PLANS

ARIANNA'S POV

I tried not to look at him, that was the first rule I made for myself, don't look at him, don't think about him, don't remember his lips, his hands, his name, anything.

it should have been easy, but it wasn't.

" again" coach's voice echoed across the rink, sharp and cold, I hated it so much, I pushed off the ice, I force my body into motion, focusing on the routine, on the steps, on anything that wasn't the boy skating beside me, Shakes, my partner, I could feel his eyes doing what mine wanted to do so much, begging me to look back at him, the pressure was so raw, so intense, last night was a mistake, a shameless one, kissing my dead sister's ex boyfriend what was I thinking, oh right I wasn't thinking, which is not an excuse to such messed up thing, I'm here for one thing to expose Coach Frost and revenge my sister's death, not cuddle up with this hottie as good as it sounds.

we moved in sync like nothing happened, like nothing had changed, his hands holding my body in place, his body moving smoothly alongside mine, he is so good at it, effortlessly perfect at everything, urgh focus you idiot, I can't lose my cool, one more mistake and I might lose it, coach was just on the other side of the rink his attention focused on us, then my mind drifted to my sister's diary, the punishments she suffered when she made a mistake, ice cold baths, sleeping in a dark room, and worst of all, the pills, waking up to feel used, her body was tempered with by this fucker, for sixteen years, God knows if this fucker tries to touch me I will have to deal with the consequences later,

" Focus" his voice snapped me back, of course I missed another step glancing back at him, my anger builds up, fuck how did I get caught up in this disgusting mess,

" you know what, take a break both of you, report back at exactly 12" his crooked voice echoed as he walks out

" Arianna" Shakes voice cuts the the growing silence

" I need water" I said cutting him off quickly, skating towards the edge before he could say anything else, I've been avoiding him since last night, I didn't know why, maybe because I was a coward, but I just wasn't ready for the conversation, I didn't want to talk about yesterday, I was still thinking about what I read from Valerie's diary last night, I should have stayed curious, now I'm stuck with this information, my head creating disgusting scenarios, my hands trembling anytime I touch anything, I can't even brush without thinking about what drugs this sick man have the maids put on it to make me sleep, I couldn't sleep last night, I read the diary over and over again. my head is still filled with this insane images and I didn't need some boy problems now

the locker room was empty when I got there, perfect just what I needed , silence. I sat down slowly, my hands trembling slightly as I opened my bag. the diary was still there, staring at the cover, the bright colors, the stickers filled it front and back, the pink, purple, blue, white, red, all the fucking colors you can think of, it was her, literally and metaphorically her, it was supposed to be filled with adventures and names of friends but instead it corrupted with one persons name, it's so sickening how someone turned something so bright to something so dark, my hands tightens around the book , tears swell up in my eyes, I should have been here to save her, she would have still lived, now the only memory I have of her is this, I was more pissed than sad.

leaning against the locker a knock startles me, it's Shakes, of course it's him, just good timing for him to see me wallowing in guilt and anger with tears in my eyes, I slowly turn away to the other side

" hey" his voice cutting deep, as sweet as it was, it was the last thing I wanted to hear, wiping my tears I turn back to the book refusing to look at him

" please I don't wanna hear it"

" hear what"

" whatever you wanna say, just save it" I said slowly trying so hard to not give myself out, silence creeps in stepping out of the door, he slowly sits on a chair opposite mine, not saying a word just looking at me, I couldn't look away this time, his eyes knew how to trap a girl

" I bought ice cream" he said handing over a cup of ice cream to me, it was chocolate flavor, tears drop fall from my eyes of course he knows my favorite flavor, scooping a little in my mouth, the iced flavor makes me smile, I wished Valerie was here she would definitely be yapping about something right now,

" I just knew her for a few hours, I should have kept her up that night" tears rolling down my face, I couldn't control them again.

" hey do you trust me", looking up to him I shook my head

" no I don't"

" good, cause I can be stupid some times" he said taking my hand

" let's get out of here ", his hand holding mine, warm and reassuring, the kind of feeling that makes you feel like you can let your guard down.

we didn't say anything till we got to the game room.

" where are we going" I said very confused

" shush"

the noise covered that part people in groups playing all kinds of games, Valerie mentioned this place in her diary

" we played chess today, and I lost again which is okay cause the martini keeps me going" when I thought of it I felt fuzzy inside.

Shakes pulls the restroom door shut and pushes my back against the door, his body just few inches away from mine,

" what are you doing" I blurted out the minute he hands left mine, I was so curious, why did he bring me here,

" I'm so it's just there are cameras almost everywhere and I had to bring you here"

" I , uh I found something", handing over some paper to me, it was some pregnancy test results and birth certificate

" this is the hospital I was birthed in..?"

" yh"

" these are my birth certificate"

" yep"

" well why would he keep this tho"

" he didn't, I scanned the hospital code from the files Valerie sent to me, it was hard but I did it"

" oh so you're a hacker now"

" and this too" he said holding a flashdrive,

" what is this..?"

" I, uh, also hacked the cameras in the main house" my eyes go wide, I didn't know he was that good

" when"

" well while you were busy playing with those drugs at the gala night" he said smiling, his fingers brushing his hair back

my focus goes back to the drive, I could see what a day of my sister's life looks like, but do I really want to watch this, what if I find something I don't wanna find or see or watch

" look we will do it when you're ready, just the both of us " Shakes voice brings me back from my thoughts his eyes giving me this reassuring look again that I can trust him, some minutes pass and neither of us say anything, just standing there looking deep into each other's eyes until I break the contact when I hear his phone ping

" uh it's Alex " burying his phone back at his pocket, my mind immediately goes back to what I've been thinking about the whole night before I went through the diary then this, I totally forgot about it, I open my mouth to say something but Shakes interrupts me

" I don't think your uncle is dead"

" what, my uncle, you mean my foster Dad or my guardian, my dad" I said trying to be quiet as much as possible Shakes just nods his head

" look I'm not sure, but I overheard coach making some calls and he was arguing with some people about not finishing the job and "

" I knew he wouldn't just leave us like that"

" Arianna, I'm not sure"

" but there's a good chance it's him"

" yh I guess, but"

" but what"

" look I don't want you to think about it too much okay it's probably someone else or another thing completely"

" then why did you tell me"

" because"

" you wanted to change the topic"

" no, no I..., we're going to compete in a city in Australia and that's where they last saw him"

" how do you even know my uncle"

" well he came here and got in an argument with coach and then disappeared the next there, on his way out, he said something about coming back for revenge, then he left, then I overheard coach telling some guys his location in a city in Australia, that's when I started digging more, you know to find the truth "

" so you were curious, or you were looking for leverage "

" leverage, I hated being controlled, and I was better than the whole skaters put together you know, when you know people they respect you more "

I shake my head, he can be an asshole sometimes

" and don't worry about Alex, he understands "

no he doesn't, Shakes was lying to me, he always pockets his hands when his lying

" a skill many mistake as cool or collected or aura, " that was how Valerie put it in her diary, she knew so much about him and that made things alot easier.

entering my room I throw myself on my bed, it's been a wild day and the competition is due tomorrow, what if I actually bump into my uncle, my dad, I'm in supposed to pretend like I don't know him, will he even recognize me behind this stupid mask I'm wearing 24/7 ...

" oh Val I'm gradually losing my shit over here you know that right "