“Then I can’t stress enough how important it is for us to show a united front. The public love to have people to root for.”
“Why does that matter? Surely, they’re just judging us based on our skating.”
“A huge part of the vote is popularity, not just skill, and it can be the difference between making it to the finals or not. The more we know each other outside the rink, the better our chemistry will be on the rink and in the cutaways.”
“We don’t needchemistry.” He spoke with disdain. “It’s a two-minute dance where we skate around each other and pretend to get along. We don’t need anything more than that.”
Fire burned in my chest and up my neck, but I doused it quickly. I would not let my hurt feelings get in the way of our winning. He just obviously didn’t like the idea of pretending we had chemistry. So what if he belittled figure skating or my expertise? I knew its worth, and starting an argument about it would only make matters worse.
“Winning the show is more than that.” I brushed off his insult, which, judging by his clenched jaw, angered him more.
“You didn’t mention this was part of the deal,” he accused Jack, who held up his hands in surrender.
“It doesn’thaveto be part of the deal,” I reassured him, not wanting to cause an argument. “We don’thaveto do this, but if you want to win the show, it’s important.”
“I’m only on this show to win. I won’t accept anything less.”
He spoke with such determination that I couldn’t help but wonder what was drivinghimto want to win the show when he seemed so unhappy to be there.
“Then we need to consider publicity. It’s no different to when you’re acting in a film and need on-screen chemistry.”
I tapped my fingers on the side of my coffee cup, searching for anything to break the quiet stretched between us. I flicked my gaze to Jack leaning back in his chair, watching Luca with an unreadable expression.
Obviously, they were comfortable with awkward silences.
I wasnot.
“Look, I am fine with just meeting for training,” I added quickly, though inside I screamed at myself for even offering it. “But if we were at least friendly with each other—”
“No. I want to win the show, but we don’t have to be ‘friends’ todo it. Surely people have won from skill alone before.” The rejection stung even though his voice had lost its sharp edge.
He was within his rights to not want to be friends, and it hadn’t bothered me in other seasons when I’d been kept at a distance.
But this is the first season you’ve actually got a shot at winning the bonus.
As an incentive, the winning professional skater received a juicy bonus. It ensured that we put everything into making it to the final—and didn’t take the easy route by being voted off in the first week.
I’dneverstood a chance of winning the bonus before, but this year it didn’t feel so out of reach. Winning the money would mean that I could afford to quit the show, which I’d been even more desperate to do since the mess with Mark last season. My mother would probably disown me if I did leave, but it would be nice to have the option.
Luca’s attitude was already complicating matters.
I wasn’t losing all hope yet, though. His celebrity status might be enough to help us win without the added publicity. Using the media would just make our job so much easier.
And to be honest, my ego couldn’t take any more rejection at that point, either.
“That’s fine, Luca. We’ll meet for training and then watch the videos. That’s all.”
That seemed to placate him long enough to wrap up our meeting civilly.
After agreeing to meet back at the studio tomorrow for our first “official” meeting in front of the cameras, Jack and Luca headedout.
And I was left wondering how onearthI was going to get us to the final.
I knew I was anasshole.
Since the Nancy ordeal, I’d promised myself I wouldn’t trust anyone so readily. She wasn’t the first person in Hollywood to fuck me over, but I’d make sure she was the last.
It didn’t matter if Jesus himself invited me to join his Last Supper in the hopes of becoming friends. It’d still be ano.
