Breaking the Ice

Chapter Six: Taking a Chance

Anna's POV

After the final bell of the day, I made my way to the bleachers behind the school gym. I liked to sit there sometimes, away from the chaos of the bustling campus, where I could gather my thoughts before heading home. Today, though, my mind was anything but settled. The encounter with Jessica still echoed, and the memory of Marcus McKay catching me as I almost fell was fresh in my thoughts. It was all a lot to process, and I just needed a moment of calm.

As I reached the top of the bleachers, I saw Courtney sitting there, her legs dangling off the edge, looking out over the empty field below. Courtney’s brown hair was tied in a messy ponytail, and her jeans were a little frayed at the cuffs from where she’d worn them a bit too long. As soon as she spotted me, she waved me over with a wide grin, as if she’d been waiting for me.

“Hey! You finally made it,” Courtney called, her voice full of energy.

I gave a small smile and trudged over to sit next to her, dropping beside my friend with a sigh. I glanced over at her, and she was already studying me closely, as if she could sense there was something more going on.

“You okay?” Courtney asked, her tone softening with concern. “You look... flushed. What’s going on?”

I tried to shake it off, but I could feel my cheeks redden at the question. Courtney wasn’t exactly subtle when it came to picking up on things.

“I’m fine,” I replied quickly, brushing a strand of hair out of my face. “Just… a little tired from the last class.”

Courtney arched her brow, unconvinced. “Tired, huh? Well, that doesn’t explain the look on your face. Come on, spill. What happened?”

I sighed. I should’ve known better than to try to hide it from Courtney.

“I… ran into Jessica,” I finally admitted, feeling the beginnings of a headache forming at the mention of the girl’s name. “She had some things to say about me and Carter. And then, I kind of told her off. I guess it felt good, but also… I don’t know. It was a little overwhelming.”

Courtney’s eyes widened, clearly intrigued. “Wait, wait. You told Jessica off? Oh my god, that’s amazing. How did she take it? Was she all shocked? Did she cry? Because that would be awesome.”

I gave a small laugh, though I was sure it didn’t quite reach my eyes. “No, nothing like that. She just… smirked and acted like I didn’t matter, like usual. But then she said some stuff about Carter. About how I was just some placeholder until he remembered who he really wanted, which was her. And that’s when I just… I don’t know, I said it didn’t matter. I told her she and Carter deserved each other and that I didn’t care anymore.”

Courtney leaned back, taking in my words with an approving nod. “Hell yes! You’re a boss, Anna. You really stood up for yourself. I mean, I’m sure Jessica wasn’t expecting that.”

I shrugged, trying to act like it didn’t matter, but the truth was, standing up to Jessica felt like a small victory. A personal one. “I don’t care about Carter anymore, anyway. Not after what he did.”

“Good for you,” Courtney said, her smile turning sly. “But wait, that’s not all, is it? I can tell there’s more to this story. What else happened?”

I hesitated for a moment, then sighed, my mind flashing back to the moment when I almost face-planted on the concrete. “Well, as I was walking away from Jessica, one of her friends—one of the cheerleaders—tripped me. I almost fell, but then… someone caught me.” I paused, my heart rate picking up just a little. “It was Marcus McKay.”

Courtney’s grin grew, her eyes practically sparkling with excitement. “Wait—Marcus McKay saved you? Oh my god, Anna! That’s huge! Oh, they had that joint training here today! Talk about perfect timing!”

I rolled my eyes, though I couldn’t deny the rush of heat in my chest at the thought of Marcus. “Yeah, I know. But it was just a quick catch. He helped me up, made sure I was okay, and then we went our separate ways.”

Courtney’s grin only widened. “Uh-huh. Just a quick catch, huh? You’re telling me that Marcus McKay, who every girl on this campus drools over every time his team has a match here, actually touched you? And you’re acting like it was no big deal? Come on, Anna. You’re playing it way too cool.”

My face flushed again, and I looked away, not sure how to handle the fact that my mind kept returning to the way Marcus’s hands had steadied me. He hadn’t said much, but there had been this undeniable warmth in his touch, a gentleness that had made me feel oddly… cared for. It wasn’t something I expected from someone like him.

Courtney was already grinning mischievously, knowing exactly what I was thinking. “Okay, okay, I know you’re not going to tell me everything. But listen, I’ve got an idea for you. You can’t just let this opportunity slip by. Marcus McKay actually caught you. That’s fate, Anna. It’s destiny! You should come with me to the bonfire party tonight.”

I turned to her, eyes wide. “What? A party?”

“Yep. The McKay brothers are throwing one tonight by the bonfire site. I’m sure your knight in shining armor would want to talk to you more. And who knows, maybe there’s more to that quick catch than you’re letting on.” Courtney raised her eyebrows suggestively.

I shook my head, feeling a slight panic rise in my chest. “I don’t know, Courtney. I’m not really into parties, and besides, I’m sure he’s not looking for anything. He probably just felt bad for me or something.”

Courtney groaned in frustration. “Oh my god, Anna. Do you know how many girls would give anything for Marcus McKay to even talk to them, let alone catch them when they trip? You’re literally sitting on a golden opportunity, and you’re going to let it pass you by? I won’t let you back out of this. We’re going.”

I tried to protest, but Courtney wasn’t having any of it. She was determined, and once Courtney set her mind to something, there was no way to stop her.

“You’re coming. End of story,” Courtney said with a triumphant grin. “I’ll pick you up at eight. And don’t even think about backing out. You deserve to have fun for once.”

I opened her mouth to argue, but the look on Courtney’s face told me it was pointless. With a resigned sigh, I finally gave in.

“Fine, fine. I’ll go. But I’m only doing this because you’re way too persistent.”

Courtney bounced in excitement, her grin wide. “Yes! You’re going to have the best time. Trust me. You might end up having a lot more fun than you expect.”

As I watched my friend’s enthusiastic reaction, I couldn’t help but feel a flutter of excitement, too. Maybe this party was just the distraction I needed. And maybe, just maybe, it was time for me to stop playing it safe and take a chance.