Fake Skating

Alec falls asleep in speech class because he was up all night with his shoulder pain. He still can’t believe that Dani is at his school and is also in one of his classes. When he passes by the library and sees her sitting alone, he wants to talk to her, but his friend, Kyle, insists on coming with him. Alec interrupts Dani while she is reading a book, and because she treats him cooly, he decides to annoy her. Alec is reminded of how feisty she was as a kid. Her looks have changed, but she is still the same inside. When Cassie arrives, she invites Dani to sit with her and her friends at lunch. She also has an idea for how to help Dani with her Harvard application.

Alec privately recalls when Dani first set her goal to attend Harvard. Secretly, he is jealous of the college-themed conversation because everyone expects him to attend community college or go directly into training for the majors. Meanwhile, Dani scoffs at Cassie’s suggestion that she join a sport. Alec asks Dani if she wishes she had been more athletic, and she claims to be glad that she never became “an egomaniac with a stupid nickname” (86).

Over dinner, Grandpa Mick asks Dani about her first days at school, but he keeps his eyes on his phone, and the conversation is awkward. Dani later catches a glimpse of his screen and sees that he was reading an article about how to communicate with teenagers. Suddenly, Mick comes across a social media post about Alec, which features a photo of him holding a bong. Mick says that this image alone could ruin Alec’s chances of making the Olympic team, jeopardizing his entire future. The narrative reveals that while Big John was in the hospital, Alec got into trouble for having alcohol and for getting into fights. Now, Dani’s mom says that this behavior isn’t characteristic of Alec, who was going through a rough time. Dani feels disconnected from the current version of Alec.

Alec worries that his careless actions have ruined his life. He didn’t use the bong; he only posed for a photo with it. Alec’s coaches want him to improve his behavior and make sure that every part of his life is spotless, including his grades and relationships. Once this is accomplished, the coaches want to have the local newspaper run a story on him, his family, and everything they have been through. Even though Alec doesn’t want to become a professional hockey player, he feels pressure to obtain a contract so that he can support his family. His father cannot work due to his chronic pain from his injuries, and his mother’s teacher’s salary isn’t enough to cover the family’s expenses.

Alec is more ashamed by the fact that his parents aren’t angry at him. When his mother, Sarah, asks about his reunion with Dani, Alec just shrugs, overwhelmed by stress and by the very thought of Dani. Sarah advises him to show her kindness, saying that Dani struggles with social anxiety after “all the moves” (98) that she was forced to make over the years. Alec promises to make an effort. That night, he can’t sleep due to shoulder pain and worry.

Mick drives Dani to school because her mom has a job interview, and the car ride is awkward and mostly silent. Dani must give a speech in class today, and she begins to feel a panic attack coming on. Mick can sense her anxiety and reveals that he also has panic attacks. He tells her to take deep breaths, which works for him.

In class, Dani’s anxiety continues to rise as she dwells on the fact that she must stand up in front of everyone, including Alec, in order to give her speech. The panic returns, and she has trouble getting a deep breath. Suddenly, Alec interrupts, saying that he must leave early and needs to give his speech now. This gives Dani time to sit down and gather herself, allowing the panic attack to subside.

Later, Dani is alone in the library when Cassie, Alec, Vinny, Kyle, and Richie arrive. The boys want to talk to Dani about having Mick as a grandfather. Dani confesses that she never knew he was a hockey star until recently. Dani still hasn’t found a spring extracurricular activity, and the boys suggest that she become a co-manager of the hockey team along with Cassie. Dani can tell by Alec’s reaction that he doesn’t like this idea and doesn’t want to be around her.

Alec doesn’t want Dani to become a hockey manager. He can barely focus now with her in town, and if she begins showing up at the rink, his concentration will be doomed. Even so, he doesn’t regret helping her in speech class. He recognizes that the fun girl he once knew is “missing,” and he knew that she needed help in that moment. Alec still has all the postcards that she sent him; they are hidden inside his closet. Because people could see what was written on postcards, they developed their own code. Now, Alec recalls that she stopped sending postcards right before the summer when everything fell apart.

Cassie encourages Dani to ask Alec for help in landing the job as the co-manager. Dani doesn’t want to admit that Alec doesn’t want to be near her. Cassie takes her to the hockey rink to show her around and explain their duties as manager, which include sharpening the skates and filming the action on the ice. There is a mural on the wall commemorating the town’s hockey stars, and her grandfather is on it. Seeing his young face makes her want to know more about his life.

