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say?”
    With a planned career in broadcasting, Tara stood up, grabbed a single rose out of the water glass, and swung around to face us. She cleared her throat and spoke into the petals as the stem dripped water down her arm. “I’m live on the rooftop of the Vancouver General Hospital where a rescue helicopter is just now landing with two injured skiers from Blackcomb Mountain. Both victims are believed to be from the north Seattle area. Their condition is not yet known, but their injuries are substantial.” She popped the rose back in the glass. “They showed your school photos.”
    Brenna leaned forward, hugging my blanket. “You sure can pick ‘em, Ashla. Imagine falling into the arms of the hottest senior at Mount Olympic High…” Brenna threw her head back and gazed at the ceiling. “…that hunk of a hockey player every girl dreams about,” she paused, squinting at me. “I hyperventilate just thinking about him.” She swooned and leaned so far back that she had to catch herself before she toppled off the bed. “You get the picture.”
    I got the picture, all right. Justin Ledger was a big deal, not just at school, but also on the ice, and with the media. The headache suddenly got worse.
    “Hey, Ashla, what’s wrong?” Tara caught my expression.
    “Both his legs are broken.”
    Their faces fell. Brenna finally said, “You’ve got to be kidding.”
    Celeste nodded. “I heard that on the news. They said the broken bone in his leg perforated a major vein and that he could have bled to death. Someone on the mountain saved his life. Who was that, Ashla? You?”
    I gave that some thought, remembering my Dad’s words. How could I be both the heroine who saved his life and the villain who caused his terrible injury? I sure didn’t feel much like the heroine right now.
    “Hey,” Celeste rubbed my forearm, “Come back to us. You should be proud. A later broadcast said what you did was amazing considering how badly hurt you were. Think about it. You saved Justin’s life!”
    I looked at each of my friends. What if I was found responsible for what happened to Justin? Who would I be then? What would happen to me? I shivered.
    “Hey! Ashla. Hello?” They looked at me questioningly.
    Tara summed it up. “He’s got it all. That’s for sure. Looks, money, and fame.”
    “That’s just peachy,” I said.
    The girls looked at each other, an unspoken message passing amongst them. “Hey, Ashla,” Brenna said, “Tara and I are going to go. You look pretty tired.”
    We hugged. “The card is really nice,” I said, “and I love the microphone, er, I mean the roses.”
    When they were gone, Celeste looked me in the eye, the one that wasn’t black and swollen. “Fess up,” she demanded.
    I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. I wanted to tell her, but the words lodged in my throat. “It’s the concussion, that’s all. Messes up everything.”
    “I’m your best friend, Ashla, remember? You can’t fool me.”
    I gave it some thought. “This is just between us, right?”
    Celeste nodded. “Always.”
    “The resort says Justin was the last skier down the mountain before they closed the run.”
    Her eyes grew wide as the meaning of this struck her. “So are they saying you are responsible for his injuries?”
    “Apparently.”
    Celeste moaned, “Just wait ‘till that tidbit hits the news.”
    “Truth is, if I hadn’t been flying down the West Face at that exact moment, Justin would be in the village right now, partying with his friends instead of in a hospital bed with two broken legs.”

CHAPTER FIVE
    Seattle, two weeks later…
    I slogged through the rain as early darkness descended like a wet wrap. Looking ahead, the welcome yellow glow from the windows of our older two-story home came into view. I had been out of the hospital for two weeks but had not gone back to school or been allowed any physical activity. The doctor said even the slightest bump could re-injure my brain.
    I was going