Edge Of The Ice (On Going And Own Book)

Breaking The Ice. 62

Alex pushed himself harder, faster, as if skating could erase the tangled mess of emotions that weighed him down. The cold air rushed past his face, biting at his skin, but it felt good-cleansing almost. He darted from one end of the rink to the other, his muscles burning with each turn, each push.

"Good," Natalie called from the sidelines. "Keep it up! Give me two more sprints!"

He nodded, his focus sharpening. This was the part he liked best-the simplicity of movement, the clarity that came from pushing his body to its limits. There was no room for anything else when he skated like this. No room for doubt, fear, or confusion. Just the rhythm of his blades cutting the ice and the steady beat of his heart.

But as he rounded the final turn, a flicker of movement at the edge of the rink caught his eye. Alex slowed, his breath heavy, and squinted toward the stands. A figure was standing near the entrance, bundled up in a hoodie, their dark hair peeking out from beneath the hood. His heart skipped.

Cass.

"What are you doing here so early?" Alex called, skating toward the boards, a mix of surprise and something else-something warm-rising inside him.

Cass shrugged, shoving their hands into their pockets. "Figured I'd get some practice in before it gets crowded." Their tone was casual, but their eyes lingered on Alex longer than usual.

"On the hockey rink?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow. "I thought you preferred the smooth ice of the figure skating rink next door."

Cass smirked, though it didn't quite reach their eyes. "Guess I was hoping for some company."

Alex's heart gave an odd lurch at that, but he tried to play it cool. "Well, I'm almost done with my session. Maybe we can grab a coffee after?"

Cass's smirk softened into something gentler. "Sure, sounds good."

Natalie's voice cut through the moment. "Alex! One more lap, let's go!"

Alex grimaced and shot Cass an apologetic look. "I'll be quick."

Cass waved him off. "Take your time."

As Alex skated away, he couldn't help but glance back at Cass, who had taken a seat on the bleachers, their gaze following him as he moved. There was something different in their expression today-something quieter, almost vulnerable. It made Alex's chest tighten.

He finished his final lap, but his mind was already spinning in a different direction. Cass never showed up to the rink this early. Something had to be bothering them. And while Alex didn't want to pry, the protective part of him-the part that had been growing closer to Cass with every passing day-wanted to know what was going on.

Once he finished, he skated over to Natalie, who was jotting down notes on her clipboard. "I'm done for the day. Mind if I head out?"

Natalie glanced up, giving him a once-over. "You're not leaving because of distractions, are you?"

Alex shook his head quickly. "No, just... plans."

She looked unconvinced but didn't press further. "Fine. But don't let your guard down, Alex. You've been working hard, and the competition is coming up fast."

"I won't," he promised, pulling off his gloves and making his way to the bench. Cass was waiting for him at the edge of the rink, their hands still shoved deep into their hoodie pockets.

"Ready?" Alex asked, grabbing his bag and slinging it over his shoulder.

Cass nodded, though their usual bravado seemed to be missing. "Yeah, let's go."

They walked out of the rink together, the early morning sun just beginning to filter through the clouds. The coffee shop across the street was warm and inviting, and they slipped inside, grateful for the sudden rush of heat. Cass ordered a black coffee, and Alex got his usual caramel latte, the sweet smell of coffee grounds filling the air between them as they found a table near the window.

For a while, they sat in silence, the only sound between them the occasional sip from their mugs. Alex watched Cass from across the table, trying to figure out how to break the quiet tension that had settled between them.

"You alright?" he finally asked, leaning forward slightly.

Cass stared into their coffee for a moment before answering. "Yeah. Just... been thinking a lot lately."

"About what?" Alex pressed gently, not wanting to push too hard.

Cass let out a long breath, their shoulders slumping slightly. "About everything, really. Skating, school, home... us."

Alex's heart stumbled at that last word. "Us?"

Cass looked up, their dark eyes locking onto his with an intensity that made Alex's pulse quicken. "Yeah, us. I don't know... I feel like things are changing. Between us, I mean."

Alex swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. "Is that... a bad thing?"

Cass hesitated, their gaze dropping back to their coffee. "I don't know. I'm just not sure where I stand with you, Alex. Or with myself."

The admission hit Alex like a punch to the gut. He'd known something had been off, but hearing it out loud made it feel more real. More complicated.

"I didn't mean to make things confusing," Alex said quietly, his hands wrapped tightly around his coffee cup. "I just... I care about you, Cass. Maybe more than I should."

Cass's lips twitched into a faint smile, though it didn't quite reach their eyes. "That's the thing. I care about you too. But I'm scared."

Alex blinked, surprised. "Scared? Of what?"

Cass set down their cup and leaned back in their chair, crossing their arms over their chest as if bracing themselves. "Scared of what this could mean. For us, for skating... for everything. If we get closer, what happens when things get messy? What happens if one of us screws it all up?"

The raw honesty in Cass's voice made Alex's chest ache. He hadn't thought about the consequences, at least not in the way Cass was describing. To him, being with Cass felt like something natural, something good. But Cass was right-things could get messy. Skating was already complicated enough, and throwing feelings into the mix could make everything more fragile.

But wasn't that what made it worth it?

Alex took a deep breath, his gaze steady on Cass's face. "I don't know what's going to happen, Cass. But I do know that I don't want to run from this. From whatever's happening between us. We don't have to have all the answers right now. We can just... take it one step at a time."

Cass looked at him for a long moment, their expression unreadable. Then, slowly, they nodded. "One step at a time," they repeated softly, as if testing the words.

Alex smiled, relief washing over him. "Yeah. We'll figure it out."

For the first time that morning, the tension between them eased. Cass picked up their coffee again, their grip less tense now. "So, what's the plan for the rest of the day?" they asked, their tone lighter.

Alex leaned back in his chair, feeling the warmth of the coffee shop settle into his bones. "Well, I was thinking we could work on some skating stuff together. Maybe practice a bit of choreography?"

Cass raised an eyebrow. "Choreography? You're trying to step into figure skating territory now?"

Alex grinned. "Hey, I've seen your routines enough times. I think I've picked up a few things."

Cass chuckled, the sound light and easy. "Alright, we'll see if you've got what it takes."

As they finished their coffees and got ready to head back to the rink, Alex couldn't help but feel hopeful. Things weren't perfect, and there were still so many questions left unanswered. But for the first time in a long while, he felt like he and Cass were on the same page, moving toward something real.

And as they walked back into the cold, the morning sun now fully shining overhead, Alex realized that sometimes, taking things one step at a time was all you really needed.