Thin Ice // Tim Laflour

01- Out of the Closet (literally)

I skated alongside my partner Gabriel, his hand linked with mine as we skated backwards, each focused on making sure the other was safe. My eyes were glued in front of me, keeping my head up as Gabriel did the same.

Gabriel tugged slightly on my arm and I slid my way over to him, grabbing his other hand. Gabriel looked at me in the eyes and I slightly nodded, giving him all the approval he needed.

The blonde French man let go of one of my hands and put it on my lower back, lifting me up above his head. Gabriel let go of my other hand and put it on my right thigh, steadying me.

I leaned back and brought my hands out while lifting the leg he wasn't holding. Gabriel turned on himself and slowly let his hand holding my thigh go.

Gabriel the lowered me down and I opened my eyes, not realising I'd closed them. The French man held me close to him and we both breathed fast, my hands meeting his clothed chest. We skated away from each other and turned to our coach.

"That was good." My father's old friend Sofiya said from the bleachers. The woman was Russian and employed by my dad since I turned 5 to teach me the art of figure skating.

"I want you both to do a triple axel before the lift." She said as my a panicked eyes met Gabriel's panicked ones.

"Alright then, let's do this." Gabriel hesitantly said as he extended his hand out for me to take.

"I've seen you both do triple axels on your own. I'm sure you can do them together." Sofiya shrugged as I grabbed his hand and we skated together for a bit before Sofiya's voice said 'now'.

I jumped, throwing my right leg in front of me and spinning around in the air. I put my hands in a brace position and closed my eyes.

As soon as I felt my body dropping, I opened my eyes and brought my hands out. As soon as my left skate hit the floor, I winced, my feet getting caught up with each other as I landed on the ice.

I slid away a little bit and I opened my eyes and sat up seeing Gabriel in the same position as me.

"Didn't land it either?" I asked the French man as he nodded in a no motion.

"Again." Sofiya's harsh voice said as we stood up and tried again, only to end up on our butts on the ice. So, we spent more then half and hour trying to get our triple axels.

After what seemed like the millionth attempt, I finally landed my own but looked at Gabriel, laying down on the ice.

I looked up to where Sofiya was standing to see the hockey team standing near her. I groaned as their appearance signalled our training was over. Had I spent that much time focusing I didn't hear or smell their grotty appearance?

I started skating away to get off the ice but a hand grabbed my wrist, nearly making me trip over my own feet.

"Listen Evelyn I uh-," Gabriel started as he swallowed a lump in his throat, avoiding all eyes contact with me. When you meet any person and get to know anyone you know that when they call you by your first name, hesitate and avoid eye contact, they are about to say something game-changing.

"I'm going back to Paris. I'm quitting." Gabriel said as I sighed and closed my eyes momentarily.

"A month before the competition?" I calmly asked, looking up at him. He nodded approvingly.

"For what reason? Actually I just realised I do not care. Goodbye Gabriel, have fun. I'll loose the competition thanks to you." I drily said to the French man as I skated away from him and stepped off the ice.

"What's the matter princess? Daddy said you can't have the new Ferrari?" A taunting voice asked from the hockey team. Tim LaFlour. The nickname he used was not because he thought I was pretty or anything, it was because my dad had bought me a new pair of skates and he was jealous.