After staring at each other for a few seconds, we both went back to silently unlacing our skates and putting our shoes back on. All the while, sneaking flirtatious glances out of the corner of our eyes. My heart hadn’t stopped behaving like a drum set at a rock concert. It was still grooving, and gave me an extra little pulse of bass every time Gabriel looked my way. Finally, when we both had our skates off, Gabriel turned to me. Excitement danced in his eyes. He took my hands in his and held them tight.
“I really want to ask you a question, but I’m afraid of freaking you out. If you have any inkling of running away again, tell me now and I’ll zip my lips.”
I laughed and shook my head. No, the running away part was over. I’d been fully convinced of the charms of Gabriel’s lips. In fact, I fully hoped he was going to ask me if he could kiss me again.
“So I know this might be too soon, but it’s coming up this weekend, so I have to ask now or I’ll never forgive myself. Do you want to go to the Winter Ball with me on Saturday?”
A massive smile sprung to my face. Maybe it wasn’t another make-out session, but it made me just as excited. Gabriel and me at the winter ball? That was seriously a dream image. Not only would I no longer be the terrible fifth wheel to Lexi and Charlotte’s fairytale image, but I’d be on Gabriel Corrigan’s arm. I couldn’t think of anything I wanted to do more.
Except...Saturday was the day of the final round of the tournament.
It was the day I was supposed to prove to everyone once and for all that girls could game.
And by the time the dance came around, Gabriel would know the truth.
What was I supposed to do?
He must’ve seen the battle raging in my eyes because he put a finger under my chin and lifted it just enough to get me to look at him. “Am I totally freaking you out right now?”
“No.” I smiled sadly at him. If only he could know how much I wished I could go back in time and take back the catfishing plan. And then, I’d say yes in a heartbeat to his question. Fancy dress and all. “I actually really want to go with you.”
He gave me a heartbreaker grin that made my girly hormones go crazy. “Good, it’s settled. I’ll have the gaming tournament in the morning and then the world’s most beautiful date to a dance that night.”
“Um...sure.”
He pumped his eyebrows. “But I guess we’d better actually get to work on that project or Coach Hart is gonna make me do suicide drills on the ice all weekend long. Then I’ll have to miss everything.”
I laughed nervously, but he didn’t seem to pick up on the tone. With a quick peck on my lips, he went to grab his backpack. I didn’t have the heart to pull him back. How could I have explained to Gabriel that in a few days if I went through with my master plan, he wasn’t going to want to have anything to do with me?
I couldn’t. He wouldn’t understand. And I didn’t really feel like killing this major buzz I’d gotten from that whirlwind of a kiss. My lips still tingled, my limbs were jelly. A hundred butterflies still fluttered around the inside of my belly.
So the only thing I could do was let him believe we were going to have a magical time at this dance on Saturday. For the next couple days, we’d both live in a dream world where that happy ending was possible. Because that’s what I wanted, too. I’d wish for it over and over again until I believed it could happen.
That Gabriel would find it in himself to forgive me.
Chapter Seventeen
My heart wouldn’t quit hammering, even though it’d been an hour since I’d left the ice rink.
I stepped into the school gym, searching for two particular faces. The place smelled like old gym shoes and wax. It didn’t take long to find what I was looking for. With my height and the few handfuls of people volunteering to decorate for the school dance this weekend, Lexi and Charlotte were easily spotted on the other side near the stands. Hustling forward, I zigzagged through the boxes of icicles and streamers that had yet to be hung and headed straight for my targets.
I needed guidance when it came to Gabriel. It was a red alarm kind of moment. Last year, if something like this had happened to me, I probably would’ve gone home and stewed about it in my room. I would’ve put in my newest Final Fantasy disc and played until I could turn off the overwhelming feelings bubbling up from inside of me. But this year was different. This year, I had two girls who could help me make sense of everything I was feeling. They’d been there with their own guys. And they’d be there for me.
“Pssst,” I said, coming up behind them.
Lexi held a mangled silver tinsel star in her hands. She was staring at it in disgust. But as soon as she heard me, she dropped the star and a bright smile popped on her face. “Good, you’re here! We could use someone with your height. The janitors only let us borrow one ladder and it’s making everything run at a glacial pace.”
“I’m not really here to decorate.” I wrung my hands together, looking around to make sure no one was within hearing distance. “I’ve got something to tell you, actually.”
“Are you okay?” Charlotte dropped a roll of tulle and grabbed my arm. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. And everything.” I laughed nervously.
“Weren’t you supposed to be finishing up your anatomy project with Gabriel tonight?” she asked.
I nodded uselessly, unable to form the words that I needed to say.
Lexi squinted suspiciously at me. “Why is your face so red? Did you...?” Her eyes widened suddenly. “Did you guys kiss again?”