Chapter 2
Piper's POV
That little speech of hers is textbook manipulation, and it lands exactly the way she planned. The class divide, the poor scholarship girl versus the rich sponsor. She cranks it all the way up in one breath.
Grant eats it up. He turns to me, pointing, like he's been waiting his whole life to play judge: "Piper, you hear that? Haley is always looking out for you. What do you even do for her? Besides throwing money around and acting like a brat? Apologize. Right now."
Apologize.
A laugh escapes me before I can stop it. Not a funny one.
I look at him. This guy who, in another life, stood by and watched me get poisoned to death, then turned around and made excuses for the person who did it. My stomach turns.
I don't bother responding to him. I just start walking toward Haley.
She watches me close in. For just a second, something flickers in her eyes. Satisfaction, barely concealed. Then she schools her expression back into fear and shrinks behind Grant.
"What are you doing? Piper, I'm warning you—" Grant reaches out to stop me.
I fix him with a look and shove his arm out of the way.
I've been skating since I could walk. My core strength alone is more than this guy, who's never had to work for anything in his life, could handle. He stumbles back, nearly goes down.
Haley doesn't have time to react.
I raise my hand and hit her. Hard. Full force across that sweet, innocent face.
The sound cuts through the locker room and everything goes still.
Her head snaps to the side. Five red marks spread across her cheek, and a thin line of blood appears at the corner of her mouth.
"You... you hit me?" She covers her face with both hands, staring at me like she can't process it. She's not even crying anymore.
"Deserved it." I look at her without a shred of feeling. "Haley, drop the act. The Calloways sponsored you to skate. Not to mess with me. As of today, every bit of that funding is gone. Training fees, housing, all of it. Figure it out yourself."
The color drains from her face instantly. This time, the panic is real.
Without my support, she can't afford her skates, let alone a spot on a competitive team.
"Piper, you're insane!" Grant finally finds his voice, lunging toward me. "You think having money gives you the right to push people around like this?"
I turn and look at him.
"Grant. The clothes on your back. That car you drive. The fact that you're even standing here right now thinking you have a leg to stand on — all of that came from me. Don't forget that."
I look him over slowly, making no effort to hide my contempt. "You want to be her hero so badly? Pay for her yourself. You've been spending my money while playing the devoted boyfriend. So what does that make you?"
"We're done, Grant. Hope you and Haley are happy together. Just do everyone else a favor and stay away from them."
I turn and walk away. I don't look back.
The next day. Backstage at the competition venue.
After everything that went down yesterday, Haley shows up like nothing happened. Coaches and skaters from every club are packed into the space, eyes everywhere.
She comes up to me holding an insulated cup, her eyes still a little red. "Piper, I was out of line yesterday, I know that. I woke up at five this morning and made you honey lemon tea. It's good for your throat and your energy. Just one sip, that's it. Please?"
Heads turn. People are watching.
Haley keeps her gaze low, eyes glistening, like refusing her makes me the villain of the whole story.
I look at the cup. I raise an eyebrow and hold her gaze.
"You made this yourself?"
Of course she didn't give up. I knocked the first drink out of her hands, so now she's back with a new angle. Homemade honey lemon tea, so sweet and thoughtful.
The old Piper might've taken a sip just to keep the peace, just to stop the whispers and the stares.
Not anymore.
"If you went through all that trouble, keep it for yourself."
"Everything that comes from you is dirty."
