CHAPTER 3: THE PRICE OF A SECRET

Maya’s mom didn’t waste a second. She snatched Maya off the ice so fast, Maya barely kept her balance. The metal gate slammed behind them—a sound that felt way too much like a prison cell.

“Get in the car,” her mom hissed, face burning red, eyes narrowed with fury. “Now, Maya. Don’t make me lose my temper in front of all these people.”

Julian stepped off the ice with a heavy thud, his hockey boots pounding the floor. He moved between Maya and her mom, blocking out the overhead lights. “She’s not finished,” he said. “We have an agreement with the school.”

Bianca just laughed—sharp and mean. She waved her phone in the air. “The deal was for doctor stuff, Julian. Not midnight dates. I already sent this video to the whole school chat. By tomorrow, everyone’s gonna know the Ice Princess is dating a criminal.”

The world tilted under Maya’s feet. Her reputation was the last thing she had left. If the school saw her as just another rule-breaker, there went her scholarship. She glanced at Bianca and spotted something—a tiny, silver screw in Bianca’s other hand, catching the light.

“Where did you get that?” Maya’s voice shook. She pointed at Bianca’s hand. “That screw. It’s from a skate blade, isn’t it?”

Bianca’s smug smile faltered. She stuffed her hand into her pocket. “No idea what you’re talking about, Maya. Maybe worry about your busted leg, not my pockets.”

“Give it to me,” Julian said, voice low and dangerous, stepping closer.

“Don’t touch her!” Maya’s mom shouted, jumping in front of Bianca. “Stay away from my daughter. You’ve already brought enough drama, Julian Thorne. I won’t let you drag Maya down with you.”

Julian flinched, jaw clenched, fists tight. For a heartbeat, he looked like he might explode, but he held it in. He met Maya’s eyes—there was so much pain there, so much he wasn’t saying.

“Maya, let’s go,” her mom snapped, grabbing her shoulder again.

Maya hesitated. She wanted to stay with Julian, to tell him the video didn’t matter. But the look in his eyes told her everything—he needed her to walk away, or things would get worse. If he started a fight, the school would throw him out, no question.

“I’m coming,” Maya whispered. She looked back at Julian one last time. I’m sorry, she thought.

The car ride home was thick with silence. Her mom gripped the steering wheel so hard, her knuckles looked like bone.

“You’re done with that boy,” her mom said as soon as they pulled into the driveway. “I don’t care about the Principal’s deal. I’ll find money for a private coach. You’ll stay away from Julian Thorne. He’s poison.”

“He helped me, Mom,” Maya said, struggling to keep her voice steady. “He’s the only one who helped me get back on the ice tonight. You haven’t even asked if my ankle hurts.”

“I don’t need to ask,” her mom snapped. “I saw you grinning. You were playing. Figure skating isn’t a game, Maya. It’s a business. It’s our shot at a better life. If you’re not a champion, you’re nothing. Is that what you want? To turn out like your father—running away when things get hard?”

Maya felt the words cut deep. Her dad had left when she was six, and her mom never let her forget it. It was like an old scar she kept poking, just to make Maya try harder. She had to win, or she was a quitter. She had to be perfect, or her mom wouldn’t love her.

She slid out of the car, limped to her bedroom, and didn’t bother with the lights. She sat on her bed, staring at her trophies. In the dark, they looked like ghosts—cold and empty.

Her phone buzzed. A message from a number she didn’t recognize.

Check the school website. Bianca was telling the truth.

Maya clicked the link. The video was everywhere—her and Julian skating, his arm around her, her head on his chest. The comments were brutal.

“The Ice Princess likes bad boys now?”

“Is this why she fell? Thinking about Julian?”

“Julian’s just using her to stay in school. He’s trash.”

Tears slipped down her cheeks. She was losing everything—her pride, her sport, and the only person who actually saw her.

Then another message appeared. This time, it was Julian.

Meet me behind the gym at 7:00 AM. We’re not giving up.

The next morning, the sky was gray and the air bit through her hoodie. Maya kept her head down as she limped to the back of the gym. She expected Julian to be angry, maybe hurt.

Instead, he stood waiting against the wall, two cups of hot chocolate in his hands. He looked exhausted.

“You came,” he said, handing her a cup. “My mom’s going to lose it if she finds me here,” Maya muttered. She took a slow sip of her drink, trying to calm down. “And the video… Julian, everyone thinks we’re dating now.”

Julian shrugged. “Let them think it.” He locked eyes with her. “Bianca thinks she’s won because of that video. She messed up, though. She showed you that silver screw.”

“I noticed it,” Maya said. “But how do we prove anything? My old skates are trashed. The evidence is gone.”

Julian reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny plastic bag. Inside, a single old metal screw rattled.

Maya’s eyes went wide. “Is that—?”

He shook his head. “No, not from your skates. I grabbed this from Bianca’s. After you left last night, I checked the storage room. Her old pair is missing two screws. And they’re the exact same kind your skates were missing when you fell.”

A shiver ran through Maya. “She really did it. She tried to break my leg.”

Julian’s face hardened. “It’s worse than that. She didn’t just want you hurt. She wanted you scared enough to quit for good. Because as long as you’re skating, she’s second place. And Bianca can’t stand being second.”

For a second, Maya just sat there, everything sinking in. This wasn’t just some high school drama or a stupid romance. This was a real fight. If she wanted to get her life back, she’d have to do a whole lot more than just heal her ankle. She’d have to fight Bianca, who didn’t care who she hurt. And the only person on her side was Julian—the guy everyone said she should hate, but who was actually the only one helping her.

“What now?” she asked quietly.

Julian’s eyes glinted. “We play her game. She wants people to think we’re a couple? Fine, let’s give them a show. We stay close. We make her jealous enough to slip up again. And while she’s distracted, we find real proof.”

“Fake dating?” Maya’s heart pounded. “Julian, that’s risky. If the teachers catch us—”

He smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. His touch sent a jolt through her. “We’re already in deep, Princess. This is how I keep my brother safe, and how you protect your future. So, are you with me?”

Maya thought about the gossip in the halls, her mother’s icy warnings, and the way Julian looked right now—steady and certain.

“I’m in,” she whispered.

“Good.” Julian squeezed her hand. “Morning meeting starts in ten. We walk in together. Hold my hand. Smile. Don’t let anyone see you’re scared.”

Maya exhaled shakily, then slid her hand into his. His grip was steady and warm. Their fingers fit together so naturally, it almost felt like fate.

As they headed for the school entrance, students started to gather. Whispers buzzed. Phones flashed as people started recording, hungry for drama.

At the top of the stairs, Bianca watched them. Her face went pale, then red with anger—she looked like she might scream.

But then Maya spotted Coach Miller—her own skating coach—standing behind Bianca. He wasn’t looking at Maya; he was glaring at Julian like he wanted to kill him. Then he pulled out his phone and quietly started a call.

“It’s done,” she heard Coach Miller say as they walked past. “Bring the papers now.”

Maya’s heart hammered in her chest. Papers? What kind of papers? She glanced at Julian, but he was staring straight ahead, his face unreadable.

Suddenly, a sleek black car rolled up to the curb. Two men in sharp suits stepped out. Not teachers—lawyers.

Who were these lawyers? And did her own coach just sign something to end her skating career for good?