Page 4 of Only Ever You
“Of course.” She smiles. “And I get how you feel.”
“Why?” I twine my fingers with hers and search her face.
“My coach told Mom I should start training privately when I get a little older. She said I’m very talented, and private training will help me develop skills quicker.” She bites her bottom lip, her cheeks reddening. “There’s a girl in my group…Sienna. You know her, right?”
“Yeah.” I dip my chin. Sienna is in my class at school.
“I thought we were friends, but then her mom overheard Coach talking to Mom and told Sienna I’m getting special treatment because of my dad.”
My stomach sinks. “That’s not true. What do figure-skating lessons have to do with Uncle Xander?”
She lifts a shoulder and lets it fall. “Mom said I shouldn’t pay attention to all that, but now, the girls don’t want to talk to me anymore, so practice isn’t fun.”
I squeeze her hand gently. “I’m sorry.”
She sighs, her eyes glimmering. “Thanks. I talked to Sienna during a water break because I do like her. Told her she’s very talented and that she’s faster than me.”
A snort escapes my lips. “You shouldn’t have said that.”
Eyebrows pulled together, she studies me. “Why? I wanted her to feel good. And I wanted her to know I think she’s talented too.”
“I get it.” I brush my fingers over her knuckles. “But you’re faster than half my team, and you’re definitely faster than Sienna. Everyone who’s seen the two of you practice knows it.”
“Oh.” Her eyes go big. “So she thinks I lied?”
I shake my head and lean closer. “You didn’t. You’re just…nice. You didn’t want her to feel bad.”
“It’s still gonna make the girls hate me.”
“I’ll talk to Sienna. She shouldn’t be mean to you. It’s not fair.”
Isla smiles, and the whole room lights up. “You don’t have to. I’ll figure something out.” She squeezes my hand. “You’re my best best friend in the world.”
A lightness I only feel around Isla takes over. “And you’re mine.”
Silence settles between us as we sit on the floor, and I pick up the cookie again.
“Michael?” she asks in a quiet voice.
“Yeah?”
“You think we’ll be friends forever?”
“Of course. I’ll be your forever best friend.” I duck my head so we’re eye to eye. “Will you be mine?”
A pink hue spreads over her cheeks. She lowers her attention to our clasped hands and then looks up. “Always.”
A warm and fuzzy sensation finds its way under my skin. The lightness turns into a feeling of complete weightlessness, like I could float away.
Isla Walker wants to be my forever best friend, and I know she will be.
CHAPTER TWO
true or not true
ISLA
Ten years old
