Forbidden on Ice

two days

ISLA'S POV

“This gown looks sexy” Beatrice said from across the couch at the mall

“I haven't seen the reason why I'm buying a dress for something I have no intenyif enjoying” I said as I looked at the mirror and turned sideways to look at my butt

“See, your butt looks well in this” she said and winked

“I don't like the color, it's boring”

“Okay go back and let's try the last option”

I had tried about 4 or say 5 dresses for the last one hour and we always had a problem, the color? The style, the graphic. I was already exhausted as I went inside to try the last one

The dress was a butter yellow strapless with mini soft baby pink flowers designs, it was body hug and I knew this was it

“Damn girl! This is tea!” Beatrice said as she stood up from the couch and walked towards me

“I know right” my face lit up with smile and satisfaction as I looked at myself in the mirror

“Let's get it!” We both said almost immediately.

We did and Beatrice had demanded we get our hair and nails done. I did a short almond nails with butter yellow French tips and pink polka dots on it and Beatrice did a stiletto almost same design with me but in black and white. For my hair I had my it washed and restyled in a ponytail

The two days passed slower than I wanted but faster than I was ready for. By Saturday afternoon, the anxiousness had fully taken over. I reorganized my closet twice, color coloured my textbooks for no reason and read the same page of my business note 4 times pretending to understand what was in it

“You tripping”

“Uh?”

“You been moving back and forth all day”

“I'm organizing.. trying to put things together”

“thats not organizing, you're crashing out”

I sat down on the chair and took a deep breath

“I dunno why I'm nervous, it's just a party but i dunno”

“Maybe cos it's a party where certain someone might be”

“That's not why I'm nervous”

“uhuh” Bea said as she raised her eyebrows

The truth was more complicated than I wanted to admit, somewhere between the coffee shop collision and tonight, Kieran Shaw had stopped being just my father's obsession and started being someone I actually thought about, randomly at inconvenient times, in ways that made my chest feel tight and strange.

“Even if he's there I don't really care”

“Yeah you shouldn't, your father would kill you” Bea said

For a while the rule hadn't crossed my mind and Bea’s reminder was exactly what I needed

“yeah I know”

“Okay ma'am, if you say so”

“Why are you so invested in this anyway?” I threw a pillow at her

“Because I've watched you turn down every single guy who's shown interest in you since the breakup and you've been pacing back and forth all day over some random bumping and quick eye contacts which is actually making me lose concentration”

“First off, I've been busy with Dad and school I don't have time to spare for a ‘boyfriend’ and second of all I'm not worried about any stupid collision” I said as I frowned

Beatrice burst out laughing mainly because I sounded like a clown trying to defend myself

“Yenyenyen” Beatrice mocked me

I didn't have a good response, so I threw another pillow instead

Getting ready took longer than it was supposed to even tho I had my outfit figured out

“Is this makeup too much?” I said as I stared at myself in the mirror

“Girl there's no make up on your face” Beatrice yelled

“Exactly” I laughed “I'm so pretty” I smiled and blowed myself a kiss through the mirror

“You're not serious” she scoffed “pink bag or black bag?”

“Definitely black”

In the car on the way over, Beatrice turned the radio down low enough to actually talk.

“Can I be serious for one second?” she asked

“That's terrifying coming from you”

“I'm serious. If tonight goes somewhere, and I'm not saying it will, but if it does, be careful. Your dad isn't going to just get over this”

The reminder settled heavy in my chest, cutting through the nervous excitement I'd been riding all evening.

“I know”

“I'm not trying to scare you, I just love you and I don't want you to get hurt”

“I know, Bea. I appreciate it” I reached over and squeezed her hand. “It's probably nothing anyway. One conversation doesn't mean anything's actually happening”

"Sure," she said, in a tone that suggested she believed that about as much as I did.

Just then my phone began to buzz it was my dad calling on video call

“Hey dad”

“Oh my Goddd darlingggg you look so gorgeous” my parents both echoed

I couldn't help but blush hard

“Stop it” I smiled from ear to ear

“Hi mom and dad” bea said as she brought her face closer

“Ouuu, you look pretty girl” my parents said to her

“Thank you Mr and Mrs Morgan” Bea blushed

“Remember girls, have fun don't get drunk and yunno be you” my mom said

“Thankk you” me and bea chorused smiling

“Yeah love you” my parents said

“Bye bye bye gotta go mmuah muah kisses” I said and somehow after the call I felt relieved

“I love them” bea said as she smiled and took pictures of herself

The party was already loud by the time we arrived, spilling out onto the porch and driveway, music thumping through the walls with the kind of energy that promised the night would only get messier from here.

“See?told ya” Beatrice said as we opt the car with excitement

“It looks like every other party” I said as I adjusted my dress, I was nervous

“This energy is different, trust me” Bea said

“Well whatever”

We pushed through the front door into the room full of noise and bodies, the air was thick with music, perfumes, alcohol, you know the rest Beatrice immediately spotted people she knew, pulling me through the crowd with a confidence I always envied and never quite managed myself

“Drinks first” Beatrice said as we moved to the bar section

I followed

“After drinks we'll mingle and if the universe has a sense of humor, chaos next”

“Please don't jink this night” I said

“Too late, already did”

I laughed accepting the cup she handed me, letting the noise and lights take over me. For a few minutes, I let myself just be a girl at a party, not the coach's daughter, not anyone's rival, not carrying the weight of a rule I'd been raised my entire life to follow without question.

I scanned the crowd without meaning to, some traitorous, hopeful part of me already searching, I told myself I wasn't looking for him, I was lying, and I knew it the second I saw him across the room.