Stealing for Keeps (Frost Lake High Book 1)
Stealing for Keeps: Chapter 37

“I need your help.” I set my backpack down on the table in front of Lacey.

My best friend quirks one brow and then says, “It better not be algebra. I can’t look at another math problem today.”

“It’s not homework.” I sit down and move my bag off the table onto the floor and take a deep breath. “I think I want to join the hockey cheer team.”

A slow smile creeps onto her face. “Since when?”

“I went to the rink yesterday.”

“You went to the rink…” Her mouth hangs open.

“Yeah. It was…great. I mean, a little sad at first, but great. I missed it. I thought it would be hard to be there and not be able to do all the things I used to be able to, but it wasn’t like that. I still love it even though I can’t do it the same way.”

“Of course you do.” She covers my hand with hers. “I’m so proud of you for going. That had to have been difficult.”

I nod. It was, but I feel a sense of relief. Like it was the last step in grieving my old dreams. “So I was thinking, maybe I don’t have to give it up completely. The hockey cheer team would allow me to skate, but it shouldn’t aggravate my old injuries if I don’t go back to practicing like before. What do you think?”

“It’s a great idea. I wish I had given you this same speech weeks ago.”

Even if she had, I’m not sure I would have listened. I needed to remember how good it felt to be on the ice without the pressure of preparing for a competition.

“One problem. The season has already started.”

“Barely,” she says. “They’ve only had two home games so far.”

“But I missed tryouts. Do they let people join this late? You don’t.”

“Hundreds of people try out for cheerleading every year, babe. The hockey cheer squad gets far less interest.”

That’s true. Despite our hockey team having a good record each year, the hockey cheerleading squad is small.

“Is it even worth asking Jenn?” The thought makes me slightly nauseous. Austin said they were just friends, but she could be into him. And even if all she feels for him is friendship, she might not be my biggest fan right now or want to do me any favors.

“Yes, definitely. New members are at the team’s discretion, and you are a goddess on skates.” Her smile dims ever so slightly. “Are you sure you want to do this? You’ve thought it through and everything? You’re not usually one to rush into something this quick.”

“I am.” I nod. “I can’t explain it, but I really think it’ll be good for me. I have missed skating so much, and I know it won’t be the same, but maybe it’ll allow me to hold on to a small piece of the person I was before, while pushing me to do something new.”

“The outfits are cute,” she says.

“They are.” I laugh lightly. “So you don’t think it’s dumb?”

“No, I absolutely do not. Is that what your mom said?” She narrows her gaze.

“I haven’t told her yet.” I know she’s going to freak if I manage to make it on to the team. I’ll deal with that when and if it happens. “Okay, well, will you help me figure out what to say? I see Jenn right after lunch on my way to the east building.”

“Yeah, of course.” Lacey leans forward on her elbows, and we spend the rest of lunch coming up with a script.

I’m dizzy with excitement at the idea of it. I think it could be really fun.

“Wish me luck,” I say when the bell rings. I won’t see Lacey again until after school.

“You don’t need it. If she doesn’t want you, she’s an idiot.”

“Says the girl who won’t let me on her squad,” I call, walking backward, smiling. It’s the lightest I’ve felt in days.

And the feeling completely evaporates when I spot Austin. He’s standing with Jenn at her locker. They’re only talking, but it feels like someone ripped my heart out. There’s no way I can approach her now.

I replace my escape by ducking into the library. I wait a few seconds, then peek out to see if he’s still there. The past two days have been torture. I miss all his cute texts and glances between class, and the way he’d so casually hand me his sketchbook and I’d open it up to see he drew something for me.

Yesterday, I only saw him in art, and he had this sad, broody look on his face that nearly broke me.

But now he looks…better. He’s smiling as he and Jenn talk. It’s not like I think he’s suddenly hooking up with her two days after we ended things, but eventually he will. He’s a good guy, and he deserves to be happy.

“Who are you hiding from?” The deep voice catches me by surprise and makes me jump. I turn and spot Vaughn sitting at a table in the library. His laptop and books are spread out in front of him.

Forgetting Austin and Jenn, I walk over to my ex.

“What are you doing in here?” I ask, even though it’s obvious. But Vaughn being in the library studying is more surprising than me deciding to try out for the hockey cheerleading squad.

“Trying not to fail Algebra II.”

I wince. “Still not going great, huh?”

“That would be an understatement.” He closes his laptop and puts it and his books in his backpack. “I spent all day Sunday studying and somehow did worse on yesterday’s test than any of the others. I think I actually made myself dumber. So,” he says when he’s done and I haven’t moved. “Still hiding from Austin?”

“How’d you know?”

“He’s been wearing a permanent frown, and I haven’t seen you two together all week.”

