“No, you can’t, it’s against the law!” I struggle against the fairies dragging me along, big burly ones too.

“Yes we can sweetheart,” the female one says in a sickly sweet voice. “Article 23 of the new constitution never specifies the use of children in time travel.”
I continue struggling, new constitution be damned. Fairies and their stupid loopholes.

Eventually they drag me through another sparkling clean hallway that smells like listerine and into a spacious, equally white, room.

He’s waiting.

“Good afternoon elf.” He smirks, then waves a piece of paper in my face. “You’ll notice I took care to get a guarantee that this operation wouldn’t be disturbed. But just in case that gold disappears a little too quickly,” he shrugs, “no one will be able to find it.”

I’m still struggling. “I didn’t do anything wrong!”

“You’re right, you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. This way please.” He gestures to the boxy structure beside him and the fairies drag me closer.

I catch a whiff of a metallic smell and see his name tag: Dr. Schultz.

That same metallic smell radiates from the structure. I know what it is: fairy magic.

“Ready?” Dr. Schultz asks.

“No!” I yell. “Why would you send some kid back? It’s not like I started this stupid war!”

“Not unless you do your job right.”

“What?”

He just smiles. “Good luck!”

The fairies shove me inside the structure and close the door loudly.

I look around. The walls shimmer and the metallic smell is so powerful I gag and cover my mouth and nose.

Then the noise starts:

Whir whir POP, whir whir POP.

Uh oh.

I’ve never actually been in one, but I’ve heard all about these. They’re technically illegal but if those fairies have figured out a loophole to use a teenager in a science experiment, they’ve found a loophole for this.

Those stars-forsaken fairies have used their magic to build a time machine.

I’m in big trouble.

…

Whir whir POP, whir whir POP.

Dr. Schultz is waiting exactly where I left him. He grins at me. “You did it.”

“You know it took me years to figure out what you meant,” I say.

“I knew you would eventually.” He tilts his head to the side. “So you know why the war had to be fought?”

“It didn’t have to be fought,” I growl. “You set me up.”

“Ah, but I was meant to,” he says, the grin growing larger. “Once I had decided I would create this, I couldn’t stop it.”

“You always could have stopped it. And you didn’t have to send the first kid you found to do your dirty work for you.”

“But I did. I couldn’t just send myself. I had to remain here with the machine.”

I stare at him for a beat. “You were a lot less calculating back then.”

“I’m sure I was.” He stares at the machine behind me for several seconds before saying, “It really is perfect isn’t it?”

“It’s nice to know the ego didn’t go away.” I step out of the cursed machine and begin to walk out of the room. “I trust you won’t get fairies to drag me out as well?”

“I don’t think I’ll need to, will I?”

I shake my head without looking back. Halfway down the hall an explosion rattles the building. I can’t help the laugh that escapes me as I run the rest of the way to the door of the lab and look out, knowing what I’ll see.

Because of course I should’ve known.

No one can change the past, not if they were a part of it all along.

Lex huffed. She told herself not to go, but her best friend, Savannah, had convinced her to go. Parties just weren’t her style, and like every other time Savannah had disappeared with some guy as soon as they arrived, leaving Lex standing awkwardly in a corner. All by herself no less, everything about the situation screamed loser. It wouldn’t matter, though, most everyone would be so hammered by the end of the night that they wouldn’t remember what they did, let alone what Lex didn’t do.  

“Having fun?”  Lex looked up from her phone to see who had talked to her. It was rather dark in the corner so she couldn’t make out the face of who she was talking to. She stood from the bean bag chair she had been sulking on.

“Oh ya, loads of fun,” She said sarcastically. She could tell the person she was talking to was male and that he had smiled at her remark. “Have you seen Savannah Hartford recently?”

“I saw her about half an hour ago, she and a few other people were playing spin the bottle,” He answered. “Is something wrong with the party?”

Lex shrugged. “It’s not really my scene. To tell you the truth it’s probably one of the more boring I’ve been to all year.” Lex didn’t know why she was telling this guy this. She was just so irritated at her friend and at least he was talking to her for the moment. She might as well get out all her words while someone was listening to her.

“What? It’s not a good party unless someone falls off the roof?” He teased her. She smiled and laughed a little.

