A Fractured Light (Beautiful Dark)

hot and make the room sweltering and cause the hems of my jeans to go up in flames. What if things got really intense and something way worse happened? In the cabin, we put the fire out in time. What if next time I hurt him?
    No, I definitely wasn’t ready yet.
    “Why?” I said suddenly. “Have you and Dan?” Cassie gave me a smug look. “Really?” I gasped.
    “Not yet,” she said, grinning and raising her eyebrows. “Because of, you know, cement leg.” She gestured to the blue cast. “But we’ve come very close. If you know what I mean.”
    “Wow, thank you for painting that mental picture.”
    “Oh, don’t mention it. You’d be surprised, actually—”
    “Okay, Cassie, I have to keep being friends with Dan. I’m drawing a line.”
    “Wuss,” she said. She took a sip of juice and clapped her hands together. “I’m so glad you’re home,” she sang. “I didn’t have anyone to talk to about boys! I can’t exactly talk about Dan to, well, Dan . You know?”
    “Ian said no way, huh?”
    “Before I could even finish the question.” She laughed. “So . . . Devin. That is definitely over, right?”
    “ So over,” I said. You have no idea. I glanced up, and she was eyeing me. “Why? What did you hear?”
    “Nothing,” she said, going back to her lunch. “Not a thing.” She crunched a carrot and muttered, just loud enough for me to hear, “Except for that way defensive answer . . .”
    A group of the new transfers from River Springs High walked by our table, and I was pulled out of my thoughts as the air around us seemed to grow colder.
    “Those new kids are so creepy,” Cassie said, shivering dramatically. “I feel like they’re going to kill us in our sleep or something.”
    “Yeah,” I said. “Me too.”
    You have no idea, I thought for the second time in that conversation.
     
    After school I marched to the gym, and into the office of the director of athletics.
    “Skye,” she said, surprised, looking up from some paperwork. “Looking for Coach Samuelson?”
    “I am,” I said. “Is he around?”
    “You’re in luck.” She smiled. “They haven’t left for the slopes yet. He should be in his office.”
    “Thanks,” I replied, turning before she could ask me anything else. I walked into his office as he was stuffing some equipment into a duffel bag.
    “Skye,” he said. “Coming to watch the match?”
    “Actually, I want to rejoin the team,” I announced.
    He paused and eyed me up and down.
    “You miss it?”
    “So much.”
    “You more committed this time?”
    “You bet.” I put my hands on my hips like I knew what I was talking about.
    He puckered his face in thought.
    “Can you come today?” he asked. “Race against Brighton Academy?”
    “Yes!” I cried, jumping up and down. “Thank you!”
    “I’ll just bump Ellie down to third.”
    “What?”
    “Ellie,” he said. “To third.” He put his hands on my shoulders and looked me square in the eye. “You know,” he said. “A little competition is healthy. Fuels the proverbial fire. You could be the team captain next year after Maggie graduates, you know.”
    “I could?” I asked, perplexed.
    “Parker, you’re my star skier! Of course you could. But you were gone, and you have some catching up to do. Ellie’s really proven herself to have the grit I need in a team captain.” He looked at me like he was looking straight into my soul. “Do you have that grit, Skye? Can I count on you?”
    I swallowed. “Yes,” I said, much more confidently than I suddenly felt.
    He patted me on the shoulder. “Good,” he said. “Then prove it. Beat Ellie’s time today. Then we’ll talk.”
    Great, I thought, as he slung the duffel bag over his shoulder and walked out of the office. Like Ellie needs another reason to hate me .
    Sucking in a deep breath, I followed.
     
    The top of the mountain was cold and white. The clouds moved slowly, changing shapes, as if winking at me knowingly. We know what you can do, Skye.
    Good, I thought. Let me show you.
    I was racing against Claire Fincher, arguably the best skier on the Brighton team. I’d faced her before, last year. She was famous for being competitive and fierce, and the last time we’d raced against each other, she’d knocked into me, drawing blood. She was terrifying.
    Coach Samuelson came up behind me and put his hand on my back. “You can do this, Parker,” he said.
    I let his words sink into my gut as I pulled my goggles down over my