Free In Over Her Head by Melody Fitzpatrick

family means she doesn’t need to learn to cook; she has people for that.”
    â€œPeople, meaning you.”
    â€œYes.” Massimo smiles. “People, meaning me.”
    â€œRude!”
    â€œSo is that it? Any other reasons why you think Miss Piper is so wonderful?”
    â€œWell, she’s won Junior Miss Maple Ridge a bunch of times.”
    â€œTrue,” Massimo says, nodding, “but her father is head of the committee, so that might have something to do with it.”
    â€œShe can fish.”
    â€œHa!” Massimo laughs. “I asked her once if she’d like to help me catch some fish for dinner. She said fishing was a disgusting sport, and she didn’t know how anyone could do it.”
    â€œReally? Wow.”
    â€œI don’t lie, bella .”
    â€œWell, she reads these great novels like Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre , and she’s like a total straight-A student.”

    â€œStraight As? No, my dear. Her revolving door of tutors would say otherwise. And as for novels, I’ve never seen her with one. I know she likes Archie comics, though.”
    â€œI don’t get it, Massimo. Why does she lie so much?”
    â€œIt’s a lot of pressure trying to be perfect.”
    â€œWhy does she need to be perfect?”
    â€œHave you met her father?” Massimo frowns.
    â€œOh yeah.” I nod.
    â€œHe pushes her too much. Anything less than the best is failure in his eyes.”
    â€œWhat about her mother?”
    â€œHer mother is an Olympic gold medalist, and even worse than Captain Steele, always insisting Piper try harder, work longer, make more sacrifices, and so on, and so on.”
    â€œWhere is she now?”
    â€œShe’s in Rio coaching the women’s Olympic sailing team.”
    â€œWow! That’s why they must push her so hard; they’re getting her ready for the Olympics.”
    â€œExactly. It’s too bad that the poor girl is sick of sailing.”
    â€œBut she’s won all of those races and she coaches a team … or is that a lie, too?”
    â€œNo, that’s true. She is a very talented sailor, but I think she is just tired. The pressure to never lose can be exhausting.”
    I shrug. “Yeah, I thought it was kind of weird that she goes to bed so early.”
    â€œAnd she’s up early, too: 4:45 a.m., when she starts her two hours of training before breakfast.”
    â€œYikes. That’s intense.”
    â€œIt is when she does it. Lately, she has been a little off her game.”
    â€œUrgh. Sounds like a hard game.”
    â€œAnd the diet they have her on …” A sad expression registers on Massimo’s face. “It’s very strict. I feel so bad for the poor girl that sometimes, in the morning, I sneak a cup of hot chocolate onto her dresser. A nice little treat for when she wakes up.”
    â€œShe drinks it?”
    â€œOf course! Have you not tasted Massimo’s hot chocolate?”
    â€œYeah.” I smile.

    â€œIt’s yummy.”
    â€œListen, don’t waste any energy feeling jealous of that girl. Trust me; as wonderful as it looks from the outside, you wouldn’t want her life.”
    â€œI’m starting to see that.”
    â€œSo, enough talking, I have a job for you,” Massimo says, reaching into his pocket.
    â€œSure, what else have I got to do?” I laugh.
    â€œTake this to Piper’s room, would you?” Massimo pulls a cellphone out of his pocket and places it in my hand. “Just put it on her dresser.” He winks. “Oh, and you’ll need this.” He reaches into his other pocket and pulls out a key. “She keeps her room locked.”
    â€œAre you sure she won’t mind me going in?”
    â€œ Bella , I have to make lunch. Please, as a favour to an old man.”
    I grin. “You’re not that old.”
    He laughs. “Just go!”
    The closer I get to Piper’s room, the