“Were you there the night when Tommy Renders fell?” She asked slightly, pointing at him. She saw him shake his head. “Well, I was. I was sitting on the porch, minding my own business when Savanah called me over to the pool. I had just gotten over there when Tommy yelled ‘cannonball’ and he jumped…”

“Right onto the pavement,” He finishes her sentence chuckling.

“He landed almost on top of me!” Lex said with a laugh. “But to answer your question, yes. I do think someone falling off the roof would add to the entertainment. It would also give me an excuse for Savannah and I to leave.” Before he could answer Savannah stumbled through the door and headed over to Lex.

“Lex, you’ll never who I got for spin the bottle,” She began, but she stopped when she saw who Lex had been talking to. “Hey,” Savannah said coldly to the guy. He nodded at her.

“When you said Savannah, I didn’t know you meant her,” He said to Lex.

“Nice to see you too, Oliver,” Savannah said.

“How did you even get in here?” He asked.

“Wait, you guys know each other?” Lex asked, looking between the two.

“Ya, we do,” Savannah answered. “Oliver was the jerk from second period that tried to put the half dissected frog in my backpack,” Lex spun her head around to look at Oliver.

“You’re that Oliver?” She asked.

“I thought it’d be funny.” He shrugged. Lex squinted at his response. “And again, how did you even get in here? I made sure not to invite you.” Savannah opened mouth, but Lex held up her hand to stop her.

“Wait,” Lex said, “You’re the host?” She asked, pointing at Oliver. He nodded and Lex put her hand down. “Well, now I’m just embarrassed.” Savanah ignored her friend’s statement, electing to ask her about it later.

“Word gets around, and if you were a good host then you would’ve greeted me at the door,” Savannah returned. Oliver scoffed at her.

“If you were a good person then you wouldn’t have shown up in the first place,” Oliver shot back. Lex rolled her eyes at their petty argument, ignoring her embarrassment from a few minutes ago.

“I get it, you two don’t like each other. Can we leave now?” Lex asked her friend. Oliver answered before Savannah had a chance to.

“If Savanah was really your friend she never would’ve brought you here,” He said to Lex. She raised her eyebrows.

“And if you were a decent person we wouldn’t be having this conversation,” Lex said back. “I’m going out to the car, come whenever you are done arguing with this child.”

“Child!” Oliver exclaimed. “She started it.”

“Exactly my point. Have a nice night.” Lex raised her hand in mock goodbye, but Oliver moved toward her.

“We’re done, I promise.” He smiled innocently at her.  

Savannah scoffed and rolled her eyes. “I’m going back outside, Lex. Let me know if you need anything.” Savannah spun on her heel and took a long drink before walking through a doorway and out of view.

“Did you need something?” Lex asked.

Oliver offered his hand to her. “Would you like a tour of the grounds milady?” He said in a bad English accent. Lex narrowed her eyes while fighting a grin. “I promise we won’t go anywhere near the roof.”

Lex rolled her eyes as she took his hand. “As long as the tour stops by the kitchen, I heard there was pizza.”

Oliver pulled her hand until it was resting in the crook of his elbow. “Whatever will make the lady happiest.”

Lex smiled. Maybe this party wasn’t as bad as she thought.

There are three reasons I don’t fight demons: they’re rich, they’re arrogant, and they always, always cheat. Without fail. 

“Lyric,” says a voice behind me. I pause and then resume putting one foot in front of the other.

“What’s the bet on me today?” 

“Thirty gold. And a few silvers thrown in by the more hesitant bidders.”

I roll my eyes. “Am I allowed weapons?”

“No physical weapons, but magic is allowed.” 

Of course a demon would want to use magic. “What’s up with this one? Needs a reality check?”

A pale form comes even with me, matching my stride. “More like an ego boost. Falling from favor with your social circle must be a huge blow.” Sora can’t withhold their sarcasm and their voice practically drips with it.

“Oh well, what can they do but go fight in thieves’ circles when they need to release their emotions,” I sigh, pretending to be serious. My face gives me away.

“Why’d you agree to fight it this time?” they ask me. 

I shrug, trying to be nonchalant. If Sora realizes there’s more to it they don’t press. Instead they run a barely visible hand through their barely visible hair.

