Broken Hands

48. Snitchers

"Try to lean forward, Julian—just slightly bent!" Grace's voice rang out from the stands, carrying over the cold hum of the ice rink. She leaned forward herself, as if physically willing Julian to follow her advice.

Julian, drenched in effort and frustration, gave a tense nod. He adjusted his posture, his skates scraping against the ice as he attempted the maneuver once more. The motion was almost there—but his balance faltered, and he went sprawling, sliding awkwardly across the ice. The sting of the fall was more to his pride than anything else.

"Come on, Julian! Get back up!" Grace shouted, her enthusiasm undimmed. Her grin practically sparkled as she clapped her hands. "You've got this—try harder!"

Gritting his teeth, Julian scrambled to his feet, shaking off the dull ache in his knees. With determination etched across his face, he set up for the spin again. This time, he leaned forward just as Grace had instructed. The spin completed smoothly, and Julian slid to a stop, his skates cutting clean lines into the ice. Relief and pride swept over him as Russell's applause echoed in the rink.

"That's my cousin!" Russell whooped from the sidelines, a wide grin on his face.

Julian skated off the ice, his chest heaving as he untied his blades and packed them neatly into his bag. His fingers worked through the laces automatically, his mind still replaying the successful spin.

Grace rushed over with Russell at her side, her oversized anime T-shirt swaying with her movements. The bold black shirt contrasted with her white joggers, her unique style a perfect match for her quirky personality. "That was awesome, Yandere Prince!" she said, her grin wide and genuine.

Julian offered her a small smile—a flicker of gratitude—but it didn't linger. He slung his bag over his shoulder, his mind wandering even as they strolled out of the building into the cool evening air.

The three of them walked toward the parking lot, the crunch of gravel underfoot blending with Grace's chatter. When her Uber arrived, she waved them off with an exaggerated flourish.

Julian watched the car pull away, a soft sigh escaping his lips. Grace was one of a kind—brilliant, passionate, and utterly herself. He couldn't fathom why so many people at school overlooked her. She had the raw talent to become a renowned anime author someday, no question. And then there was Russell, who clearly appreciated Grace's quirks more than he'd admit. Julian didn't miss the way Russell laughed at her jokes, or how his gaze lingered with genuine admiration.

Julian glanced at Russell as they started walking again. He wouldn't bring it up. Not after the mess with Emily. Russell had been crushed by that breakup, and Emily's current status as a school outcast only made the situation more complicated. Russell didn't need more heart breaks or trials for now, so Julian didn't think of mentioning it, yet.

"Everything okay up there?" Russell's voice broke through Julian's thoughts.

"Huh?" Julian blinked, turning his head.

"You've been off since morning," Russell pressed, his eyes sharp even in the dim light of the streetlamps. "It's already seven, man. Back to earth."

Julian hesitated, his hand tightening around the strap of his bag. "It's nothing. Just...worried about Grayson."

Russell let out a heavy sigh. "Who else could dull your mood like that?" He shook his head, a hint of exasperation in his voice. "What's he up to this time? Smoking again? Sneaking out?"

"No," Julian said softly. "It's not that." He swallowed hard, his thoughts jumbling together. "He...he thinks we've changed. That we care less about him now."

Russell slowed his pace, his brows furrowed in confusion. "Why would he think that?"

Julian kept his eyes straight ahead as they walked down the street. His tone was steady, but a hint of guilt seeped through. "Well... he figured it out. That we told on him."

Russell sucked in a sharp, nervous breath. "Damn. That's bad." His steps faltered, and he raked a hand through his damp hair. "He'll think we betrayed him. I told you, Julian, stuff like this is delicate. Even if you had to tell, it doesn't matter. He won't see it that way."

Julian sighed heavily, the weight of his actions pressing down on him like the humid night air. It gets worse. He said he's being sent to a boot camp for the holiday. You know that screams your dad right?" His voice cracked slightly, betraying his frustration. "That's just... unfair."

Russell stopped in his tracks, his voice low with disbelief. "Are you serious?"

Julian nodded. "Too harsh, right? I'm gonna talk to your dad."

Russell let out a nervous, short laugh, shaking his head. "Don't you dare. You know him. It'll only backfire. Don't come crying to me when it does."

Julian frowned, his frustration bubbling to the surface. "Grayson can't miss another holiday with us, it is tearing us apart. And this might be our last summer together. Who knows? You're heading off to college, and so is he."

Russell shrugged a shoulder, his face pinched with doubt. "There's gotta be a reason Dad decided that. I know he can be tough—really tough—but sending Grayson to boot camp? It doesn't make sense unless..." He trailed off, his gaze dropping to the cracked pavement. "Unless Grayson did something really bad. That'd explain why he's still grounded."

Julian snapped his fingers. "The gang. Smoking. Remember how we spilled the beans?"

Russell frowned, his tone skeptical. "The gang? Yeah. But smoking? No, not at all. We never mentioned that. And Dad only found out about the drugs. Even then, he never said Grayson was going to boot camp."

Julian slowed his pace, shrugging as his mind raced. "What if he found out about more? Like... the time he asked about that Aiden guy. And Amber."

Russell's expression melted into a thoughtful one. "Yeah. That track. Still, only Grayson can tell us for sure, Dad is not an option."

Julian nodded seriously, "Yeah, and we need to find a way to get to him."

"Let me handle it." Russell said. "I know what to do."

Julian stared ar him hating how they'd grown apart, Grayson use to fit in their circle but now, he was too cold too distance, and he saw the negative side of everything. Julian suspected that it was due to the fact they had gone for the holiday without him, and he probably grew to the solitude.

Sighing, Julian nodded as Russell pulled him in a side hug while the walk the street...

A/N

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