I nodded, shy but proud. “Yesterday.”
His whole face lit up. Not polite excitement. Not supportive-friend excitement. Real joy.
“El,” he said softly, “you’re going to be amazing.”
My cheeks warmed again. “You’ve even seen me skate,” I said, my words laced with self-deprecation.
“I have,” he murmured. “You just don’t know how good you are yet.”
I ducked my head, smiling like an idiot.
And we kept talking, warm and close, the world softening around us as if it knew something was blooming.
Rehearsal was just winding down when I walked into the lot. Kids streamed out of the community theater doors like a flock of loud, brightly colored birds. I spotted Ava instantly, headphoneson, backpack half-zipped, animatedly talking to Leo while he bounced like a neon ping-pong ball beside her.
Before I could even get out of the car, a woman with blond hair cut into a bob that framed her face beautifully stepped up beside me.
“Eleanor.”
“I’m Becca,” she said, offering a hand and a very knowing smile. “We meant briefly at the picnic.”
“I remember, how are you?”
“I’m good. I’ve heard a lot about you lately.”
My stomach did a traitorous flutter. “You . . . have?”
“Oh yeah.” She nodded, eyes sparkling. “Alex is a lightweight. He tries to play it cool, but the man has been smiling at his phone all week.”
My face went hot. “We’re just?—”
“Uh-huh,” she said, cutting me off gently. “I know him too well. I know the look.”
Before I could attempt an argument, Leo spotted us and came barreling over, cape flying and mismatched socks scrunched around his ankles.
“Hi, Miss Eleanor!” he shouted, skidding to a stop. “Did you know Ava is really good at pretending to be a villain? She did the laugh and everything. It was amazing.”
Ava trailed behind him, barely containing her own grin.
Becca leaned close to me. “He adores her already.”
That warmth in my chest expanded further..
Then Leo turned abruptly. “Can Ava come over?”
Ava’s eyes widened behind her headphones. “Can I?”
“Oh—um.” I tried to regroup. “It’s a school night, sweetheart. Not tonight.”
“But tomorrow is Friday,” Leo said matter-of-factly, hands on hips like a tiny lawyer presenting Exhibit A.
Ava nodded vigorously. “And Friday is not a school night.”
I blinked. “Well . . . no.”
Becca bit back a smile. “They’re not wrong.”
The kids stood shoulder to shoulder, united in the most powerful force known to humankind,tiny best friends with shared chaos energy.