“Don’t tell me you’re worried about my odds?” I glance over at them in time to catch a concerned expression.

“More like worried about your change in standards. You know Stefan would have taken it in a heartbeat.”

“Well there’s someone who needs an ego check,” I say, avoiding their question.

“Yes, I suppose so…”

Before they can take another step, I whirl and grab hold of Sora’s hand. I’m always surprised how solid it is despite its see-through appearance. “Cut to the important stuff. What am I getting into?”

They glare at me for a full two seconds before giving in. “This one’s royalty.”

I let go. “Of course it is.” So it’s super rich, super arrogant, and will cheat more than play by any kind of rules.

“Not super high up. Some offspring of a cousin of the king’s. But still. Royalty.” A pause. “You picked a great time to switch tactics.”

I don’t answer and we continue walking down the corridor. The thieves guild is a large building, all gothic stone structure and spades carved everywhere. Somehow the architect managed to make it look larger on the inside than outside. Perfect for those who want to avoid the law. As much as the decree of a bunch of wealthy, egotistical cheaters can count as the law. 

The closer we get to the center of the building the more black-cloaked figures we pass and the more Sora inches closer to me. Just because no one else can see the spirit doesn’t mean they wouldn’t be able to feel them. “You’re gonna have to stop haunting me for at least thirty minutes,” I mutter under my breath.

“It is so cramped in there Lyric I swear to our stupid demon leaders―” 

I grip the pendant at my neck, whisper a few words in demonic, and Sora is out of sight.

Then, without anyone’s presence to chide me for my hypocrisy, I whisper a few words of prayer. Sure I don’t fight demons because they’re horrible. But I also never lose, and you never know exactly what combination of awfulness you’re going to get with those things.

Especially not me.

My footsteps carry me deeper into the building until finally I emerge into the beating heart of the place. A large ring is barely visible through the crowds of people in the center of a cavernous room, complete with gilded domed ceiling, tiled floors, and pillars lining the walls. Instead of fencing around the edge of the circle of sand there is simply a shimmer to the air around it. This will be a magic fight, so therefore the magic must be contained. 

“This is such a bad idea,” I mutter to myself, pushing through the throng, head down so as not to attract too much attention before the fight.

Finally I make it to the edge of the flickering barrier, where Kodiak is waiting by his huge bracket, which sits on an easel beside him. In one hand is a piece of chalk and in the other is a sack which he holds up when he catches a glimpse of me. “Could be all yours in a matter of minutes,” he grins. “Unless, of course, it wins.”

“It’s not going to win,” I say through clenched teeth. 

“Of course not.” Kodiak gestures with the money bag arm towards the ring. “Whenever you’re ready.”

I walk through the barrier, feeling a tingling sensation as I do. When I reach the center of the ring my hands dart to my sides to check for weapons that aren’t there, leaving me feeling uncomfortably exposed. Then, having nothing else to do to ignore the stares and chatter coming from around me, I flick sparks between my fingers, the only sign of any anxiety about the upcoming fight.

I don’t even have to look to know when the demon enters the room. Instantly, any conversation is halted and everyone goes still. It’s been ten years and still no one quite knows how to react among demons. Not that anyone did much to stop them from ruling us.

The demon crosses the barrier and comes to a stop in front of me. Finally, I look up and look it in the eye. It stares back in challenge.

One of the things that makes demons so terrifying is how similar they look to humans. You might never know you were dealing with one until it decided to tell you. This one is dressed all in black, dark hair slicked back and a glint in its eyes. 

“What are you here to fight for?” I ask, letting a sneer come into my voice. “I thought demons were supposed to be all high and mighty.”

The demon stares back haughtily. Then it tilts its head to the side, eyes on Sora’s pendant. “I thought you were supposed to be too.”

I step back slightly, eyes widening. “How do you―”

Instead of an answer I get a punch to the gut. Suddenly feeling like spitting fire, I dodge its next attack and return the punch. My fist collides with something much harder than flesh and I fight the urge to roll my eyes. There goes the no armor rule. In any case, I’m surprised the demon didn’t begin with a spell, but I’m not about to provoke it with one of my own.

