Thin Ice

𝟒𝟐

LUKAS POV

It's been a month since I've agreed to being Juliana's figure skating partner and I'm starting to regret it.

Don't get me wrong, I actually enjoy doing this for some odd reason that I can't even explain. Maybe it's because I'm getting more ice time or maybe it's because I got the hang of it quickly.

One thing I'm not enjoying is Juliana.

I think she keeps forgetting that figure skating isn't the actual sport I do and that's why I keep messing up.

I'm no professional but she expects me to be.. I feel like a kid whose parents are way too involved with their sport. Only that the disappointed parent in this situation is Jules.

For the first two weeks of this process, I was actually starting to enjoy hanging out with her but it's beginning to tick me off.

She's not the problem though, it's us being skating partners that's the problem.

"Stop!" Jules shouts as she turns around to face me. I have no idea what I messed up this time but I guess I'm about to find out.

"What?" I question quietly, not wanting to raise my tone or else it'll make her more mad.

"You're not doing the jump right! I've taught you how to do it plenty of times, what are you not understanding?" she exclaims, annoyed.

"What are you not understanding when I tell you that I'm not a figure skater?" I snap back in a tone that came off a tad rude. She looks up at me while she shakes her head and crosses her arms.

"I know that Lukas, it's painfully easy to see," she states as she glides off the ice. I follow at a decent distance behind her and watch as she places herself on the closest bleacher.

"I don't get what you want from me, I've only been doing what you told me to do, which was be a stand in. I think you're forgetting that you're not actually competing with me as your partner," I let up, taking a seat next to her. She turns to look at me and I can see it on her face that she's stressed.

"What I want from you is for you to turn into Rowan somehow," she mentions. That small sentence made my stomach turn in a way it never has before.

"Rowan," I mumble as I look away from her.

"Yes Rowan. I wish you were him so I wouldn't have to keep teaching you the same basic routine!" she admits. The words hit me in such a way I can't even explain. Ever since she met Rowan, she keeps comparing me to him and I'm tired of it. I turn to look at her and her face is still.

"You haven't shut up about Rowan since you had your first rehearsal with him a month ago and I'm sick of hearing how much better he is. If you look around for once, you can see that he isn't here and that you're stuck with me or you're stuck alone, again. So you can either tell me you're done with me being your partner or you can stop bitching about how terrible I am," I announce a little harsher than I wanted to. Jules eyes meet mine but her mouth stays closed. Her face turns and I know she's pissed at me now but everything needed to be said.

"I'm not going to stop saying that Rowan is better than you because he is," she mumbles with a straight face.

"How is he better than me, tell me. You keep saying that but you don't give me any ways that he truly is," I spit back, keeping eye contact.

"He's a better figure skater, better looking, a better kiss-," something in me snaps and I grab her cheek and lean closer to her.

"You and I both know I'm better than Rowan in everything except figure skating," I whisper in her ear. I feel her shiver under my touch as she turns to look at me.

"Keep telling yourself that," she begins with a smirk. "But he really is a better kisser than you," she adds, knowing what she's doing. I watched Rowan and Jules rehearse one day and at the end of their routine, they kiss quickly. I can't say I enjoy watching it but I know she's lying to me and herself right now.

"Oh yeah?" I mutter, keeping my eyes locked on hers. She nods and that smirk remains on her mouth. "You're lying," I whisper close to her.

"I would never lie," she mumbles. I watch as her eyes travel around my face, down to my lips, and then back to my eyes.

"Kiss me then," I whisper down her neck. Her body shivers again and I know that whatever she's saying, her body is saying the opposite.

Her eyes hesitate on where to look. They switch between my lips and my mouth before she pulls back from me and smiles.

"You wish," she giggles. "I'm still going to win this bet we have.. unless you want to admit you've caught feelings.." she continues as she looks over at me again.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I joke as I put my hands up defensively. She lets out a laugh and it feels like the tense energy from earlier is restored into peace.

She unlaces her skates and replaces them with her sneakers, I mirror her as I do the same.

"Sorry I'm such a bad partner," I half joke. I know she wishes that I was as good as Rowan but she knows she's better off with me than alone.

"You're not, I'm just stressed out about not being prepared in time," she explains as she shoves her skates into her bag.

"You still have two more months to prepare, I think you'll be fine," I state to try and reassure her.

"I guess you're right," she lets up. She zips up her bag and begins to take off.

"Where are you going?" I question before she can get too far away.

"Rowan invited me to watch one of his rehearsals," she explains and my face drops.

"Don't have too much fun," I joke as I watch her walk off.

I hate this Rowan guy.

~

Hehehheheheheh

anyways.......