Page 83 of I Don't Need Your Love

“Okay. So we spin away from each other.” She twirls around. “Spin.”

I do as she says.

“And then we stretch our hands to each other and find each other.”

I follow every direction she sends my way. I’m a little sloppy in the beginning because this is all new to me, but I’m getting the hang of it. The story is about a prince and princess who are unable to be together, so Carly wants the routine to focus on how much we want each other.

I’ve never felt that way about a girl before—about anyone, really. Of course I have people in my life who are important to me, but I’ve never been close to anyone. Never yearned for anyone.

But if I had to choose someone to pretend with, Carly would be the only person on the list.

She pushes some hair away from her eyes, cheeks a bit red. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know.”

I tilt my head to the side. “Can’t give you an answer if I don’t know what you mean. Am I looking at you like this?” I glare at her. “Or like this?” I give her a wide smile. “Or maybe like this?” I make a funny face.

She bursts out laughing. “No! You’re looking at me like…like…”

“Like I want to do this?” I take her hands and spin us around so fast the room turns into a big blur.

“Ryder?” Coach calls. “Can we focus, please?”

Shoot. I forgot that she’s here. Was having too much fun with Carly.

I stop spinning and drop Carly’s hands. “Sure, sorry.”

My partner laughs lightly, pushing her hair over her face like she’s trying to hide it, although it’s hard to do that because she has a ponytail. I can’t stop a smile from forming on my mouth. I like when I make her laugh. It feels like I’m making up for all the years she hated me.

Carly goes through the routine another time to make sure I’m following. I’ve got most of the beginning memorized already, so we pretty much have smooth sailing. But the second part is much more difficult. Carly choreographed it in a way that it gets more interesting and intense and complicated later on. Like the moves build and build until the grand finale at the end.

“I didn’t come up with that part yet,” she informs us. “But I want it to be a lift that will wow the audience and make them fall off their seats. If we can pull it off, I mean.”

I grin at her. “The two of us? We can pull off anything.”

“You sure can,” Coach agrees. “But let’s take one step at a time and not overdo it. We have time before the next competition.”

Carly and I take a break to drink. I go to the water cooler to refill my bottle while she looks at her phone. Then she joins me and fills up her bottle.

“Routine is solid so far,” I tell her with a smile.

“Thanks, but I’m a little worried about the finale. Maybe we can come up with something together.”

I chug down half of my water. “Sure, but I’m not sure what input I can offer. You’re the brains and talent.”

She laughs softly. “Maybe. But have you ever watched couples dance? I always loved watching the guy lift the girl. I don’t know why. It was just fun. Seeing her float in the air like that. I always thought the guys have super muscles.”

I glance down at my biceps. “Hmm. The boys kinda let me down the other day.” I lift my head. “But if you want to float in the air, you’ll float in the air.”

“I never saidIwant to.”

“No, but do you?”

She shrugs. “It’d be nice to add it to the routine, but it’s not necessary.”

I inch closer to her, dipping my head so my mouth is at her ear. “I’ll make all your wishes come true, Princess,” I whisper. Even if I have to kill my arms doing it. Because there’s no way in heck we won’t at least get a trophy next time. No way in heck is this beautiful, awesome girl who’s been working so hard, going to be disappointed again.