It grunts slightly and before I know it, wind slams me back into the ground. I’m back on my feet in seconds, hurling a streak of energy at it. The demon simply holds up a hand and the energy is blown off course, forcing the audience to duck, awestruck. I’m not sure how many of them have actually seen me use my magic before.

“Seriously, why are you here?” I ask. “Don’t royals have anyone to beat up around the palace?”

No response, just another blast of air in my direction. Can’t be too powerful of a royal if this is all it can do. 

But strangely enough, instead of trying to hurt me, the demon simply keeps trying to knock me to the ground. Why? 

Instead of standing my ground, I let the next gust knock me flat. The crowd boos. The demon walks over. “Can’t you fight better than that?”

I don’t answer, taking advantage of its proximity to pull its arm down, pulling myself up and it down. Caught off guard, it falls, and I put a boot on its chest to keep it from getting back up. “Seems I could ask the same of you.”

But once again I don’t get an answer. The audience is cheering around me, clueless to any of our somewhat one-sided conversation. The demon‘s eyes are narrowed at me, full of suspicion. “Who are you?”

“If you’re not going to answer my questions, why would I answer yours?”

Still no answer. Instead, in one lightning quick movement, it reaches up and shoves the fabric of my sleeve up. To the rowdy drunks the mark on my wrist means nothing. But to the demon…It lets go. “You’re—you’re really—”

“What? I’m really what?” I ask in challenge, shoving my face closer to the demon’s.

No answer. Instead it stares at me, eyes narrowed, suspicious and fearful.

 After a few seconds, I lose patience. I shove it down and walk out of the ring, grabbing the sack from a somewhat bemused Kodiak, refusing to acknowledge any of what just happened.

―

It’s back the next day. 

“Why didn’t you leave?” Sora asks, after briefing me on the fight.

“I can’t,” I mutter.

“But it might figure out who you are.”

“That’s exactly why I can’t leave.”

“Lyric, you need to tell me why you’re doing this. I can’t help you if you don’t.”

I glare at the floor for a moment. “My mother sent it.”

“Anyone could tell you that. Even more reason to cut our losses and get out of here.”

“Kodiak has let me know that that won’t be an option again.”

“He did not.”

“He did.”

“We’ll find a new job somewhere else then.”

“We both know my mother will capture us on our way out of the city.”

A beat, then: “Yeah I suppose we do.”

“So we’re in agreement then?”

Sora gives a stiff nod. “But I swear to our somewhat questionable rulers, if you die I’m going to chase after you and slap you as hard as I possibly can for being an idiot.”

“Love you too Sora,” I say, then summon them back into my pendant.

When I get to the ring, the demon is waiting for me.

“Hello again,” it says, once I’ve joined it in the center. The crowd, larger than last night, is hushed, breathless, unable to quite make out what we’re saying but eager to witness the beginning of the fight.

“Hello.”

“You agreed to fight me again.”

“You’re talkative tonight.”

“Maybe I want answers.”

“Who says you’ll get them?”

Its mouth twitches in some semblance of amusement. “I’ll get them.”

“I like your confidence.” I send crackling energy down my body, across the ground, and up its form, most likely only jolting it slightly, but its hair stands on end. The audience makes awed noises. Magic isn’t something everyone sees on a daily basis. 

Well, most people.

“You think energy is powerful?” it asks me.

“So far all you’ve shown me is a few gusts of wind, so I wouldn’t be talking.”

The demon knocks me flat. It walks over and stands over me, a glint in its eyes. “A few gusts of wind?”

I electrocute it with all the strength in my body. “Yeah, something like that.”

The glint is gone as I get up, weight on my toes, ready for anything. “How did someone like you end up here?” it asks, then throws a punch. I dodge and land a punch in its side. No armor today. Interesting.

“Why would I trust a demon with anything about me?”

I dodge the wrong way and it knocks me to the ground. “Why wouldn’t you?”

I yank it down with me, using it as leverage for me to get back up. “Oh I don’t know, maybe because your kind took over, established a lawless government, and currently acts with the least amount of morals of any creature I’ve ever met.”

“My kind? You’re one to talk,” it says from the ground as the crowd hollers at it to get up or give in.

“You don’t know me.”

“I know enough.”

