This Is Me

Part 6

Stacy removed her hand from Sean's mouth, allowing him to turn his attention back to the rink's gate. Cautiously, Mark slid across the ice but kept his distance. Sean swallowed back a few words that wanted to burst from his throat. How long had Mark been here? Stacy took ahold of his jaw, turning his attention back to her. He quickly closed his eyes, before she got to see the heated glare he had been giving Mark. She raised both her hands to brush her knuckles along his cold cheekbones, telling him in a soft hopeful voice. "Sean... I know you two are on bad terms. But I know you... Your mind and heart are out of sync. If it continues, you'll never make your jumps." Sean shook his head defiantly, stating coldly in a low voice still not looking at her. "I'm fine. I can do it without him." Stacy's hands flattened against his face to hold him more firmly as she scolded him like a mother. "Is that so? Than prove it. Complete one jump perfectly and I'll take it back." 

She dropped her hands and he opened his eyes. She crossed her arms under her chest, her face flashing him the smuggest smile that issued a challenge to him. Sean gestured toward Mark, telling her sourly. "Get him off the ice and I'll do it." Stacy shrugged, waving Mark over to her as she told him seriously. "What does it matter? On or off the ice... He'll be watching you. He'll coach someone and see you at sometime. So, let's just skip the bullshit. He'll stay out of your way." Mark drifted gracefully over to them, causing Sean to skate away toward the other end of the rink. He could hear Stacy faintly telling Mark about what he was about to do. Then Mark's voice bellowed out much louder and more worried. "I don't recommend this. He hasn't broken in his skates and his blisters could cause him pain. If he doesn't want me to coach him, than I'll respect that..."

Sean picked up speed around the end of the rink. He already felt the fire from his bandages rubbing against his broken blisters... but he wasn't going to let that slow him down. Stacy grabbed Mark's arm to stop him from leaving the ice, telling him sternly. "Stay. Trust me. Watch him." Sean raised his chin defiantly and started setting himself up for the jump at the corner. Sean knew he should simply try doing a toe loop jump. The toe loop was one of the simplest jumps in figure skating. He could do it and that would prove enough... but he let his pride flare and set himself up for a his triple axel jump. He wanted to silence them with solid proof of his skills. Sliding in on his left foot, he swung his free right leg in and took off from the left outside edge of his blade. Pulling his arms in, he gained the momentum to complete two whole rotations. Going into the third, his mind lost focus as a flash of unwanted memory recalled the clip of the announcer's comment during his failed warm-up. 

"OH! I don't think he intended to land that way! Oh, boy... He looks like he's hurting."  His heart sped up wildly in his chest at the thought of landing wrong on a loose blade and when he came down backwards on his right foot... he felt the mistake. Instead of landing on the right backwards outside edge of the blade... his weight had shifted and the blade slid out from beneath him. Falling hard and flat across his right side, his body drifted across the ice from the momentum and he hit the wall. Sean's heart raced wildly in his chest. How close had he been to hurting himself again? Why did he let his pride drive him into a jump like that! He felt stupid and refused to get up. Wrapping his arms up to rest his forehead on, he let his mind check out the damage. He was bruised and his feet hurt... but he was alright. The only thing broken was his pride. Mark and Stacy skated over to him quickly, while Stacy called out really worried. "Sean? Are you alright?!" 

Sean couldn't find his voice. So, he just nodded as his response without looking up. Stacy's hand rubbed his back comfortingly. He was sure that she was beating herself up for baiting him into this. He couldn't blame her though. Her point had hit him loud and clear. He couldn't jump anymore. Figure skating without jumps was unheard of. He'd never make it past Nationals if he couldn't get himself together enough to do them. Jumps were the life blood of a routine. Beside him, Stacy started scolding him lightly. "Why did you try THAT jump? You could have done an easy one just to piss me off! Damn your stubborn pride, Sean!" Somewhere close by, Mark told them both seriously. "Stacy... Could you give us minute?" Stacy's hand left his back and he heard her quietly skate off. A long silence hung between them after Stacy left the rink. Someone had to break the ice though.