I stared at her with wide eyes and the soft understanding look on her face tore me to pieces.
“It’ll be fun, I promise,” she said.
I drew in another shaky breath and gave them a wobbly smile that I knew wasn’t convincing in the slightest. Dread was quickly pooling low in my guy, and I was scrambling to findsomeof the same optimism they both clearly had. I needed to do this for them.
“So, two weeks?” I eked out.
“Yep! So get packed and make a list of anything you might need,” she said, reaching over to give me a hug, “You’re going to love it out there.”
I wasn’t very hopeful.
Two weeks passedby too quickly.
Now almost 24 hours later, we were climbing out of the black Volvo XC90 Dad had rented and snow crunched under my boots. The sun shone high in the sky, but the air was still cold. I wrapped my jacket tighter around my body and snuggled deeper into my scarf.
The Lodge.
I snorted, finding the name funny.
It was rustic and stunning, the mountains and evergreens surrounded it on three of its sides. It was nestled in a little valley and I hated to admit that my parents had been right. I took a deep breath. I kind of loved it here, it felt isolated…free.
For over a year, I barely left my house. I didn’t travel. I didn’t go anywhere if I could help it. But here…here I felt like maybe I could leave everything else behind me.
Just a bit freer.
I took another breath, smelling snow in the air and the burning of wood. I steadied myself and then turned to help unload the car.
Maybe this next month wouldn’t be so bad.
CHAPTER 4
aimee
Lizzy_Harrod: God, can you imagine being the reason that happened to your partner?
JustJustine : @_AsherLeland was always too good for her
user7493367783 : @AimeeBryant sucks
HayleeRey_ : @AimeeBryant , it should have been you.
“Professional Figure SkaterAimee Bryant has the ISU and the Olympic Committee rethinking what is and isn’t allowed on the ice for future competitions. After the unfortunate accident involving her partner and boyfriend Asher Leland, it looks like the rules will be changing for upcoming hopefuls.”
“It’s utter bullshit.I’ve worked my ass off—I idolized Aimee. I considered her to be one of the greats, or at least on track tobecome one of them. But she flew too close to the sun, and now we’re all going to be penalized for it.”
Brit_Bosner: @AimeeBryant I hope you rot in hell you stupid bitch
HaydenF_ ; @AimeeBryant Sucks about your boyfriend. I’m available if you need a good pounding.
Greta.Newman : @_AsherLeland we will always love you!
‘The ISUand Olympic Committee has come out to announce that quads and intricate aerial skills have been banned from all competitions and Olympic Ice. This ruling will most likely have adverse trickle down effects on all levels of Competitive Figure Skating. Coaches and skaters will now have to rework existing programs and have them be vetted by an elected committee. With one wrong move, one disaster, Aimee Bryant’s Legacy goes from one of budding stardom, to one of the biggest falls in the history of the sport.
CHAPTER 5
aimee
An hour later,after Eloise and I had fought over who would sleep in each bed—I got the one near the window—we were walking around outside.