The next thing I know it has me wrapped in some kind of wind cocoon and I can’t move an inch. It gets up and right up close to me, inspecting my face. 

After a moment―”What’s your name?”

I stay silent for a few moments, squirming against the invisible restraint, but then, “Lyric,” slips out.

The glint returns. “Karel.” Then it steps back and throws something on the floor. When the smoke clears, it’s gone.

Cheater.

The crowd agrees with me and I grab the bag from Kodiak.

―

“Lyric, no. He’s cheated twice. And you told him your name.”

“It’s not my real name. And I’ve gotten the money both times.” 

“That doesn’t mean you’ll get it again. It’s playing at something larger,” Sora protests.

“Of course it’s playing at something larger. Mother isn’t an idiot.”

I get an eye roll for that. “But she’s not unbeatable.”

“Maybe.”

“So…”

I smile. “I’m still fighting it.”

“Lyric…”

“Don’t worry so much, I have a plan.”

―

Karel doesn’t look the least bit fazed by all the booing that’s coming from the audience today. They don’t like cheaters. I could’ve told them it was coming though. Haven’t they ever met demons before?

“You’ve cheated twice,” I point out. 

“You’ve gotten the money both times,” it says, arms crossed.

“Why do you think I’m here right now?”

“Yes, we both know what matters most to you.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? Well then, if money matters the most to me, what matters the most to you? Cheating your way out of a fight? Why are you here? And why do you keep coming back?”

“Do you really need the answer to that question?”

“Would I ask if I didn’t?”

All I get is a smirk as the audience clamors for us to start already.

I anticipate the first blast of wind, but get buffeted by the second. 

“These fights are getting a bit repetitive don’t you think?” I ask, ducking a punch.

“The audience sure seems to think so,” it responds, dodging out of the way of an energy blast. Indeed, the cheering was more muted and I could swear the bet numbers were down. 

“Kodiak isn’t going to let these fights keep going like this,” I mutter to myself. “He’s going to want more variation to keep the crowds up.”

“Then I suggest you figure out what I’m up to before our fight ends today,” it says. “Or are you just going to rely on your little ghost?”

I’m not sure how it knows about Sora but I don’t acknowledge that. “How am I supposed to find out what you’re up to when you won’t answer my questions?”

“A question for a question then.”

“How am I supposed to know you won’t leave once you’ve found out what you’re digging for?”

“Who says I’m digging?”

“I do,” I say, panting slightly. “Why are you here?”

“Family issue. Why did you break your policy to fight me?”

“Call it a whim. What happened to make you fall from grace?”

“Who said I fell from grace?”

“My ‘little ghost’ as you put it.”

“Hmm.”

All of a sudden it pauses, eyeing me. The booing resumes full volume. “Why did you leave?”

“Leave where?” I ask, feigning confusion. My pulse skips. 

“You know where.”

“Do I?”

“Oh please. You can’t expect me to believe I’d fall for your whole thief, underground fighter charade.” It steps closer to me, eyes narrowed. I clench my fist, energy building in my palm. The audience goes quiet, perhaps sensing the unusual tension in this fight. 

All of a sudden Karel grabs the chain around my neck. “My mother was the one to give this to you, Calyra. Don’t think you could rewrite your history so easily.”

“Maybe not,” I hiss. “But I can rewrite my future.” It glares at me. “I know they’re using you. Did they tell you the reason I left?”

It doesn’t answer.

“I thought so.” I grab it by the collar, pulling it close enough it’s the only one that can hear me when I hiss, “You tell my mother I have no interest in being heir. You be heir for all I care. Just leave me alone.”

“Then why did you pay attention to the note she sent? Why’d you agree to fight me?”

“To send a message you idiot. And the money. I hope you didn’t think it was anything more noble. Or the exact opposite of noble considering what you want me to go back to. I mean, please, do you really care if I come back or not? We hadn’t even said three words to each other before.”

The look in Karel’s eyes proves I’m right. 

“You won’t be seeing me again,” I say, backing up slowly as Kodiak begins to walk over to either end the fight or restart it.

Karel takes a step toward me. “Maybe not. But your family will never stop.”

Sora was probably right. I shouldn’t have fought this one. Allowed it to fuel the fire that keeps them searching for me. 

