Fresh off the Ice

New Rink

I stand there looking at the sign 'Professional Ice Rink'. I took a breath in before taking the first step into my new life.

Walking into the ice rink center I tried to feel confident but walking into a new place it's hard to. The main desk was on the left and the rink was through double doors on the right and it looked like there was a gym/off ice room upstairs.

I saw that it was quite empty in the lobby of the rink. I went around to peek in the ice rink and see a couple of coaches with some students. They must not be many early birds in this rink.

I was still observing the skaters and coaches when a voice from behind me startled me, "Hi! You must be new!"

I jumped around and was meet by a short blond haired girl with big brown eyes, "Sorry! I didn't mean to scare you! I'm Tina. You look like a skater and I haven't seen you around here before so I wanted to introduce myself and welcome you."

I smile shyly at her, "I'm Chesa." I told why I was here.

"That's a shame! And right in the middle of competition season."

I chat with her a bit than I start to warm up. I notice I get quite a few looks from skaters as I'm warming up.

This rink is in a poorer area than most who rink which I think why I'm the only one from our rink here. My dad had some deal with this rink I'm sure. I'm sure this is a rink that is like a small family with it's few skaters as it seems.

I get my skates on and waste no time stepping on the ice. As I speed around the ice I notice a the few coaches and students on the ice look my way. Not having had 3 days of practice I am totally focused on my task. I pick up speed and warm up my doing three wally jumps with my arms in different positions and after the last one I do a single Axel with my arms above my head.

I quickly go through all my doubles in the next 15 minutes. Now time for my triples.

I land the double axel stay on the same foot pull  back and turn back on it prepare and do a second double axel and land. I continue with these exercises and my triples for the next hour.

After making sure all my jumps are right I get my cd and go ask one of the coaches to play it for me.

I stand in my starting position thinking of everything in need to remember and correct. My music starts and off I go. Pretending there's a crowd I make eye contact with empty seats. As I'm picking up speed for my triple loop I see everyone on ice standing against the barrier watching me. As my triple loop sticks I get more confidence and put more of myself into the program. I finish the well skated program breathing very hard. I quickly keep moving around the rink to get my fitness up.

By the end of the two hour practice I'm sweating profusely as I get off to take my skates off. I go to the upstairs gym and stretch while doing school.

I got a message from my dad saying that my coach will be coming to the rink tomorrow to continue training with me. Oh boy, I think, I'm going going to have to get my triple salchow down in the next session. 

I go on for the late evening session which seemed that the rink emptied out a lot. For the two and half hour skating session I go through all my jumps and spins in the program than run my programs a couple times. But still my triple salchow is not working in any of the programs. After two hours in the session I'm pretty much the last skater on the ice but I'm not leaving until I get this triple salchow. 

'Come on Chesa!', I say to myself, Up, in and stick the landing! I go again. Preparing, jump and fall. I quickly get my feet and go again. This time I manage to land on my landing foot for a second before falling onto my left hip. 

'Almost!' I say to myself. For this triple sal jump I really go for it with all might to land this stupid jump. 

This time I skid off my landing foot and the impact of the jump slams onto my hip. I feel the pain shoot up. I turn on my stomach and just lay on the ice in defeat for a second. I slam my fist into the ice in anger before rising to my knees slows and sit back on my skates just thinking about how much I've failed. 

As I look to no where in particular my eyes meet a boy's brown eyes who is standing off the ice on the other side of the rink watching me. I notice he has dark hair and pale complexion and a tall skinny but muscular build. He had the rinks logo on shirt so I'm guessing he worked here. 

After too long minute of staring at each other. I brake the eye contact and went to try that stupid salchow again. I was very much aware of his eyes on me when I set up for the salchow. This time I sore up and boom land! I had to adjust my weight to stay on my skate but I stuck it. 

I couldn't help but look over to where the boy was watching but he was gone. 

'Okay Chesa focus' I said to myself. I did five more salchows sticking three of them barely. 

Getting home after a long day, I tiredly fall on my bed and could feel my sore muscles from today. I move to the side and groan at my  bruised hip which reminded me of the mystery boy.

' I wonder if I'll see him again. Argh stop thinking like that!'I scold myself, 'It doesn't matter if you do or don't.' 

Or did it?