"We are the talk of campus," Francesca announces when she walks into the rink. I got here a few minutes ago and am just returning from getting the cones out of the office.

"You guys started this," I remind her. Two days ago the figure skaters stole Bray's door, but honestly he kinda deserved it. I still can't figure out what crawled up his ass that night, maybe he was still jaded about our loss but Bray is usually the easy going one between the two of us. Anyways, after he saw his door on twitter he decided that he wasn't just going to get his door he was going to get even too. As retaliation him and a few of the guys got to the arena early Wednesday to got the figure skaters back by spraying them with shaving cream when they walked in. Both somehow ended up on twitter.From there the student newspaper got ahold of them and announced there was a prank war between the two teams. Both my team and Francescas latched on to the idea, neither wanting to be declared the loser of this made up war. So far the figure skaters haven't gotten us back for the shaving cream but I have been on edge since yesterday morning about it.

"If I would have known what it would lead to I wouldn't have let Parker steal the dumb door."

"I am still really impressed you all got it out of the house without being spotted." Not only was the house packed but the door is kind of heavy and with all the snow and ice we have I can't imagine carrying it back to their place was easy.

"Don't underestimate me Ryder," she winks before stepping on the ice and gracefully skating backwards. "I think we need a truce," she adds as I start skating too, both of us warming up together. The cones still aren't set up so we use the whole length of the ice to stretch.

"Us? About?"

"This prank war. If we get involved then it might make it hard to practice together."

"Fair," I concede. To be honest I was a little worried about retaliation today so I am glad to know she has no intention of bringing the prank war here with her. "Ok truce neither of us will get involved in the prank war. We don't have to stop pranks or give warnings about pranks we know about but we can't actively participate. We will be neutral which means neither of us can be specifically targeted."

"Deal," she nods and we both shake hands. "Look at us, it is almost like we are friends."

"Lets not go that far Beck," I tease and she rolls her eyes in return.

Both of us continue to warm up in silence, slipping into our more serious practice mode. That is the nice thing about practicing with Francesca, she can turn her more serious side on and off just as easily as I can. In the past I have tried to practice with friends and they just want to talk the entire time or goof off. Francesca and I, even when we didn't get along could argue and bicker then as soon as we stepped on the ice turn it off but then step off the ice and pick up right where we left off.

After our stretching and warmups we set up the cones together. As I set the extras down she follows me. "Hey, did you pick a song? I want to start choreographing as soon as possible."

"Yeah, please hold." I pull my phone from my pocket and send her the name of the song. I spent yesterday night searching for a song that screamed Francesca. My criteria was complicated to say the least. I wanted slower than the last song, but faster than the slow shit everyone else uses. I wanted something with lyrics she could tell a story with but not something that would be distracting. I also wanted something confident. From the little bit I have seen she has the talent but her confidence isn't quite there yet and after her last competition I know her confidence is even more rattled.

"So Good? Never heard of it," she says looking at the message on her phone.

"Listen to it, if you hate it I have a few others but none of them seemed right. When I found this one it just felt like it was meant for you."

"I trust you," she gives me a little smile. "You did good last time so let's see what we got this time."

"I went a little bit different for this one, slower than last song but not one of those sad songs everyone else seems to use. I think you could really have fun with this one," I tell her, starting to get a little nervous. I hope she likes it.

The song begins to play as she pockets her phone in her sweater and starts skating to it. As the song continues her smile grows and her casual skating turns into fun jumps and spins as she starts to really get into the song. My nerves subside a little as the song ends and she begins it again.

"Who knew you were into Dove Cameron, Ryder," she remarks lowering the music and skating to where I am standing near our cone divider.

"Ok confession? I had help."

"Oh? From who?"

"The guys had some girls over yesterday, the usual group of puck bunnies that hang around so I recruited them."

"Well thank them for me, you all picked a great song. I am impressed."

"I will tell them tonight, I am sure they will be over again like they are most nights."

"They're hot, too hot for you guys."

"I am hot," I defend as she begins to move away so we can both get to practicing.

"And I am hotter, why should they date you when they could date me instead."

"Because I am better in bed."

"Keep telling yourself that," she sing songs before starting her music to begin working with the new song. I begin practicing too, still amused by her last comment and also happy Francesca feels comfortable around me.

Last night when Maddie was up in my room and we were looking at songs for Francesca, she informed me that her friend had dated her for a short period of time. I was curious so I went to her instagram and learned she is bisexual and has been out since she started college, maybe earlier but that was the first post she said it. Besides that her instagram was pretty boring. Mostly ice skating pictures, a few pictures with exes she never took down, some family pictures, and one or two from parties and tailgates but very few considering we go to a pretty infamous party school. I don't go out much or usually join in when the house throws parties but I think even I go to more parties than she does.

Our hour flies by as it tends to do, both of us completely consumed with our own stuff and only occasionally looking at the other. I make a mental note to start bring my stick to the rink or borrow one now that I am happy with where my speed is. I want to add in stick handling at this speed because it is one thing to skate fast but another to skate fast while not letting the puck get away from you.

