Chapter 150


    Chapter 150. Competition.


    As soon as I heard Cinder’s voice, I pushed Aaron away like I’d been caught with my hand in the


    cookie jar.


    Aaron gave me a disgruntled look, his bottom lip sticking out in an adorable pout.


    “Come on, stop messing around! Cinder and her new boyfriend are waiting for us to go skiing!” I


    protested, and Aaron finally gave in. He went to the bathroom alone to take care of his little problem,


    and I took the opportunity to scarf down the delicious breakfast he’d prepared for me. After that, the


    four of us headed to a nearby ski resort.


    When we arrived at the lodge positioned on top of a snowcapped mountain, we realized the ski slopes


    were al- ready packed with tourists and more capable local skiers. Be- side me, Cinder bounced up


    and down excitedly.


    Aaron was so concerned about my safety, I could hardly take a step toward the slopes before he was


    bombarding me with all sorts of protective equipment. Warm-weather clothes, knee pads, chest


    protectors, helmets-he insisted on helping me put on each piece of gear.


    Aaron’s thoughtfulness got Cinder’s attention, and more than once I caught her ncing enviously at


    us while Aaron adjusted the various straps and buckles of my ski outfit. After a while, Cinder even


    asked Eliott, who had quickly put on his own suit, to follow Aaron’s example and help her.


    When I heard that, the corners of my mouth quirked up in a satisfied smile. Aaron knelt in front of me,


    tightening my skis, but I pulled him up to a standing position so I could re- ward him with a long,


    passionate kiss.


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    Afterward, I took Aaron’s hand and headed toward the


    closest ski run. “Let’s go, let’s go!”


    “Aaron, you have to give Olive some good lessons, make sure she doesn’t wipe out!” Cinder called


    after us.


    Listening to Cinder’s teasing voice behind us, I started walking faster, but I’d forgotten that I was


    already wearing my skis. I tripped and fell forward toward the snow-covered ground.


    “Baby, watch out!” Lucky for me, Aaron grabbed me just in time, and I was able to regain my footing.


    “Oh my g*d, Aaron, I’m so d you’re here.” I was stunned, and all I could do was clutch Aaron’s jacket


    with both hands, afraid that I would fall again if I let go of him.


    “I’m guessing you don’t have much experience with skiing, babe. Don’t worry, we can start off slow,”


    Aaronforted me, gradually releasing his grip on my hand once he saw that I was safely upright.


    “Who told you I don’t know how to ski?” I asked indignant- ly. At first I couldn’t understand Aaron’s line


    of thinking at all, until I realized he must have gotten the wrong idea from my stumble just now.


    While we were talking, I saw Cinder zip over the edge of the hill in front of us, and Eliott followed right


    behind her. It was easy to tell from theirfortable postures that they were both experienced skiers.


    Aaron nced at Cinder and Eliott, who were skiing smoothly and gracefully down the slope, and then


    looked back at me with a knowing expression. He leaned over and whispered in my ear, “Baby, there


    are a lot of people who can’


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    t ski. You don’t have to be embarrassed.”


    “Aaron, I think you might have the wrong idea…”


    “I know, baby, you don’t want to make a fool of yourself in front of your friend. I understand. We can go


    to that run over there,” Aaron suggested. He held my elbow and led me to a slope a little further away


    from Cinder and Eliott.


    Fine. I could tell by this point that Aaron waspletely deluded, and he wouldn’t believe me no matter


    how much I tried to exin. It would be easier to just show him what I could do.


    I let Aaron pull me to the top of the run. As we were standing there, Aaron pushed himself forward,


    about to give me a demonstration. But I didn’t wait for him to start exin- ing the basics. I stretched


    out my arms, gripping my poles tightly. Then I leaned forward, bent my legs, and pushed off. As soon


    as I got some momentum, I began to glide down the hill in a standard skiing stance.


    “Olive!” Aaron shrieked from behind me. His obvious con- cern only made me more pleased with


    myself. I’d been a great skier ever since I was a child, so Aaron shouldn’t have under- estimated me.


    As I skied down the slope, I heard the sound of the wind whipping against someone behind me, and I


    thought Aaron must be catching up. I looked back at him, and my heart felt like it was going to burst


    with happiness and the freedom of being out on the slopes. Grinning to myself, I continued mak- ing my


    way down the run.


    The excitement and the adrenaline rush of skiing always put me in a good mood. It was so nice to be


    on vacation with-


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    out a care in the world, and it was even better to have Aaron by my side.


    When I met Aaron at the end of the piste, he immediately started singing my praises. “Baby, I really


    didn’t expect you to be such a good skier!” he eximed.


    Hearing this, my lips curved into a smug smile. “That’ll teach you to underestimate me. Do you still


    think I don’t know how to ski?”


    “I’m sorry, babe, I shouldn’t have made assumptions. Of course my Olive is the best skier in the world.”


    I thought about the time when Aaron defeated me at Mario Kart in our hotel bedroom. Technically he


    had cheated by distracting me, but the loss still stung. I asked him pointed- ly, “Okay, so who do you


    think is better at skiing, me or you?”


    Aaron paused for a moment, then said, “Of course you are, Olive. My skiing skills arepletely


    inferior to a master athlete like yourself.”


    I stared at him for a while before shaking my head deci- sively. “Then let’s race!”