Dark Night

Iced

Saturday I spent studying with my friends and a little time at the skate park, before going home and getting some help from Mom. She actually wasn't a lot of use--she'd taken the ACTs in the 90's which was a long time ago, and my math was better than hers--but I fully gave her credit for trying. The next morning I went to a matinee with my friends at the multiplex--so much cheaper--before getting lunch afterward and going to the library. Marc came up to me while I was watching the boarders at the park and I sat down with him outside. It was nicer, with the sun peeking through the clouds, but not too bright that it would make seeing the screen of his phone difficult. Kids a couple years younger than me were skating across the ice in an easy program. I watched the recording a couple of times. There was an impact on the bench we were sitting on and I looked around to see Paul looking over my shoulder.

"Whatcha doing?" he asked.

"Looking at a couple of skaters who want to come here to be coached by Marc," I said. "Marc, this is Paul Tang. John's his big brother."

"Ah. I've heard John speak of you," Marc said, shaking Paul's hand. "Are there more siblings at home?"

"No, fortunately," Paul said. "The progenitors named us after the Beatles. It'd be terrible to be stuck being Ringo for the rest of your life."

"Ringo's a good drummer," I said absently.

"Yeah, but at least I'm the cute one." I laughed. Paul grabbed my hand to look at the screen, then grinned. "What do you think?"

"I don't think they want to be skating together," I said to Marc, handing him his phone. "I don't know why, but there seems to be reluctance. Maybe it's just that they aren't a good pair, or maybe the girl wants to skate single. The boy doesn't show very much control in his partnering, so maybe she's afraid of him or something. They don't seem to have a lot of skill and their unison is almost nonexistent. They can barely do double jumps, but my brother was already doing triples at their age."

"They're known as the 'Gruesome Twosome' on YouTube," Paul informed us before Marc could say anything. "I dunno how good they are, but there are a few videos of them up, and they're just a mess in practice. They're always screwing up and yelling at each other."

"Run for your life," I said, and Marc was bemused.

"I don't know if I need that in my life," he said, passing me an envelope. "But boys are hard to find in pairs skating. I have to know more before I decide, but I'll talk to them. YouTube, you said?" he asked Paul, who nodded. He took out his wallet and gave Paul a ten. "Thanks for your information. Thank you, Delia. Is your class still at the rink tomorrow?"

"Yeah," I said grudgingly.  He laughed and walked over to put his books in the drop.

"So how come a coach is paying you to watch a video?" Paul asked.

"Not quite sure, actually. I don't think I said anything new."

"You got my bro to reconsider his skating, so you've got some mojo," he said. "John's skating is kind of boring, so anything has got to be an improvement."

"That attitude probably entrenched him," I said absently. Then I groaned. Paul looked at me inquisitively. "Now I wonder if my attitude affects my brother." I considered. "Maybe not. He's never really asked my opinion."

"No offense, Delia, but your brother is not the deepest thinker. You're pretty awesome, though. You need a nickname that reflects that." I opened my mouth to protest, not really needing a new name, but he barreled over me. "Leia. Princess Leia. No. General. General Leia." And with that, he shot off into the park. Bemused, I went in to work.

The next day, I dutifully laced up at the rink, but before I could start my uninspired laps around the rink, one of the coaches clapped his hands. "Ok, everybody, listen up. We have a really special opportunity for you. The coaches who work here will be on the ice with the class and offering you tips to improve your skating for those of you who are shaky and for those who are more confident can get some help doing things that are more engaging than skating in ovals. This help is optional and you will not be required to accept it, but as with every sport you're exposed to in class, your willingness to try helps to determine your grade. Now let's get out there!"