Autumn Flame (Seasons #2 )

Chapter 9: The Bear and the Ballerina

I smack Preston's chest. "Stop crouching, you'll rat us out. Remember, we're just another pair of students here."

Sneaking onto campus was surprisingly easy, given that we are college students. We blended right in, even if I forgot to change out of my NYU hoodie.

He clears his throat. "Yeah, for sure. We go to Cornell like all these other students. Go Big Red!" A random kid walking past us fist-bumps him, and he beams proudly. "You know, I like this campus. It's very..."

"Middle of bumfuck nowhere?" I supply?

"I was going to say woodsy," he replies. "It's nice being in nature. The air is sort of," he inhales, "cleaner."

"We have parks," I say, indignant.

He gives me a look. "Washington Square Park is not the same as upstate New York, and you know it."

"Don't be a traitor," I retort, then tap his chest. "I think that's it, up ahead."

We cross the road to an industrial-looking building and quickly find the ice.

Preston's eyes grow big when he lays them on the rink. "Man, just seeing this makes me want to lace up right now."

"Easy there, grizzly bear," I grip his shoulder. "Not yet."

A group of girls clad in black practice gear glide along the ice, doing different forms and jumps that are all, frankly, very impressive to baby deer legs like me. The last time I skated was last winter when I visited my grandmother in Peregrine Hollow. I crashed into Felicity and embarrassed Preston in the process, but it helped them meet and sparks flew. The rest is history and it's all thanks to me, duh. So, I can't give up on them now when they've gone so far. They are just perfect for each other. He's a hockey boy, she's a figure-skating girl. He's a big grizzly bear, and she's an ice ballerina. Most importantly, they make each other laugh all the time and light each other up like no other couple I've ever seen. They're the real deal.

I look over and find the bear next to me practically drooling as he watches Felicity perform a double axel.

"Damn, that's impressive," I whistle.

"She is," says Preston with a dreamy look.

"We got this," I fist-bump him.

He nods solemnly and checks the other end of the arena where the marching band waits. Well, I say a marching band, but it's really just three dudes who are friends with the one dude who's friends with Preston from their fancy private school and is doing him a favor.

"How do I look?" he asks, standing up tall.

I scan him from the gelled hair to the dope kicks. "Like the guy who gets the girl. Go get her, big guy."

He grins, fiddling with the obnoxiously large bouquet of roses he bought. When he told me the price, I damn nearly fainted.

S'all good, though. Felicity is worth it.

The team of figure skaters below disperses, and as the girls make their way to the edge of the rink, we give the signal.

The band is first. They pump out a popular song that Felicity and Preston love.

The look of the girls below is one of confusion until they spot the band and erupt in laughter. One pulls out a phone and begins recording, catching on that something's about to happen.

Preston sets down from our direction, flower bouquet in front.

One of the girls spots him and points up. Felicity follows her hand. Her face darkens when she finds Preston on the steps.