Unscripted by Nicole Kronzer

Author:Nicole Kronzer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Abrams
Published: 2020-04-21T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

What had just happened?

After some . . . awkward kissing (seriously—I was the worst), Ben stood up and stretched.

“Well,” he grinned, cracking his back, “why don’t you head to the cabin, ice your foot, and just . . . relax.”

I inspected my bitten-up fingernails and opened my mouth to ask if the kissing had been as bad for him as I was worried it had been, but he cut me off.

“Here, Ellie.” He opened a drawer and chucked me an ice pack. “See you at dinner.”

Then I was alone.

WillWillWillWillWill. I needed to find Will.

Swinging my leg off the cot, I tested putting pressure on my foot. It was tender, but the shooting pain was gone. I slid my sandal on, keeping the strap loose, stood up, and shifted my body weight back and forth. It didn’t hurt to stand.

I smiled and stepped forward. Then I nearly collapsed. The shooting pain had returned. When I experimented further, I found if I kept weight off my toes, I could limp a bit on my heel.

I hobbled as fast as I could out of the nurse’s office and down the hall in pursuit of Will. Until Ben had carried me in this way, I’d never been back to this part of the Main Lodge. I limped past the Pauls’ office and the kitchen, but when I reached the foot of the stairs heading to the second floor, I paused: laughter. That was probably JV rehearsing, so that’s where I’d find Will. Using the railing, I hauled myself up the steps, pivoting on my heel. When I reached the top, I took a swig of water to reward my effort.

But now what? There were eight rehearsal rooms. I guessed I could just peek in each room until—but then I heard Will’s distinct laugh: a donkey bray. He doesn’t let himself go very often, and I was thankful in this moment he did.

I cracked open the door to Rehearsal Room C and peered inside. Four people were frozen in a tableau. Paloma stood to the side in such a way that made me assume she was controlling the scene. Will and the others were shaking with laughter. Their coach, Roger, was crouched against the wall, his head in his hands. The more everyone laughed, the more pleased Paloma’s face became. The players frozen in place began to shake from holding their positions for so long.

They were happy.

I didn’t want to break that up.

Easing the door closed, I pivoted on my heel just in time to see Sirena bound up the stairs.

“Hi,” I said in a low voice.

“Hi, Zelda!” she said, smiling as she put her hand on the door-knob to the rehearsal room. Then she took a second look at me and frowned. “What’s wrong?”

I shook my head and rubbed my eyebrow. “Crazy morning. I was hoping to talk to Will, but they’re neck deep in something hilarious. He’d never forgive me for pulling him out of that.”

She nodded slowly. “Break’s in fifteen. Or we might call it for the day .

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