Romance on the Ice (gxg)

5

Her coach gave an approving nod. "You look good out there. That's exactly the headspace I want you to be in." She gestured for Sophia to come closer with a beckoning hand. "Let's go over the plan one more time before your run-through."

Sophia skated over to the boards, giving her coach her full attention as the older woman began reviewing the technical elements and choreography for Sophia's short program routine.

"...and don't forget to really sell those spins at the end," her coach finished. "You've been drilling them to perfection in practice, so I want to see that confidence out on the ice today, okay?"

"You got it, coach," Sophia replied with a firm nod. She could feel the adrenaline starting to build, her body buzzing with anticipation as the seconds ticked down to her practice session.

Her coach must have sensed it too, eyes crinkling fondly at Sophia's intense focus. "Alright then, go get 'em, kiddo. I'll be right here after you nail that run-through."

Sophia allowed herself a tight smile, giving her coach's hand a quick, grateful squeeze before pushing off the boards. She took one final lap around the perimeter, letting her edges bite into the ice and further sharpening her mental state.

As she drifted towards the center of the rink, Sophia was vaguely aware of the Russian team filing into the stands ahead of their own upcoming session. Sure enough, Elena's blonde hair immediately caught her eye, the other woman already focused intently on the action.

Time to show off a bit for her new "friend."

Several hours later, Sophia was back in the locker room making the final preparations for her short program. Her heart was pounding as she laced up her skates.

The short program would set the tone for the rest of the competition. A strong skate here could give her a big lead heading into the free skate.

"You ready for this, kiddo?" her coach's voice broke into her thoughts. The older woman was watching her intently, looking for any signs of nerves or doubts.

"More than ready, Coach. Just this waiting is killing me but I'll be fine once I get on the ice."

"That's my girl. You've got this," her coach said, a warm smile peeking through. "This is just another competition for you to make your name into the record books. Now get out there and show them why you're one of the all-time greats in this sport."

With one last squeeze of her coach's hand, Sophia grabbed her blue jacket and pulled it on over her costume. She could hear the muffled roar of the arena crowd filtering in through the locker room doors - her introduction was likely coming up soon.

As if on cue, a stagehand poked their head in. "Miss Thompson? You're up in two minutes."

Sophia felt her body thrum with anticipation. This was it. She closed her eyes and took a quick inhale.

"Let's do this," she said calmly, handing her jacket off to her coach. With her heart hammering in her chest, Sophia strode through the locker room doors and out into the brilliant lights of the arena. The roar of the crowd washed over her as she blinked rapidly, letting her eyes adjust to the dazzling spotlights and flashbulbs from the photographers' pit.

Taking a moment to gather herself, she scanned the packed stands, easily picking out the section reserved for her Canadian teammates and coaches. Audrey and the others were on their feet, screaming and waving their national flags wildly. Sophia couldn't help but smile and wave to Audrey and the others.

Her gaze automatically drifted a few sections over to where the Russian contingent was seated. Elena was there near the front row, leaning forward intently with her elbows resting on her knees. The bright lights glinted off her platinum hair as she watched Sophia carefully, an unreadable expression on her striking features.