Page 105 of Hate You Most

Dakota had skated after her and did the same as she always did. She was too loud and too emotional and she was completely free on the ice. They weren't competing against each other, they were simply competing.

The results were announced through the loudspeaker.

“First place in the senior category—Ellie Flowers⁠—”

Viktoriya barely registered the fake name she had picked.

She had won.

Again.

“Second place in the senior category—Amanda Rose⁠—”

Dakota let out a small laugh breath beside her. “I’ve been robbed! Ellie Flowers you've stolen my gold medal once again!”

Viktoriya glanced at her. “So dramatic. You fell on your triple axel.”

“It was artistic.”

“It was a fall.”

Dakota smirked. “Debatable.”

Behind them, Brooke, Elena, Hannah, and Kaylee were talking all at once, their voices overlapping with excitement.

“I literally almost broke my arm mid-spin,” Elena said..

“That’s what you get for never practicing doubles,” Hannah shot back.

Kaylee laughed. “I’m just impressed that none of us actually broke any bones or fell.”

“Speak for yourself,” Dakota said. “I had a very controlled stumble.”

Viktoriya listened to them and smiled as she took in the noise and the complete lack of tension that would have defined any other competition she'd been part of.

This—this was what it was supposed to feel like.

Her phone vibrated off the nightstand and landed on the floor with a small thud. She moved the duvet aside and picked it up. The large screen lit up between her fingers.

She'd been tagged in countless articles and clips and photos from earlier in the day. Apparently, no cameras didn't mean that someone couldn't film it on their phone and post it for the world to see.

Dakota shuffled slightly beside her, then leaned her entire body closer to hers and peeked at her phone.

“You’re popular again,” she stated simply.

A few hours ago, what they'd done had felt so insignificant and freeing that she'd almost convinced herself there wouldn't be any consequences. But they hadn't gotten so lucky.

She unlocked her phone and clicked on one of the articles she had been tagged in. There was footage from her program. It was blurry and clearly taken from the stands, slightly shaky at the edges. She watched herself hesitate for a fraction of a second at the beginning. Watched the moment she let go, and the smile spread across her lips.

Her fingers stilled against the screen.

There were more clips.

Of Dakota. Of her routine and the way she skated without a moment of doubt in her bones. And then there was a video of both of them. Edited together.

The edit made it look like they skated together, like there was something going on between them. They looked like a pair of ice dancers madly in love.

Viktoriya's jaw tightened slightly.