looked away E
Becka walked over and stood next to Euess I should explain, huh?"
The ice sle, child-size red mitten on the next bench over On the rink, a child swooped by and cried, "I’ht
"I thought Tree Tops worked," Eh her long hair "I thought it did, too But after seeing Wendy…well, I guess you got the picture" She pulled her Fair Isle sweater’s cuffs down over her hands "Maybe you can’t really change"
A hot feeling spread in E so fundaainst the principles of…of being huht--you couldn’t change who you were
Maya Emily clapped her hand over her ht now "Um, Becka," she said quietly "Can I ask you a favor?"
Becka’s eyes softened "Sure"
Emily skated for the exit "I need you to drive ht now There’s someone I have to see"