I don’t respond, turning my back on my opponent. It is a clear sign and the audience picks it up clear as day. Some even gesture wildly at Karel, for him to attack while I’m not looking at him. When the “boo”s resume I smile to myself and step out of the ring, facing Kodiak. 

“I’m done with that one.”

“Good,” he says. “The audience is too.” A beat. “You’ll be back tomorrow for your usual?”

I nod and walk away, already spotting Sora’s flickering form in the corridor. I’m going to get a talking to but they’ll help me stay hidden. Just like they always do. 

I should have added a reason I don’t fight demons. They’re rich, they’re arrogant, they always cheat, and I want nothing more to do with them.

I look out my window and smile at the white blanket that has covered my city while I slept. I reached for my phone to check my notifications to find that school had been canceled for the day. Texts started to fill the group chat and before I knew it, my house had become the designated meeting area. Groaning, I slithered out of bed onto my cold floor. I had less than twenty minutes before my friends started to come in from down the street.

Once I was dressed I shuffled down the hallway and poured myself a cup of coffee. My mom sat at the counter while scrolling through her phone.

“Good Morning, Darcy.” My mom looked up from her phone. “Any plans for your day off?” A loud knock came from the front door before I could answer. My mom smirked and went back to her phone.

“Open the door, get out here,” Raelynn calls through the door. I run to the entryway and throw on my jacket. I open the door to see Raelynn and Evan standing on my front porch. Their siblings were behind them talking on my lawn.  

“What do you guys want?” I asked like I didn’t already know. It was our tradition to have a snowball fight every first snow day of the school year. You could call it childish, but a tradition is a tradition and Raelynn never let us skip it.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Raelynn answered back to me, just as sarcastic. I walk out the door and shut it behind me. “Your brother is still asleep?” She asked, noticing my brother had failed to make an appearance.

I shrug. “Probably, he prefers to sleep in on his snow days, like a normal person.” Evan smirks in my direction, Raelynn nods in understanding.

“We thought he might bail on us, so we recruited my new neighbor. I think you two might have math class together,” Evan says as we rounded the corner to the back of my house. I had the biggest backyard so naturally we gathered here.

“Who?” I ask. Evan motions past me and I turn around. Right there in the middle of my backyard was Aiden.

I grab Evan by the arm and pull him closer so he could hear me whisper in his ear. “He’s your new neighbor? The one you called cool the other day?” I hissed. Evan widens his eyes at me and nods.

“Is something wrong?” Raelynn asks. I take a deep breath and release Evan. I put on a fake smile and look at Raelynn.

“Nope, everything is just peachy,” I say through clenched teeth. Raelynn’s face lights up and she claps her hands.

“Perfect,” She says, then turns away from me. “Okay, everyone line up. Darcy and I will be captains today.” The troops fell in line against the back of my house. There were eight of us in total. Raelynn had three younger siblings and Evan had one. All ranging in ages of four to thirteen.

Raelynn and I walked over to face them.

“Rock, paper, scissors?” Raelynn asks. I nod. We fought, rock beat scissors. I lost. Raelynn picks first.

“Rachel.” She picks Evans’ younger sister first.

“Hardy.” I picked Raelynn’s youngest brother. Raelynn picks her oldest sister, and I pick her middle sister. I was now down to Evan and Aiden. My stomach dropped. I knew who she’d pick and that left me with a less desirable option. Raelynn and Evan weren’t officially a thing, but they definitely should be. As the nerds would say, ‘I ship it’.  

“Evan,” Raelynn says with a smile. Evan beams and walks over to her side and Aiden walks over to me.

“Hi,” He says with a wicked grin. I give him a glare.

“Hi yourself,” I say back.

“Five minutes to strategize.” Raelynn says to me. Her and her team walk over to the left side of the backyard.

“So, a snowball fight,” Aiden tries to make conversation.

“Yes,” I answered shortly. I look over to my group. “Okay, team. They may have Evan and Karly, but we have Hardy, the official softball pitcher of P.E class. They don’t stand a chance.” I say. They grin and Hardy pretends to flex the muscles he didn’t have. “Today our strategy is simple: throw snowballs like your life depended on it, and don’t get hit. This isn’t dodgeball guys, this is war!” My two youngest troops yelled. “Now go make some ammo, I need to talk to my subordinate,” I say. They give another yell and run off to the right.

