Edge Of The Ice (On Going And Own Book)

Unravelling Threads.26

Alex walked slowly through the parking lot, his breath visible in the cold evening air. The late winter chill was biting, but he welcomed it. Anything to clear his mind. The sun was already beginning to set, casting long shadows across the pavement, and the streetlights flickered to life above him.

His mind was racing, but his body felt heavy—drained from practice and from constantly balancing everyone’s expectations. He thought about texting Cass again, but even thinking about their conversation made his heart race with guilt. They deserved someone who could be there for them, who wasn’t constantly distracted by drills, skates, and tournaments.

The thought of losing them clawed at his chest, making it hard to breathe.

Just as he reached the edge of the parking lot, a familiar voice called out to him. “Alex!”

He turned to see Darcy, Cass’s best friend, jogging toward him. Her breath came out in puffs as she caught up, tucking a strand of bright blue hair behind her ear. “Hey, been looking for you,” she said, slightly out of breath.

“Hey, Darcy,” Alex greeted her, trying to sound casual. He shoved his hands in his pockets to keep the cold from biting too much, though he knew it was also to avoid fidgeting under her gaze.

Darcy had always been fiercely protective of Cass, and Alex knew she wasn’t blind to the tension that had been growing between them lately. She was the type of person who saw right through everything, and that made her presence both reassuring and unnerving.

“Cass didn’t tell me you’d be practicing this late,” she said, falling into step beside him. “I figured you’d both be hanging out after school.”

Alex shrugged, kicking at a patch of gravel on the ground. “Had a long practice. Coach is on us hard for regionals.”

“Yeah, I figured,” Darcy replied, her tone neutral, though there was a sharpness beneath it that Alex couldn’t ignore. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, as if assessing something. “You guys good?”

Alex hesitated. He wasn’t sure how to answer that. “I guess? I mean, it’s just… everything’s been a lot lately. I’m trying to figure it all out.”

Darcy nodded, her gaze fixed ahead as they walked. “Yeah, I get it. Cass has been feeling it too, you know? They’re working their ass off for this showcase, but… they miss you, Alex.”

Her words hit him like a punch to the gut. He’d known it, of course, but hearing it from someone else made it feel even more real. He felt a wave of guilt wash over him. “I miss them too,” he admitted quietly. “I’m just trying to… balance everything. But it feels like I’m failing at it.”

Darcy stopped walking, turning to face him fully. Her expression softened, but there was still that edge of protectiveness in her eyes. “Look, I’m not trying to make you feel bad, but Cass doesn’t need you to be perfect. They just need you to be there. Even if it’s messy, even if you don’t have all the answers right now. Just show up for them.”

Alex swallowed hard, Darcy’s words sinking in. She was right. He’d been so focused on not letting anyone down that he hadn’t realized the one thing Cass needed most was for him to stop overthinking and just be present.

“I’ll do better,” he said, more to himself than to Darcy. “I just don’t want to screw this up.”

Darcy gave him a small, encouraging smile. “You won’t. But don’t wait too long to figure that out. Cass is patient, but they’ve got their own stuff going on too.”

Alex nodded, feeling the weight of her words settle over him. Darcy clapped him on the shoulder lightly before heading off in the opposite direction. “See you around, Alex.”

He stood there for a moment, watching her disappear down the street. The streetlights flickered above him, casting dim, uneven light across the pavement, and Alex felt something shift inside him. Darcy was right. If he didn’t step up and show Cass that they mattered—really mattered—he was going to lose them. And that was the one thing he couldn’t bear.

Taking a deep breath, he pulled out his phone again, his fingers hesitating over the screen. He opened his text thread with Cass, staring at the blinking cursor for what felt like an eternity before finally typing.

Alex: Can we talk?

A few seconds later, the three dots appeared.

Cass: Yeah. Come over?

Alex’s heart pounded as he read the message. It was a simple invitation, but it felt like the door to something bigger. Something that could either pull them back together or push them further apart.

He started walking again, faster this time, heading toward Cass’s place, his mind racing with everything he wanted to say. There was no more time for second-guessing. He needed to be there—really be there—for Cass, before it was too late.