While she is in the rink, her dad FaceTimes her and explains that he has been offered a new assignment in Omaha. If he moves, he wants Dani to live with him and limit her time in Minnesota to summers only. Dani knows that her dad resents her mother and her own connection to Minnesota, but she is heartbroken at the idea of leaving her mom to be with her dad, and she can’t believe that he is asking her to do that. She sometimes sees her dad as a “robot” because he can’t understand her feelings. Now, as she cries, he grows annoyed by her emotions and ends the call. Still crying, Dani darts into what she thinks is a closet, but she realizes that she has walked into the boys’ locker room and right into Alec, who is only wearing boxers. Alec brings her into a tight hug. Just as they separate, the coach enters the locker room and is angry to find a girl inside. Dani tries to explain, but Alec gruffly urges her to leave, and Dani worries that they are both in trouble.

Alec reflects that holding Dani in his arms made him feel “hypnotized.” He hugged her because he understands her “daddy issues” and can’t stand to see her cry. The coach, who is accompanied by two college coaches and a local reporter named Gordy Frye, has seen the whole encounter. Alec explains to his angry coach that nothing happened, saying that Dani is a childhood friend. When he mentions that Dani is also Mick Boche’s granddaughter, Gordy grows interested. Alec notices the reporter’s reaction and exaggerates the connection in order to deflect attention from himself. He says that Dani is trying to get into Harvard. The coach assumes that Alec and Dani are dating, and Alec doesn’t correct him. The coach thinks it’s a good idea for Alec to date a good girl who is also related to a local legend. Realizing that Gordy will spread the rumor, Alec decides that he has no choice but to maintain the illusion of dating Dani.

Dani is worried that she is in big trouble. Alec knocks on her door and asks to talk. He explains that she’s not in trouble, but his coach is angry with him for making another mistake that might cost him his future. Alec offers Dani a deal, saying that if she pretends to date him to help improve his image, he will help her to get the hockey manager job so that she can get into Harvard. Dani is enraged because the deal vastly favors Alec’s superstar reputation. She refuses to “be his little nerd beard” (141) only for him to drop her later and ruin her reputation. Alec thinks she is being selfish, but Dani can’t understand why he is calling her selfish when he was the one who ended their long-distance friendship.

Suddenly, Benji interrupts by knocking on the door and asking if Dani wants to get food. Alec is visibly angry to see him and tells him to leave. Benji makes a snide remark about Alec’s “rust bucket” car and his bong photo, and Dani asks both boys to go. After Benji leaves, Alec expresses his disbelief that she is talking to Benji since they both agreed to hate him. Dani explains that she doesn’t “know” Benji or him.

Alec sees Benji as a spoiled, entitled boy who is always trying to outperform him. He recalls what happened after his dad’s accident. When Big John was in the hospital, waiting for his seventh surgery, Dani and her mom were planning to visit, but only Hannah showed up. She explained that Dani had gone to the hotel with Benji instead. Alec was upset and later went to a party where Benji showed a picture of him and Dani sitting in their “spot.” Benji, who was always making petty comments, commented that Alec’s dad must have been drinking and driving. Alec lost his temper and beat Benji up. That’s when Alec’s image problems began.

Now, Alec calls Dani to convince her to fake-date him. He claims the arrangement will improve her social life, but Dani says she can handle that on her own. Alec stares at a photo of them together as kids and thinks about the fact that they are strangers now. He says that fake-dating will give them a chance to get reacquainted. Dani promises to think about it. He offers to drive her to school the next day, but when he asks if she’s friends with Benji, Dani doesn’t answer.

Hannah asks Dani if her father has been in touch; Hannah has noticed a change in the way he is communicating with Dani, as if he is trying to manipulate her. Dani lies and claims that she hasn’t been in touch with her father. Mick calls her dad a “jackass,” indicating that he never liked him. Dani is glad when Alec arrives, as this deflects her need to lie to her mom. Alec’s car, which is nicknamed “Burrito,” is old but reliable. Next door, Benji fires up his Maserati and tries to talk to Dani, but Alec cuts him off and calls him an “asshole.”

Dani counters Alec’s fake-dating offer with a condition, saying that she will only agree if they pretend to be childhood crushes reunited; she also insists that he allow her to be the one to break it off. She explains that the “social protection” that he is offering only works if she can control when the arrangement ends. If he breaks their agreement, she threatens to tell everyone that they were fake-dating to improve his reputation. Alec agrees to her terms and asks whether she wants to “soft launch” their relationship or do it abruptly. Alec prefers a sudden start, so as they walk into the school, he grabs her hand and actively flirts with her in front of his friends. Dani likes it. They make a “date” to meet in the library during lunch.