“Subordinate?” Aiden asks, eyebrows raised. I looked at him sideways and then turned to him.

“You heard me.” I crossed my arms.

Aiden holds up his hand. “Are you still mad about the other day?” He asks.

“You mean when you dropped your entire coffee on my lap during lunch? Yes, yes, I am still mad.” Him and his friends had been running through the cafeteria. Aiden had been dodging a half-peeled orange when he stepped on a water puddle and fell right into my lap. Iced coffee had splashed across my shirt and jeans. What had made me upset wasn’t that my shirt had been white and was completely ruined, or the fact that I would have to change my entire outfit, it was when he had stood up and he and his entire brigade had started laughing at me.

“It was an accident,” he says like he would to an angry toddler.

“So you’ve said, but what I haven’t got was an apology.”

He opens his mouth to say something I’m sure will make the situation worse, but I close my eyes and shake my head. Sometimes I wonder about him. “Go,” I say to him pointing to Harley. He walks away and I follow him. I kneel and start making snowballs. Aiden kneels in front of me. I glance up at him and our eyes meet. He holds up a finger and starts to shape the snow.  

He grins at me and holds something out in his palm. I look down and bite the inside of my cheek. In his hand is a small duck made out of snow. He holds it out to me.

“Does that count as an apology?” He asks. I look back up at him. “Come on, Darcy. Can’t we be friends?” I give the realest glare I can muster and snatch the creation out of his hand.

“This is not over,” I say to him while setting the duck aside. He grins and starts making normal snowballs. I sigh and start to copy him.

Had you told Ira Smith that she’d be spending her New Year’s Eve breaking into the local ice-skating rink she would’ve chosen to go to bed early. Instead she’s standing outside in the negative degrees trying to keep the heavy snowflakes from melting into her eyes waiting for her best friend to unlock the door from the inside. Waiting with her was the captain of the hockey team and his loyal sidekick. The captain, Lucas, whispered something into the sidekick, who’s name she could quite remember. Aaron? Erik? Arnold?

The lights inside the building flickered on. Isabella’s figure stopped inside the first set of double doors. Her employment here had been the major influence in where the race of the century would go down. Hockey player vs figure skater. Her triumph would be legendary, and she would never let Lucas forget it.

Lucas stepped toward her. “I admit, I thought your going off to college would make you a little humbler,” he said next to her ear.

“I think that all those hits to your head have finally caught up with you,” Ira answered. They had parted ways last May as academic and personal rivals when they had both received their high school diploma. Lucas had been recruited by a local college hockey team and Ira had moved an hour away to attend college where she had to fight for her life during figure skating try-outs. She had ultimately made the team but had to work twice as hard as the other girls to keep her skills sharp and up to standard.

It had been fate that led them both to the same New Years Eve party. Ira had seen Lucas across the room and vowed to keep out his way. She was there to have a good time, not to throw playground insults at each other like they were both back in high school.

But Lucas had to open his mouth, greeting her by saying “How’s the little ice ballerina?”. The situation only escalated when she had called him a ‘professional bench warmer’ before following up with saying “I’ve watched little leaguer’s get more hits”. One thing led to another and somehow, they were in their respective cars on the way to the ice rink.

“You’re going down, Smith,” Lucas said, his breath clouding the air in front of him.

“I’m going to skate circles around you.” The lock clicked and the door in front of them swung open.

Isabella’s face appeared before them. “We have to hurry this up. My boss will kill me if he finds us here.”

“This will only take a minute,” Ira assures her. The four of them make their way down to the ice rink entrance. Ira and Lucas start to throw their regular shoes off.

Ira almost sighs in relief when she trades her heels for her favorite pair of ice skates. It was lucky that she had been practicing that afternoon and hadn’t bothered to take her equipment out of her trunk. Ira double checked that her skates were secure before standing from the bench.

Isabella had already taken her phone out and was ready to record the greatest single moment of winter vacation. Lucas took one last look at his skates and stood.

“How are we doing this?” He scans the dimly lit rink before them.

“Two laps.” Ira points from one end to the other. “Straight down the middle, touch the opposite wall and the first one back is the winner. Does that work for you, oh humble one?” Ira looks up at him.

