“No,” I said immediately. “Not me. Just . . . scared of letting herself want more. She keeps pulling back right when it feels like something’s there.”
Becca nodded, thinking. “And what doyouwant?”
The question hit me somewhere deep.
What did I want?
“I want to give her space,” I said. “But I also want her to know . . . she doesn’t have to do all of this alone.”
Becca smiled softly. “Then keep showing up. Keep being steady. And let her set the pace.”
I nodded, feeling something loosen in my chest.
“What do you think about the Reapers?”
Then Becca raised an eyebrow.
“And . . . you’re really asking about derby?”
Heat crept into my face. “Not for me.”
She laughed. “Good. The Reapers would eat you alive.”
I threw a balled-up napkin at her.
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “For Eleanor. She keeps saying she could never do it, but she lit up yesterday. I’ve never seen her that happy. And I . . . I think she’d be amazing. I just don’t know if I should push. Or encourage. Or stay quiet.”
“Encourage,” Becca said immediately. “Always encourage. Because she clearly doesn’t have people in her life doing that right now.” She paused meaningfully. “And she listens to you.”
That hit harder than it should have.
“I just want her to feel like she can do things,” I murmured. “Be things. Try things. That she’s allowed to want things.”
Becca squeezed my hand. “Then keep being in her corner. That’s what she needs right now.”
My phone buzzed with a message from Eleanor.
Eleanor- Rough day yesterday. But I’m okay. And thank you . . . for everything yesterday.
My heart did a stupid, teenager-ish somersault.
Becca saw my face and smirked. “Oh yeah,” she said. “You’re a goner.”
And I didn’t even try to deny it.
I managed to make it through the day until it was time for rehearsal.
My fingers hovered over the screen for a moment before I forced myself to exhale and just . . . text her back.
Alex: I’m glad you’re okay. And I’m really glad you reached out. If you or Ava need anything — anything — I’m here.
Three dots appeared.
Then disappeared.
Then reappeared.
Before I could obsess over what that meant, Becca walked back into the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel.
