Twenty-Four | Nathan

Nate drives Anastasia home after agreeing to be her temporary skating partner. Aware they must avoid distractions, they share a final kiss and set a no-touching boundary until January, joking about mutual attraction and the challenge of the next eight weeks.

Back at the house, Nate’s friends tease him about figure skating gear while he updates them on the plan. The next day, Nate and Anastasia skip studying to shop for leggings, bantering about outfits and resisting physical affection. Nate repeatedly declines calls from his father, revealing tension he labels “complicated.”

Over food-court small talk, Anastasia worries about Nate’s NHL future and distance; Nate suggests visiting as a solution. When Anastasia insists Nate can see other people during their partnership, he counters that their time together will make that unlikely, signaling possessive affection but keeping boundaries.

Nate asks to review Anastasia’s meal plan and is alarmed to find she is severely undereating, likely contributing to bruising, fatigue, and injury risk. Anastasia grows defensive, citing Aaron’s requirements and claiming his lifts are harder if her weight fluctuates. Nate calls Aaron’s control unhealthy and proposes writing a better plan to show Brady. Anastasia reluctantly agrees, and Nate promises to handle it together as she steps away to get food, voice cracking.