Scars On Ice | Charlie Conway

t h i r t y - o n e

Julie muttered another apology before seizing Connie and Guy by their elbows and dragging them along after Luis. The look on her face told everyone that he was about to get more than just a stern talking-to. As soon as she was gone, Roland turned to Zara. "Thanks," he offered. The girl just nodded in recognition.

Elle had already turned back to Jay, and Zara, sensing the tension between the two brunettes that were left, excused herself as well. Roland still wasn't looking at Aspen, and his avoidance was tearing her heart to shreds. Before he found an excuse to step away, she placed one hand on each of his broad shoulders, forcing him to look at her. He flinched at first, but when their gazes met, his resolve broke. "I'm sorry," Aspen murmured.

He had started shaking his head halfway through the second word. "Don't be," he immediately responded. His gaze had softened, but his tone didn't carry its usual honey. He let out a deep sigh, "That was immature of me. I shouldn't have snapped like that, and no one should have had to come to my rescue." The way that he looked genuinely frustrated with himself made Aspen's frown deepen.

She pressed one of her palms against his cheek, and it took every ounce of strength he had left in him not to nuzzle against her touch. His flushed cheeks warmed her cold hand, which she left against his face for perhaps just a second too long. A strange awkwardness spread between them as neither said a word. Aspen noticed, and quickly dropped her arm to her side.

Roland cleared his throat and scratched the back of his neck, his cheeks now red for a different reason. He wanted to continue to be disillusioned with her, to hold a grudge that he knew had little logical basis. Maybe he shouldn't have, and maybe it was selfish of him to do so, but he had expected more support from her. He wanted her to defend him. He needed her to.

He couldn't decide if the fact that she didn't hurt, or if it simply set a part of him free. Because honestly, as tense and unwarranted as that interaction had been, it served as the last bit of proof that he needed to prove his theory right.

But knowing that didn't make him want to kiss her any less.

"I should have-" she began, only to be silenced by him shaking his head.

"Again, don't," Roland deadpanned. Part of Aspen was startled by the serious glint to his chestnut gaze, but a much larger part was simply confused. She had never heard his voice so rough before, nor had she seen him so tense. Even when he was arguing with Rick in front of the entire student body, he managed to maintain his calm composure. His untamable anger had her concerned.

She wasn't able to worry for long, though, as her bicep was seized before she was able to question him. She was turned around in an instant, immediately coming face-to-face with a fuming Elle. Jay was now standing at Aspen's side, his arms crossed over his chest. "Tell her, Aspen," he stated without any further explanation.

Aspen's gaze flickered between her two best friends who were clearly in the middle of an argument – and from the look on Elle's face, this one was serious. Aspen gulped, "Tell her... what, exactly?"

"Tell her that she's being dumb and immature," Jay pressed, his expression unwavering even as Elle's contorted with irritation. When Aspen gave him an appalled look, he continued, "She has no reason to be rude to Zara, and this entire thing is her fault because she refuses to admit that she likes Peter!"

Elle stomped her foot against the ground, and for a moment, Aspen swore she saw steam come from the girl's ears. "Stop saying that!" she demanded. "You're being a tool, Jay. You have no right to tell me how to act!"

Aspen felt her eyes widen. She had never seen her best friends so angry at each other, and while she primarily agreed with Jay, she was hesitant to get involved on either side. Not to mention her mind was still reeling from the whole Roland situation. Her heart rate was beginning to pick up, and she almost began to look forward to the evening coming to a close.