Francesca cleans up the cones while I answer Maddie telling her thank you for helping with the song. She replies almost immediately which is something I always appreciated. "Maddie said she is glad you like the song, she hopes it wins your first place."

"That is so sweet of her," Francesca coos with a bright smile. "Should I make my team create a new group chat to talk about prank war stuff?" she asks, joining me as we both step off the ice. Two hot chocolates, one with each of our names on them, sit on the bench. I didn't even see Barb or Josh bring them over but it is so cold out today I am extremely appreciative for the warm drink.

"Nah it will be impossible for us not to know about stuff since we live with our teammates but you can't help them or tell them things I tell you and I can't tell my team stuff either."

"Ok but can we warn each other? Since we don't want to be involved?"

"I guess that is fair, why is this you warning me?" I ask while she flips her phone around to me.

I read the messages about saran wrapping all the cars at the house overnight so tomorrow when we try to leave we can't. It is a game day so we won't be late for practice and it won't hurt anyone, it really is a harmless prank, but unwrapping my car in the cold sounds like a bitch. "Thanks I will park my car down the block so I am protected."

"Welcome. I need to go talk to Barb, want me to take the cones?" Francesca reaches for the stack next to me and I hand them to her.

"See you Tuesday?" I say even though I know I will. You would first have to cut one of our limbs off before either of us missed a practice.

"Tomorrow," she pouts, suddenly looking very annoyed.

"Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow," she confirms. "Maya is making us go because whatever player she hooked up with, P something, invited her so she bribed us with brownies."

"Pman," I tell her. "And seriously bought off with some brownies? I thought you were better than that." I give her a disappointed tsk and wag my finger.

"Maya makes the best brownies, you haven't lived until you've had them. I would do a lot of things for those brownies, the least of which includes going to a stupid ass hockey game."

"I will believe it when I see it," I challenge. I know this will likely bring out her competitive side at least enough to earn me a brownie just to prove they're good.

"Score a goal hot shot and I will give you a brownie."

"Deal," I yell to her as I walk to the front doors and she walks to the office.

When I open the front door there is resistance and I have to actually push the door open with my shoulder to get it open. I look outside to see the wind whipping wildly as snow falls. There is already about an inch on the ground and I groan. I hate driving in the snow which is not ideal when you live in Michigan. I hit the remote smart on my car so it will warm up and defrost while waiting for Francesca in the rink lobby. No way I am letting her walk home in this weather.

10 minutes later I am watching the group chat plan yet another party for after Saturday's home game and Pman fights for his life trying to lift the 'no figure skaters allowed' rule the team is trying to put in place because he knows Maya won't come alone. Honestly I think Maya should be considered a figure skater because she is as guilty as her friends, but I don't say that to them. Personally I enjoyed having Francesca there, it was the longest I have stayed for one of our parties in a while, plus I bet the two of us at beer pong would be an unstoppable team. "Why are you still here?" she interrupts.

"Waiting for you," I tell her, still focused on my phone. Pman is desperating losing the battle and so I quickly jump in to save him.

Me: Figure skaters come but during parties we pause the war. Now stop blowing up my phone assholes.

"Why?"

"Really bad snow, figured you could use a ride."

"I am sure it will be fine, but thank you." I let her be stubborn at first but as she battles the wind to get the door open she turns to me sheepishly. "On second thought."

"Car is already warmed up," I tell her while muscling the door open and both of us carefully heading to the car.

"Thank you for waiting. Your momma really did do a good job, she should be proud."

I want to laugh as we both get into the warm car. My mom would never be proud of something unless she could brag about it to her rich friends. Even with hockey as a kid, the only time she really took interest was when her friends were interested. I was often in trouble for not making sure I emailed her a recap of how I played in games because she was not wasting her time attending but she had to know enough to keep up the image of the doting perfect mom with the perfect family. It used to make me sick when she would talk about games like she was there when really she hadn't stepped foot in the rink in years. Even now she only cares at the end of the season when articles are being written and broadcasters are saying my name.

I drive to Francesca's place in silence. She is chatting about how she thinks her team is crazy for going out tonight in this weather and how she doesn't want to go to the hockey game tomorrow. I listen but she makes no complaints about my lack of conversation, she fills the quiet car enough for both of us.

"You ok?" she asks, her voice laced with concern as we pull up to her building.

"All good just wanted to focus, everyone is a bad driver in the snow." A lie but I don't want to dump my family bullshit on her. We are barely friends and up until the other day we didn't even have each other's numbers.

"Makes sense. Well, get home safe and text me when you're home, ok?"

I nod feeling this weird warmth spread through me at her concern. She hops out, nearly slipping on a patch of ice before running to the backdoor and ripping it open dramatically to escape the snow. She waves to me once she's in and I wave back before driving away.

I drive home and as soon as my car is in park I take my phone from my pocket and text her.

Me: Home.

I walk inside quickly and feel my phone vibrate as I shut the back door.

Beck: Thanks for the ride, me and Maya's brownies will see you tomorrow :)