Practice makes perfect, and when you're fighting to be the best in your sport that is especially true. Ryder and Francesca are no exception. They are dedicated to their sport and refuse to let anything distracted. But when a scheduling conflict forc...
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Francesca: Going to the rink decided to end the semester where I started it. See you later Ry, I love you
Me: Love you too butt, have a good skate
I slip my phone into my pocket after sending the text and reach down to grab my other skate to put on. Francesca has no idea I am already at the rink. When she mentioned yesterday after pyramid she wanted to use her final ice time today I knew I had to be here. I can't shake the feeling that this summer is going to completely change our lives so I want to take advantage of this moment before it does.
I am sure she will lecture me about still being injured and skating which is why this morning bright and early I went to the athletic trainer and got a note saying I could skate as long as I take it easy. I didn't argue with that condition, I don't plan to workout or anything anyways. I just want to be with her.
Standing on my skates to walk over to the ice feels weird. It is the first time I have laced up since my injury. Three weeks later I finally am starting to feel normal again. Not that I am feeling fine; I still feel a stab to my side anytime I take a deep breath, but I can breathe and laugh and hold my girlfriend without having to lie. I know I said lying to her is hard and it was hard that first two weeks to pretend I wasn't in so much pain but it was worth it. If she would have known how much pain I was really in it would have torn her up inside which is the last thing I wanted. At that point I had caused her enough pain I was not going to be the cause of more, not if I could help it.
Stepping on the ice finally, sort of feels like coming home after a long vacation. I feel the tension in my shoulders melt away as I slowly glide across the ice. Out of habit I put the music on, purposely picking the same playlist I was playing that first day.
I skate calmly with my eyes closed just enjoying being on the ice again until I hear the front doors open. I pop my eyes open but don't turn around to watch her walk in. Out of the corner of my eye I see her stop, watching me skate around. She's in the same spot she stood that first day when she didn't know I knew she was watching me.
I see her bite back a smile before stalking over to the bench and dropping her backpack right next to mine. Matching Michigan athletic backpacks, one that says Ice Hockey and one that says Figure Skating embroidered into the front.
"Hey!" she yells out over my music.
I pull out my phone and pause the music while skating over to the spot where she is standing, arms crossed in the same defiant stance she had when we first met. "Hey," I greet, trying to fight my own smile. I am reeling back in time to January 6th. At that time I had no idea the stare down I was having was with the love of my life. It would take me over a month to figure that out. That revelation would come exactly 1 month and 2 days later at a different hockey rink on February 8th. From that day it would be almost 2 months before I would act on those feelings, on March 29th, and make her mine.