I bite the corner of my lip. Confiding in my ex about my heartbreak feels strange.

“I ended things,” I confirm. “He has a lot on the line with soccer, and I’m still figuring out what I want.”

“He said that?” Vaughn asks. “Sounds more like something I said.”

“He didn’t need to. I know what it means to him.”

He nods thoughtfully, staring at me in a way that makes my skin feel too tight. I know I hurt Austin by ending things. It hurt me too. But Austin deserves to have everything that he’s worked so hard for.

“You know that night you were sick, he stayed up all night long watching over you like he was afraid you’d stop breathing. He was even googling your symptoms and what to do. I think he was on the verge of taking you to the emergency room. Never seen a guy so spun up over the flu.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because you look as sad as he does. And because as much as I hate seeing you move on, I do want you to be happy. Don’t let my fuckup ruin things for you. He’s not me.” The corners of his mouth turn down.

Vaughn’s words spark something inside of me. Hope, maybe. I don’t know what to do with it yet, but it’s there.

“Thank you.” I step forward and hug him.

It’s awkward at first. Vaughn is not really the cuddly type—even when we were dating, he wasn’t—but when he finally wraps his arms around me, I feel a sense of closure with him that has been missing.

Stepping back, I glance up at him. “Does your dad know about algebra?”

“Ha!” He doesn’t actually laugh as he says it. Instead, his blue eyes darken. “I can just hear the lectures now.”

“Better than him replaceing out when he sees your report card.”

He groans. He actually groans.

“Do you think…” He trails off, looking conflicted as he considers his words. “Do you think Lacey might be able to help me?”

My first thought is Hell no, but he’s already so upset, I don’t want to pile on.

“I’m not sure. She’s pretty busy.” Which is true. Lacey’s schedule is packed full.

“Yeah, I get it,” he says.

“You should ask her anyway. It’s better than failing,” I replace myself saying. She’s going to glare so hard at me.

When we get back to the hallway, I glance over at Jenn’s locker. Neither she nor Austin are there.

“Coast is clear,” Vaughn says.

“Yeah.” I ignore the disappointment of not talking to Jenn. I’ll just have to replace her another time. Or maybe it’s a sign that this was a bad idea.

Vaughn and I go our separate ways. I just barely make it to art as the tardy bell is ringing. Mrs. Randolph gives me a disapproving look as I take my seat. We’re painting today, and everyone has already started grabbing supplies.

Austin has gotten two of everything for our table.

“Hey,” I say as I take my seat. His head snaps up, surprise clear in his expression. We didn’t speak at all yesterday, and it was awkward and weird, and I don’t want it to be like that between us. I don’t hate him, and I hope he doesn’t hate me. “Thanks for getting my supplies.”

“It was no problem.” There’s a flatness to his tone that makes me miss his laugh. He hesitates a beat, then looks back down at his work.

“Also…” I wait until his green eyes replace mine again. “I had an idea for our project.”

Austin’s brow furrows and then smooths out quickly. “Okay.” He sets his paintbrush down and gives me his attention.

“What if for the centerpiece, we do a blank canvas? We decorate the edges, almost like a frame, and then have markers and pencils that people can use to leave their own mark, so to speak.”

“That’s a good idea.” He leans back in his chair. “It’s a really good idea. And I think we found the title of our show.”

“Make Your Mark.” I hadn’t thought of that, but I like it too.

We smile at each other, then he seems to catch himself and looks away. “How’d you come up with it?”

“I don’t know.” Except I kind of do. I’ve had several days with nothing to do but think, and since obsessing about Austin wasn’t accomplishing anything, I switched gears to figuring out all the other things in my life. This project was the simplest one on the list.

“I like it. I can sketch a design for the frame tonight.”

“Okay.”

After another awkward beat passes between us, Austin picks up his abandoned paintbrush and gets back to work.

We don’t talk again until we’re cleaning up.

“Hey,” he says, pausing as everyone else heads out the door. “Are you free Friday night?”

My heart skips several beats. “Yeah, I think so. Do you want to work on the project together?”

I can tell immediately by his expression that I’ve guessed wrong.

“It’s Rowan’s birthday. We were planning on taking him to dinner.”

“Yeah, I think Lacey mentioned something about that earlier.” My face heats with embarrassment.

Of course he doesn’t want to hang out with me and fall back into our old patterns. I told him we should take time apart, and he is respecting that while still trying to make things as normal as possible for our friends. It’s better than giving each other the silent treatment. Though that was easier on my heart. Talking to him and being around him make the reality of our breakup that much harder.

He’s still waiting for a response, so I snap out of it and force a smile. “I’ll be there.”

He nods. “Great.”

Except by his tone, I can’t tell if he means it or not.