My Roommate Stole My Crush,So I Got His Rival

Chapter 4

Catherine and Isabella were total straight shooters, always had been.

They couldn't stand people beating around the bush with snarky, passive-aggressive remarks.

Well, half the time they probably didn't even pick up on the sarcasm anyway.

Amy froze for a second, flustered, and muttered, "It's nothing. I just think it's not right for Mia to be gushing over another guy like that."

Catherine and Isabella both turned to her at the same time, looks of pure disgust on their faces.

"They're not even dating. Even if they were, they're not married. Heck, even if they were married, that doesn't mean you can't appreciate a hot guy, right?"

"When did you get so stuck-up and old-fashioned?"

Amy's face flushed bright red from being called out, and she stammered, "I-I'm just loyal, okay? Not like Mia, who's so... easy."

I frowned.

What the hell did she mean, I was easy?

Catherine and Isabella also picked up on how out of line that comment was.

But before any of us could snap back, a sharp whistle blew. The game was on.

Ten players skated onto the ice all at once, their blades kicking up tiny showers of ice shavings.

The stadium erupted into noise right away. The students around us were yelling their lungs out, cheering for their favorite players.

I propped my chin in my hand, watching the game closely.

This felt nothing like when I'd watched Carter play before.

All that usual nervousness was gone, replaced by pure, uncomplicated appreciation.

Appreciation for their toned, rippling muscles, their smooth, graceful movements, and their super-tight team uniforms.

"Mia? What are you staring at?"

Carter and Alexander were on completely opposite ends of the rink, so it didn't take a genius for Catherine to notice I wasn't looking at Carter.

I coughed awkwardly. "Nowhere. Nothing."

But Catherine wasn't that easy to fool.

She leaned in close, all sneaky like she was about to spill top-secret gossip, and whispered, "You're not falling for someone else, are you?"

My face heated up instantly. I wanted to explain everything right then.

Carter and Amy were the ones who'd messed up first, but Catherine had no clue what had gone down between us, and I didn't want her to get the wrong idea about me.

But before I could say a word, Catherine and Isabella exchanged a look and grinned.

"It's only natural."

I clamped my mouth shut.

Fine. It's only natural, whatever.

While we were chatting, the game wrapped up out of nowhere.

Deafening cheers exploded across the ice rink. Alexander had landed a perfect buzzer-beater goal in the last second, the puck skimming right past the edge of the goalie's pads and slipping into the net.

His teammates swarmed him instantly, piling on in a giant group hug, thumping his helmet so hard it banged loudly.

Carter stood a short distance from the goal, his stick hanging limply at his side, shoulders slumping in defeat.

"What are you just sitting there staring for? Go, go, go! Now's the perfect time to comfort him!"

Isabella pulled a Gatorade out of nowhere and shoved it straight into my arms without asking.

She and Catherine each grabbed one of my arms, half-dragged me to my feet.

I was caught completely off guard, and I yelped, trying to pull back. "Wait, no!"

Catherine rolled her eyes, clearly exasperated by my hesitation. "What are you being all shy for? Now's your chance!"

I grabbed onto both of them as hard as I could, digging my heels in.

"Amy's online dating partner is Carter."

Catherine and Isabella froze like they'd just been struck by lightning.

The two of them glanced back and forth between me and Amy.

They looked like their brains were short-circuiting, completely unable to wrap their heads around what I'd just said.

While we stood there frozen, stuck in the standoff, Carter had already picked up his medal from the organizers. He slung his helmet under one arm and headed over toward me, one slow step at a time.

"Mia, why haven't you been replying to my messages?"

Every pair of eyes in the stands was locked on him, but he didn't seem to notice at all.

Staring at his face, I drew a total blank, completely at a loss for words.

When he saw I wasn't reacting, he shifted awkwardly and spoke again. "You said you wanted my medal last time..."

"Carter!"

Amy's yell cut him off mid-sentence.

Before anyone could process what was happening, Amy lunged forward and threw her arms around his neck.

Carter's whole body went stiff, and he shot me a panicked, pleading look.

He'd met Amy a bunch of times before, and he knew she was my roommate.

"Uh, classmate..."

Every gawking bystander around us had their eyes practically popping out of their heads.

Amy tilted her face up from his chest, looking up with a sickly sweet grin.

"Carter, it's me! Amy!"