Secret Ice Princess

Chapter Two

Libby began her Thursday morning like any other. She got up, took a quick shower before throwing on her usual jeans and tee and blowdrying her hair. She put on a light dusting of makeup and brushed through her now lightly knotted auburn hair. She stopped and hesitated for a minute trying to decide what to do with her hair. Finally deciding on a Celtic knot, she quickly pulled it up.

Libby glanced at herself in the mirror. She was a pretty girl with large, green eyes and gorgeous red hair. Her skin a clear pale was exactly what most girls her age would kill for. However, Libby often thought how much she would love to just become someone else and escape her lonely life forever. When her dad forced them to pack up and move everything she had to leave her good friends behind leaving her feeling isolated at school.

Many girls had tried to become friend with her already but Libby seemed to just push them away but Hope was different. Libby found herself drawn to the larger girl. The way she carried herself with such grace and ease on the ice, carefully jumping and shifting her weight just right to cause her to sail into the air.

Libby thought back to the night before. Getting locked in the locker room may have been an accident on both girls' part but Libby sure wasn't sorry about it. Over the past two days Libby found herself slowly analyzing the girl and suddenly wanting to be more than friends. Sadly, Libby knew that it was most likely that Hope was straight and even if she wasn't probably wouldn't want anything to do with Libby.

Though Libby had never actually had a girlfriend, she knew she definitely attracted to women. She loved the was they carried themselves, gracefully but not too seriously. She loved they way they smelled and dressed. Everything about a well put together women could driver her crazy. Men just didn't have the same appeal.

At her old school, the girls were all drooling over this hot new actor while Libby was staring at the leading lady. She didn't really think much of it until she realized none of the other girls has a huge crush on Taylor Launtner and she was dreaming about Kristin Stewart. After that it was a rapid whirlwind of discovering herself. She never even tried to tell anybody, to her it was a personal thing, one she didn't need to tell everybody. She was a lesbian and proud.

At school everything went by slowly. She kept thinking about Hope and the iPod that was burning a hole in her pocket. She thought about going through it and trying to find some sort of address or phone number but then thought better of it. If it were hers she wouldn't want somebody she barely knew looking on it.

Right before lunch Libby's heart skipped a beat when she saw Indigo standing by her locker. Libby immediately began to walk towards the taller girl. Standing by her side, Libby tried to start a conversation. "Hey, what's up!"

Indigo jumped and looked at her, a glint of recognition flitted in her eyes. "Just putting away some stuff," she murmured.

Libby nodded, "What are you doing tonight?" Libby asked boldly.

Indigo didn't think before answering. "I'm going to the r.... oh, I mean I'm going to the park. Yeah," Indigo tried to keep calm. Her heart began to pound in her ears. She almost gave herself away to a total stranger and that excited yet infuriated her.

Total disbelief showed in Libby's face, "Oh, ok," she responded, leaning into the lockers.

Indigo closed her locker and walked away. Libby stared down the hallway following her with her eyes. She couldn't help notice how much Indigo was like Hope. They looked similar, they walked the same, but they couldn't be the same person, right? Libby figured there was only one way to find out.

Indigo was on edge the rest of the day. What if she has really given herself away. It's not like she really bothered to make herself look different from Hope, it was just her stage name. She would just have to be really careful about tonight because chances are Libby would be there.

Indigo friend to calm herself down in the way to the rink but with her music player missing, it was difficult blocking out her problems. She impatiently tapped her fingers on her armrest, waiting for the bus to pull up the the old building. Indigo had been very careful over they years making sure that nobody from her school rode the same bus as her as to insure the safety of her secret.

Pulling the heavy blue duffel over her shoulder, she hefted herself out of her seat and left the bus. As she drew closer to the door she recognized a car that made her blood boil. The red suburban that was parked in front of the rink belonged to somebody who was very familiar to her. In fact, you could almost say her enemy.

Indigo entered the rink hastily and was displeased when music assaulted her ears. Looking out onto the ice she saw Georgina, practicing away.

Georgina was a nice girl, at least until you got to know her. Her pale blond hair flowed behind her as she gracefully sailed on the ice. Her purple skirt twirled around her as she leaped but the whole thing made Indigo sick. As she watched Georgina practice Indigo immediately began to feel worse. She was planning on practicing until her feet bled because today was a day she could really use the disaplin.

Indigo didn't know how long she has been standing there when a timid voice broke her out of her trance. "Um, Hope?"

Indigo leaped back started, immediately aware of how she hadn't yet changed. "Um, yeah?" She shuddered.

"Here's your iPod, you left it here yesterday." The small red headed girl smiled brightly at Hope, making her heart skip a beat.

What is wrong with me today? Indigo thought. She felt herself smile but immediately banned it and walked away but not before grabbing her iPod out of the smaller girl's hand.

After Hope walked away Libby let out a big breath. So Indigo was Hope?

She didn't know what to think. Sure the girls shared the same looks but they were the same person? Earlier in the day, while she was in math class, she created a plan. She figured she could just arrive at the rink early and see if the same girl got on the bus at the school as got off the bus at the rink and she had been correct. Indigo was hope. Hope was Indigo.

In the locker room Indigo quickly changed her clothing. Her smooth new tights felt good as she pulled them on, kind of a reassurance that no matter what happened on the ice she would be okay.

Georgina skated up to her almost immediately when she walked up to the bench. Indigo began the long process of lacing her skates while trying to ignore the cocky, ignorant girl. "Quite the place you've got here, mind sharing?" Georgina taunted.

Indigo didn't look up, she continued to lace her skates though her heart was pounding. She could faintly hear her conscience yelling at her to leave but she wouldn't do it. She had to face her bully.

Georgina kept at, shooting passive aggressive insult and one liners at Indigo. "Hope, why don't you get over here and skate. Show if you're actually worth competing in championships."

Indigo wanted nothing more than to leave but she wouldn't, she couldn't. Sliding onto the ice she let the smooth calming sound of skates on ice relax her. She smiled to herself and let herself get to work. Georgina skated over to the speaker and stared a new song. One almost completely unfamiliar to Indigo. She felt her confidence drop. Unwilling to give up she gave herself a running start and threw herself into a triple lutz.

Unexpectedly, Indigo's feet went out from under her. Handing on her behind she felt her cheeks flush and her bottom was suddenly very cold. She could here Georgina laugh behind her. She looked up, quite embarrassed.

"Hope!" Indigo heard, she looked. Libby was waving at her. Her heart skipped a beat as her eyes met the smaller girl's. "Go get'm!" And all Indigo could do was smile and try again.

***

Hey, guess what?

I love you!

-M