Ian moved his hand toward Ali’s arm, but Ali stepped away before he could stroke her wrist. “You know what? I’ve changed my mind. I’ll only give you a kiss if you break up with your girlfriend.”
Ian’s brow furrowed. “Melissa?”
Ali barked out a laugh. “No, Spencer. Of course Melissa. I’m not the type who goes for guys who are already taken.”
Ian crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s just a kiss.”
“My deal is final.” She spun around and sauntered toward the entrance to the ice rink.
The inside of the ice rink was dark and chilly. Team pennants and championship plaques hung on the walls, and eighties New Wave music blared from the speakers. A Zamboni groaned back and forth on the ice, clearing away all the nicks. Several little kids stood impatiently against the Plexiglas walls, their skate-clad ankles wobbling.
Ali spied Emily at the rental desk. When Emily turned and smiled, Ali’s stomach flipped over. This was the first time she’d been alone with Emily since she’d discovered the heart on Emily’s notebook. Even though she was almost positive Emily had no idea Ali knew about it, she still felt shaky, like Emily might guess that she knew.
And how could she not know? Ali had run out of the dressing room so fast. She hadn’t even tried to hide it, which wasn’t like her at all. It made her paranoid about all the other secrets in her life. What if people found out about those?
“Hey,” Emily said softly as she approached. There were two pairs of white ice skates looped over her wrist, and she wore a heavy cable-knit sweater and jeans. She handed Ali a pair of size-seven skates and sat down on the bench. “Thanks for meeting me. This is going to be so fun.”
“If you like dodging little kids,” Ali said, watching as kids in Girl Scouts uniforms and brown rental skates spilled out of the bathroom. “And falling on your butt. I haven’t skated since I was little.”
“Don’t worry,” Emily said softly. “I’ll help you.”
Ali looked at her friend, thinking about that heart again. I love Ali, it had said. Ali loved her, too, but not like that. She still didn’t know whether to be flattered or just completely weirded-out.
Ali shoved her heel into the skate boot and pulled the laces tight. She’d just finished tying a bow when the Zamboni rolled off the ice and the guards opened the gates again. The little kids dashed for the center. Disco lights dazzled the newly shiny ice. A Flo Rida song started to play.
Ali’s ankles wobbled as soon as they stepped on the ice. Emily extended her arm. “Grab on. I got you.”
Ali clung to Emily’s sleeve. Her feet zigzagged under her, and she thrust out her other arm to get her balance. When a boy in ice-hockey skates and a Flyers jersey whizzed past, almost clipping her side, Ali listed to the left, but her feet veered right. Suddenly, she was on her butt on the cold ice.
“Oops!” Emily said, helping Ali up. She navigated both of them toward the wall and instructed Ali to hold on for a moment. “Move your feet like this, in a glide,” she explained, demonstrating. Her skate cut a perfect line in the ice. “Keep your ankles stiff. And don’t stare at your feet—that’ll definitely make you fall.”
“I’m not falling ever again,” Ali muttered. But she tentatively pushed off the wall and tried to copy Emily’s movements. Her ankles wanted to turn, and her thighs burned even more than they did after running up and down the field hockey field, but after two laps around the rink, she started to get the hang of it. Actually, it was almost fun.
“See?” Emily said. “You love it, don’t you?”
“Don’t tell anyone,” Ali said, winking.
“Promise,” Emily said, giving Ali another heart-twisting smile. Ali smiled back, but then jerkily turned away.
They wove around a bunch of Girl Scouts skating in a clump and ogled the figure skaters who were doing complicated jumps in the center. Then Emily cleared her throat. “Are you excited for graduation?”
“Definitely,” Ali said. The ceremony was coming up, and they all got to wear official-looking gowns and caps, just like the seniors. “In fact, I’m going to have a little get-together the weekend before. I’ll probably invite Cassie and some of the other girls, so it will be mixed grades. Hanna is going to invite her friend Josie, too.”
“Oh.” Emily’s disconcerted expression didn’t quite match her chipper tone of voice. “Are we still having an end-of-seventh-grade sleepover?”
“As far as I know,” Ali said. “Why?”
“I just wasn’t sure.” Two pink spots appeared on Emily’s cheeks. “I mean, I haven’t seen you much lately. You haven’t, like, texted. I thought you were mad at me.”
Ali stared at the big Pepsi clock on the wall. “I’ve just been busy.”
“Okay.” Emily’s voice shook. “So . . . you’re not mad?”
Ali looked at her challengingly. “What would I be mad about?”
For a split second, she almost wanted Emily to say it. I know you saw what I wrote about you on my notebook. Maybe it would be better to get it out in the open.
“Nothing!” Emily said quickly. For a moment, she almost lost her balance, her skates slipping in opposite directions and her arms wheeling in a circle.
Ali grabbed a loop of her jeans to keep her upright. For a moment, she held Emily’s gaze, daring her to look away. Suddenly, she pictured Emily losing interest in her, Ali becoming just another friend, the generous, awestruck compliments coming to an end. Even though she didn’t return Emily’s feeling, there was something about it that made her feel just as powerful as what she was doing with Ian.