Lucas returns her lifted eyebrow with a smirk. “Whatever you want, princess.”

Ira steps onto the ice. She was glad she had chosen a short, flowy dress for the party. Winning in a skintight slip dress like Isabella was wearing would’ve been a bit more complicated. Lucas seemed perfectly comfortable in his jeans and blue sweater.

Ira took her stance by the wall and took a deep breath of the cold air, which was still warmer than the storm outside.

“You can still call this off,” Lucas said, putting his hand on the wall next to her.

“Don’t tell me you’re chickening out now?” Ira smirked.

Lucas shook his head. “No, I’m just afraid your ego will never recover.”

Ira ground her teeth. He was going down.

Isabella began a countdown from the other side of the rink. Ira and Lucas tensed in unison.

“Go!”

The cry echoed in the empty room. They shot from the wall. Ice blurred beneath her. Her hair flew from her shoulders. This was the fastest she had ever skated. This was the closest she would ever get to flying.

In a blink they were across the rink. Their hands connected to the wall with a boom. Ira didn’t know who was ahead. Before either of them knew it they were back halfway across the rink. The sound of blades gliding through ice was the only thing she could hear.

She didn’t know what happened next. Maybe one of their laces came untied. Maybe a stray button had gotten in their path. Maybe their blades had somehow hit the other. It didn’t matter. All she knew was one moment she was going faster than she ever had before and the next they were falling.

Blades, ice, and people went flying. When Ira opened her eyes their legs had become tangled and Lucas’s ice skate blade was an inch from her eye. Isabella was screaming her name as her and the best friend ran across the ice. Slowly, Ira and Lucas untangled themselves and sat up. Lucas was rubbing his head. He looked at her and froze.

“Ira?”

She blinked. He sounded a little panicked. “I’m okay.” She answered, checking her own head for bumps and blood. “Are you alright?”

Lucas nodded.

Isabella knelt/slid next to Ira. “Are you okay? Let me see your head.” Isabella immediately began a visual search of Ira. The best friend helped Lucas back to his feet.

“I’m okay, Isabella,” Ira tried to assure her. “Just a few bruises.” Lucas agreed with her.

“Y’all were lucky, man,” the best friend said in a light Southern accent.

Isabella gasped. “You need ice.” Ira opened her mouth to object, but Isabella was already up and slipping toward the rink exit. “Archie, come help me!”

The best friend looked puzzled before calmly walking after Isabella. Ira blinked, still sitting on the ice.

Lucas offered his hand and pulled her to her feet. “Are you sure you’re alright?” His eyes studied her.

Ira smiled and nodded. “Perfectly fine. I’m probably going to be a little sore tomorrow, though.” She looked down at Lucas’s hand that was still gripping her own.

He coughed and pulled it away. Cold rushed at her now empty palm. Ira twisted her mouth.

“Ira,” Lucas states as if her name was a curse then tried again. “Ira, I’m so sorry. This is my fault.”

“What are you talking about?” This had been a long time coming. All their taunts and jabs at each other had been built up for years. She was more surprised it hadn’t happened in high school. “This was both our fault, and no one was hurt. No harm, no foul.”

He sighed. “I just wanted to talk to you. I didn’t think that starting with an insult would lead us to this.” He gestured to the arena.

“If you wanted to talk to me, why didn’t you just say hi?” Ira crossed her arms. The adrenaline of the moment was fading and taking its warmth with it.

He gave her a look. “Because this is how it has always been between us. I say something stupid to get your attention and before I know it, we are throwing insults like we hate each other.”

“I don’t hate you,” Ira admitted, surprising herself when she said it.

“Well, I don’t hate you either.” He threw up his hands. “I wanted to try and have a fresh start at the party. Maybe invite you to coffee or a game.”

“Oh.” Ira didn’t know what to say. She looked down at her watch. It was still two hours until midnight. “Do you want to go back to the party? Maybe give a fresh start another try?”

He looked at her for a long time before answering. Then he nodded. “Ya, ya I’d like that.”

He held out his hand and they glided off the ice together. Ira’s lips tugged upward as she thought about how the night might go, and who’d she probably be kissing at midnight.