After suffering a debilitating injury and possibly losing her spot in the 2012 Olympics; Faith Larson is forced to put her passion of figure skating on the back burner however, known bad boy Xoel Collins believes that with a little shove, she can ov...
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I close my eyes and wrap my cold, trembling fingers around my necklace that had been a gift from my father.
He called it my lucky charm.
He said that if he was unable to be here and see me compete, all I had to do was hold it and he'd be here in spirit.
Tonight I'm really counting on it.
"You're going to do amazing sweetheart, you always do." My mother assures me as she rubs the sides of my arms as a way to help calm me down.
Lord I wish it was that easy.
I've been practicing non-stop for the last three months for this very competition.
The last step I'd need to take in order for me to make it to this year's Olympics.
My biggest dream ever!
"I just wish he was here." I admit as my eyes look at the screen, watching Amelia; my hardest opponent finish up on her routine.
"Me too but he's watching, okay?" I close my eyes when her warm hands cup my face, making my body calm in her hold as my eyes return to the screen where Amelia stood, flowers in hand bowing to the roaring audience.
I nod and then stand from my seat. My mother wraps her arms around me for a final time before my coach pulls me along and out of the locker room. "What's our motto?" He places his large hands on my shoulders and turns me towards him.
"My name is Faith meaning that I must always walk with it!" I say with confidence.
"One more time."
"My name is Faith meaning that I must always walk with it!" I say even louder, feeling the confidence flow throughout my entire body. He nods and places his forehead against mine. "Walk by faith not by sight. You're a gold medal winner it's in your blood so go out there and show them!"
I nod and remove my mid thigh jacket, revealing my baby blue shimmery leotard and my matching leggings. I take one last glance at my coach then walk over to the rink where I remove my blade guards and look out at the packed arena.
I can't help but to place my hand against my chest from the sight of posters within the crowd that spelled out my name.
I still can't believe that there are people who enjoy watching me skate. Each time I'm reminded I just get hit with a wave of emotions and endless gratitude.
It's truly my greatest honor.
I grab my necklace one last time as my father crosses my mind. I know that if he could be here he would but sometimes his work gets in the way of things.
That's okay because his absence is only going to motivate me even more and before I know it I'll be on my way to London!
"Up next on the ice gold medalist, Faith Larson." I release a breath then shake away the tension from my arms and legs as I step out onto the thin ice. I take my time and skate to the center while I wave at all in attendance tonight.
Once the audience quiets down I close my eyes and bow my head, waiting for the music to start.
Tonight I'd be doing one of my hardest routines that consisted of four quad axel. Just doing one is hard enough but I'm confident that I'll be able to stick the landing.
I've only missed up once and that was because I was distracted but I'm locked in and focused so I'm sure I'll do amazing.
I begin my routine when the music fills the quiet arena allowing me to glide against the cold ice as if it were only me and the music. I find it easier to do it with my eyes closed but, my coach won't allow me to since he believes I'll get too carried away and forget my routine all together.
The crowd goes crazy when I stick my first landing which was a toe loop jump. I straighten my posture as I prepare for my second one, making sure to keep my core engaged and back straight. I make note of my arms, reminding myself to keep them below my shoulders as a way to keep me properly balanced.
I smile when the crowd roars, congratulating me on my second toe loop.
Now it's time for the quad axel.
I skate around the rink, gaining momentum as I prepare myself, straightening my back once again as I begin to skate backwards, making sure that both my feet along with my core are positioned probably as I jump into the air and spin.
One
Two
Three
Four
I go to stick my landing only for my left leg to give way and bend. I let out a scream when I feel my body collide with the thick ice followed by the snapping of my bone. Tears immediately fill my eyes not only from the excruciating pain I felt but the fact that I lost the competition leaving me to lay down and sob from defeat and agony.
"And it looks like Faith Larson has suffered an injury!" I remove my head from the cold ground beneath me and look around the crowded arena but my tears blind my view leaving me to full on sob into my palms.
"Faith! Faith are you okay??" I follow the sound of my coach's voice since my tears were preventing me from seeing him.
"My leg." I cry out.
He grabs it and tries to pull my legging up for a better view but his touch alone made matters worse.
"You have to let me see it Faith, can you stand up?" I shake my head and look down at my leg that was already starting to swell.
"Oh my God, sweetheart!" More tears fall from my eyes at the sound of my mother's voice. I fling my arms around her and sob into her chest as coach continues to examine my leg, now giving it a light squeeze. I scream out in pain and pull my leg back as best as I can, wrapping my hands around it as I rest my head on my knee.
"It's her tibia.... It's broken." It was as if those five words were an indication that my figure skating career was over. The silence confirmed it as well as the shocked look upon everyone's face surrounding me.
"Okay let's get her to a hospital." I continue to cry as my mother, coach and one of the on sight medics help me to my feet.
Coach picks me up and carefully exits out for the rink while I hide my face in his chest out of embarrassment.
I spent three months working on this routine, perfecting it more and more each time I practiced it only to fail during my first attempt in front of twenty thousand people.
