Ace gives up and crouches down beside me instead. “I’m not a bad boy just because I wear a leather jacket,” he says, shaking his head. “And maybe I cut classes a few times. But that’s it. You know, half the time that I’m not at school, it’s for a piano competition, so the school faculty knows about it. I’ve even won quite a few trophies for Midland High. I think that disqualifies me from being a ‘bad boy,’ Ahmed.”

His hand is still holding mine. It’s nice and warm, comforting in a way it shouldn’t be.

“Ace, there’s no point in denying it.” I finally sit up. “Everyone knows the truth.”

Ace laughs, throwing his head back. A warmth blooms in my chest, almost as if my heart is swelling from how ridiculously content I feel in this moment.

It’s weird. It’s really, really weird. I don’t want it to go away.

I hold my other hand toward Ace. “Come on, show me how to ice skate. Otherwise I’ll have to ask Mia.”

Ace laughs again but takes my other hand, pulling me to my feet. I knock into his chest once I’m standing, but he wraps his arms around me to keep me from slipping again.

“You have to be more careful,” he says, tapping my nose. “But you know what? I think we can work through this. Or maybe work, work, work it out. Something like that.”

I gape at him. “Was that another High School Musical reference?”

“Don’t let him fool you, he knows all the words by heart,” Mia says as she skates closer to us. Daniela is holding her hand but neither of them are in danger of falling like I am. “Every time I have a marathon, he joins me. He even knows how to play some of the songs on piano.”

I give Ace an incredulous look. “Who are you?”

Ace shrugs, a smirk tugging at his lips as he runs his fingers through his hair. “The man of your dreams, obviously.”

“Does that work for you?” Mia asks, raising an eyebrow before looking at me. “Karina, you’ve got to raise your standards. You can’t let my brother get away with saying shit like that.”

“Oh, trust me, I don’t,” I say, shoving gently at Ace’s chest. All that accomplishes is me having to flail until I reach the metal bar at the edge of the rink.

Mia and Daniela are laughing again, but there’s fondness infused in their expressions that stops me from feeling embarrassed. It helps that Ace is watching me with his own fond look.

“You’re a safety hazard to yourself,” Ace says, skating over effortlessly. “Come on, take my hand.”