Love at First Tracks | wlw | Seasons 1&2

8. Small Feelings

"Hey."

Summer turned her head, her legs still pumping away at the bike. On the next bike over, Juniper was doing the same, only she was also looking at Summer with a smile. A friendly smile. A smile that suggested they were real teammates who supported each other, not just two struggling people with nowhere else to turn.

Juniper hadn't tried to go back on the snow since her zero day. Summer was finally getting used to having her here in the gym. It was comforting to not be alone after the long months of isolation during her recovery, and Juniper must have felt similarly about their arrangement if she was starting the kind of conversations a person started with someone they trusted. Other girls on the team had those kinds of conversations with each other all the time. They shared what drove them, their fears, their goals. But none of them had ever wanted to talk to Summer about those things.

"Has Holly talked to you about the opening weekend events?" Juniper asked now. "I've been bullied into showing up for this fundraiser thing with the Crystal Peaks youth team tomorrow. Wanna join me? I bet the kids would love to meet you."

She turned back, feeling her thighs begin to burn as the resistance clicked up. How could Juniper so casually ask Summer to help her with publicity? "I'm trying to stay out of the public eye right now."

"Hard to do that when you're still posting content to your tens of thousands of followers."

"I have contractual obligations with my sponsors. I'm sure you understand that." Most of the posts were extra content from last year, footage from training and races before her crash. Juniper couldn't possibly think she enjoyed that part of the job.

"Sponsors. Right. I'm swimming in those, these days."

"Do you enjoy playing the victim? You chose to take a break. I didn't."

Juniper breathed in and out through her own resistance cycle. "How long do you think you can keep your injury a secret?"

Summer pedalled harder. Moisture gathered under the band of her sports bra. "I'm not trying to keep it a secret."

"Aren't you? People have noticed you're not on the World Cup. There's a lot of speculation. And yet no statement from you or Alpine Canada."

Behind them, Jie barked, "If you can chatter, you're not working hard enough!"

Juniper rolled her eyes, but the grin that split her lips was feral. "See who can finish this fastest?"

"It's about the distance, not speed."