✍🏻See You Again

5 🫐 Chapter 5

Eventually, I peeled myself off the wall, made it to the locker room, and changed, entering the rink with a bright smile on my face.

Marco was already there, eyeing me hesitantly at first but when he saw I wasn't mad anymore, he relaxed.

The session started out well, both of us falling into our routine synergy but the more glances I stole Javi's way, the more I was stepping out of rhythm. The time was passing by and I hoped he would look at us here and there, maybe just out of curiosity about having new teammates on the ice but the only thing he focused on was his skating. He was wearing loose sweatpants - or at least loose in comparison with Yuzuru's outfit - and as much as I liked the view of his ass, I couldn't help but be disappointed he completely ignored us. I might have been riddled with insecurities but I knew I'm a damn good skater and if there was one thing I could charm him with, it was that. If he only looked. If he only---

"Ivy!" Marco exclaims and breaks just in time so his collision with me isn't that hard when we crash and fall down on the ice. His arm is tightly wrapped over my stomach, his body under mine as I stare at the ceiling, trying to comprehend what has happened. I don't move, realizing my mistake and awaiting his other hand to snake up to my neck and strangle me.

"Are you okay?" He grunts from under me before slowly rolling me off of him and helping me get up.

"Y-Yeah," I breathe out, dusting the snow off my clothes, still dazed and in shock. "I-I'm sorry."

"It's my bad," he mutters, running his hand through his unruly curls, "you are clearly not having your day today, I should've been more careful." His eyes move to the side and he mutters more to himself. "Seems everyone is having a shit day today."

I frown and turn just to see Brian pointing at the benches with a storm in his eyes as he stares straight at Yuzuru who hangs his head and obediently skates off the ice. Though his moves are compliant, I almost take a step back when he sits down and our eyes meet. His dark glare sends shivers down my spine as if whatever happened to him was my fault. It lasts less than a second before he turns away but it's enough for me to realize what others meant when they said he can be pretty intense during practice.

"What happened to him?" I ask, looking back at Marco who's frowning back at me.

"You didn't see it?"

"What?"

"Oh, Ivy, where is your head at today?" He sighs, looking at me with concern, "for the past hour, he was falling on each of his jumps, ignoring Brian whenever he called at him to take it easy. Just before we crashed I could feel his last fall through the ice under my skates. Didn't you even hear Brian yelling at him to get off the ice before we collided?"

I hang my head, pestering myself for getting so preoccupied with a guy that I wasn't paying attention to anything around me. Lost in my own head and depending on my muscle memory and the routines we have with Marco. Not risking only my safety but others too. I am just about to suggest we take a break when my eyes land on Yuzuru who is icing his knee and giving the ice pack the same glare he shot me a moment ago.

"How about we just do a few cooldown laps?" I suggest instead, not daring to be anywhere near him in that mood. Marco glances at Yuzuru and nods, equally apprehensive to get into his line of fire. The only one who seems to be brave enough is Brian who sits next to him but to my surprise doesn't say a thing and simply sits there, keeping him company.

We start to slowly skate again but it takes me only two strokes to suddenly stop and grab Marco's arm. "Shit!I didn't ask if you are okay!"

With a loud laugh, he shakes his head, coming closer and tying up my ponytail. "We had worse ones. I'm fine, Ivy." I nod and take his hand, resuming our cooldown but this time paying attention to only him and the ice, pushing everyone else to the back of my mind.