Read Online Breaking the Ice by Gail Nall - Free Book Online Page A

mean I won’t get to Nationals with Swan Lake ?”
    â€œThat’s exactly what I’m saying.”
    â€œBut Hildy—”
    â€œIs Hildy your coach?”
    I swallow and shake my head.
    â€œI know this sounds odd, but I think that by giving you such low components marks in your last competition, the judges were trying to push you. They can see you have the jumps and the spins. They know you have the makings of a champion, but you need to improve on the artistic side.”
    He’s right—that doesn’t make a lot of sense. But I get what he’s really trying to say. It’s tango or nothing. “Okay. I’ll try it.”
    â€œYou’ll have to do more than try.” Greg zips up his Skating Sensation jacket and moves toward the doors.
    I imagine myself on the podium at Regionals. If a tango will get me there, I’ll do it. Even if it means pretending to be someone I’m not. “I’ll tango better than anyone. I promise.”
    Greg nods at me and disappears into the rink.
    Now if only I can keep my promise.

Chapter Eleven

    Pizza Supreme is packed on Thursday night. Mom only springs for pizza on special occasions, like me getting a crazy-­hard new program. She claims it has too much sodium and saturated fat, and always makes Dad and me add a salad. Like the lettuce is going to zero out all the bad stuff from the pizza.
    We’re waiting for a table when I see them. Ellery and a bunch of kids I don’t recognize are crammed into a booth along the side wall.
    Mom notices them at the same time. “Isn’t that Ellery? Why don’t you go say hi, Kaitlin?” She gives me a little push in their direction.
    â€œNo, they look busy. I don’t want to bug her.” Ellery hasn’t called or texted me in forever.
    â€œI bet she’ll be glad to see you. Go on, now.” Mom gives me another push.
    I look to Dad for help. He just grins at me.
    I walk as slowly as I can toward the booth while pretending like I’m really interested in the dancing reality show blaring from the huge TVs hanging on the walls. Why does Mom always do this? I don’t even know these people, except Ellery. Maybe I should act like I’m looking for the bathroom and then pretend to spot her.
    Yep, I’m totally searching for the bathroom and not trying to avoid awkward conversation. Don’t pay any attention to the girl who’s eyeballing the wood-paneled wall like it’s the most interesting thing ever.
    Just as I reach the booth, I look toward the left and put on a surprised face as Ellery meets my eyes. I wave. She waves back and then starts chatting again with the guy sitting across from her.
    No way am I stopping to talk. Especially since it seems like she wants nothing to do with me. I take a decisive step toward the imaginary bathrooms and almost walk right into a huge tray of pizzas and drinks blocking the middle of the aisle.
    â€œSorry, miss. Be just a minute.” The waiter grabs a couple of drinks and some straws off the tray to give to the booth behind Ellery’s.
    Great. Now I’m stuck here next to Ellery with nothing to say. Thanks, Mom.
    â€œSo . . . um . . . how’s everyone at the rink?” I finally ask.
    Ellery looks up from her conversation. “Oh. They’re fine. How’s the Fall Down Club?” She giggles. The scrawny guy sitting across from her laughs. He probably has no idea what she’s talking about.
    â€œGood,” I say. “Great, actually. I’m working on a new program that’s totally different from anything I’ve done before.”
    Ellery gives me her full attention. “This close to ­Regionals? What was wrong with your old program?”
    â€œIt was kind of boring, don’t you think? And I’m really close to landing my triple salchow.” In my dreams. But of course I don’t say that to Ellery.
    She tilts her head. “But you just started