idiots to lovers | ONC 2021 | completed

12. secret

Chapter 12

There's no way I'm letting a little girl destroy our plan with the therapist. I'm about to ice-skate toward her when Kevin tightens his hold around my wrist. "Don't do anything yet," he says.

My eyes narrow. "How can I not do shit when Isabel might tell everything to her mother? Did you not see the way she was storytelling to her father? And the doctor already heard enough at lunch. I don't know about you, but I don't want to see an angry version of her."

"And what do you want to do? Ask her if she can keep it a secret? She's twelve. She won't hold anything back even if she promises it."

My eyes narrow at Kevin. "Do you have a better idea?"

"We go to the doctor and come clean now."

I shake my head. "I need one last session. My non-fiction focuses more on the therapist than on us. I find it interesting when she starts lecturing us."

Kevin passes a hand through his buzz-cut head. "I'll help you finish it, but first, we need to come clean before that little girl does it for us."

I groan, dropping my head against his chest. I can hear his heartbeat pick up the pace. "Let's just bribe her with candies and Barbies," I say.

Kevin laughs, rubbing his hands on my back in a comforting way. "She's twelve and with the brain of her mother. I doubt she'll let her guard down that easily."

I scoff. "You're rejecting all of my ideas. Either accept one, or I'll do it on my own."

"But they're all bad."

"Kevin."

He groans. "Ugh, fine. Let's bribe the little girl."

I nod, pulling away from the hug and looking around for the little girl. She's skating with her dad nearby—he's unable to leave the rail alone.

I skate toward her, my feet sliding against the ice as if just yesterday I celebrated my one-year anniversary of ice-skating. Isabel's cyan eyes fall over me, an eyebrow lifts on her smooth round-shaped face.

I skate toward her father first. I need to have his permission to offer candies. Now that I think about it, Mr. Santiago looks young to have a twelve-year-old child.

The speed of my skating makes me want to try some old tricks. I start doing forward crossovers, grinning at my body that still remembers it without making me lose balance.

Isabel's eyes are wide and she approaches me, instantly stopping me. "Can you teach me that?" she asks with a voice full of hope.

I grin. This is perfect.

I look back at Kevin, watching him slowly skate toward the rail, his eyes focused on his feet. On the other side, Isabel's father is on his phone, probably texting the doctor.

Mischief dances in my eyes as I put my hands on my bent knees, admiring how bright and pure her eyes are. That's the best part of being a kid.

"I don't teach this to anybody. You might have a price to pay," I say, holding back the cocky smirk.

"But I don't have any money yet!"

Got her.

"Well, I think I might have something in mind, but I'm not sure you'll be willing to accept," I say as I start skating around her tiny slim frame, purposely going backward.

My hands are clasped behind my back as I watch her eyes look at me in awe. "I will! Tell me, tell me!"

I halt in front of Isabel. "Simple, keep the conversation I had with my friend to yourself for life."