Chapter Text
Ever since she can remember, a pair of skates under her feet felt like the whole universe was within her reach, and the unachievable turned achievable. It’s everything she has known, everything she has put her entire heart into. It brought her a sense of serenity and freedom, peacefulness and strength; it’s her primary source of self-confidence and gallantry. It’s part of who she is.
She first fell in love with it when her surrogate father took her for the very first time to their local ice rink as a child. The wonder in her eyes, the pure delight in her smile and the giddiness that overtook her as she saw countless skaters performing tricks and spins and footwork on the ice is something that she still remembers rather vividly. It’s what called to her, after all.
Later on, that sentiment was fueled by her father teaching her some basic moves. She didn’t think it was possible to fall even more in love, but it turned out wrong because she ended up getting impossibly eager to start classes right then – which subsequently became a reality and led her to become the professional skater that she is now, twelve years later.
She was very determined even as a kid.
So she doesn’t see how this is any different. But somehow it is because then she wouldn’t be so nervous about asking for this one request (maybe because she knows the answer and dreads it).
Rayla paced back and forth in front of her coach’s office, worrying her bottom lip in between her teeth, hands shaking in anticipation. She would occasionally glance at the door — a barrier between herself and her next goal on the ice — and glare daggers for it seemed to be outright mocking her lack of resolve.
She knows she can do it, but she’s not exactly thrilled for the resistance that’s bound to come.
She raised one hand, a fist mere inches away from making contact but she couldn’t bring herself to knock. The number of times she has come after practice thinking that today would be the day she would do it just for her to end up going through this exact ritual is more often than not. No, this time she’d do it for sure. Rayla took one last deep breath, closed her eyes, and murmured encouraging words under her breath because nothing could deter her now.
And she would not go out of that office with a no for an answer.
Before Rayla could back out once again — and all the courage she had mustered could fade away — she knocked thrice at the door and it was immediately followed by a muffled come-in from the other side.
She gripped the handle and pulled, and upon seeing her coach, she squared her shoulders to make herself seem more confident than she felt.
“Ah, I was wondering when you’d knock.” Runaan didn’t even bother to avert his eyes from the forms he was filling. Her posture faltered a bit, blushing at the revelation that she wasn’t being as discreet as she thought she was being. For one week straight.
“Coach,” She gave him a curt nod and waited for him to pull the paperwork away. Rayla shifted uneasily on both feet while trying hard to push down the nagging turnabout of thoughts — perhaps this could have been a whole lot easier if she had decided to do this at home, Ethari would have been a nice backup if things went sour.
When she was sure she had his full attention, she cleared her throat and set her jaw, “I’ve decided I’m ready to try pair skating.”
Rayla could practically foresee his exasperated sigh and the furrowing of his eyebrows before any of them could take place. “Rayla—“
“And I know what you are going to say, but I’ve mastered all the solo techniques, spins, and jumps already. I’m a proficient single skater and my skills are one of the sharpest out there.” She looked him in the eye, staring closely for a change in his stern expression but all he did was fold his arms across his chest, leaning backward on the chair. Seeing as he made no attempt to cut in with an argument of his own, she continued on with the spiel she has been practicing beforehand for the past few weeks.
“I’m aware of the strenuous work that goes into pair skating, I know about its complexity and hardship but I feel ready. I want to do it.”
Runaan only stared at her, unmoving, with his characteristic frown whenever she decides to defy his authority (which are more times than he’d like to, she’s sure). It should make her back out. It doesn’t.
She stood firm, undeterred, doing her best to make herself look bigger under his gaze.
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk and intertwining his fingers together, a pensive look on his face. “A talented skater such as you should not depend on someone else. Your skills must not be at someone’s expense.”
She had expected that answer, of course, it’s what she has been hearing every time she brings the topic up during practices, dinners, and car rides. And just like the other times, Rayla had to swallow down a retort that would surely land her two weeks off the ice, which would certainly make matters worse. “It would be a crime, for the expertise you’ve got it’s too highly thought of for someone else to come and taint it. Besides, pair skating is ten times more difficult than single skating — more effort is put into each move, each trick.”
“And I’m willing to take every risk.” She said, not missing a beat. He needs to realize that she has never been more certain about something in her life. She raised her chin up, eyes solemnly staring at his, though she’s sure her nerves are pretty much transparent at this point.
Runaan blinked, clenching his jaw, brows furrowing further. “Rayla, I just don’t think it’s such a good idea for your career. I believe this could either end extremely good or extremely bad.”
“I know. But that doesn’t change the fact that I will do it.”
His patience was running thin. So was hers.
He took a deep breath, his nostrils flaring in the process. “Very well, then.”
Rayla had to physically restrain herself from widening her eyes in disbelief because despite coming in here with determination in her tone and confidence in her posture, part of her had expected this reunion to be futile like the previous ones. He had always been very firm when it came to sharing his thoughts on pair skating — which he had oh-so-fondly labeled every solo skater’s doomsday — and it was clear that he had some type of reservation towards it. She envisioned nothing else but rebuttals from his part.
“Let me make several calls, ask if a skater is looking to pair. In the meantime, you can put a notice on the bulletin board or an ad on the web.” He said at last and regardless of his suggestion, his lack of enthusiasm was more or less translucent. “Heard those new databases are great search engines for a skating partner.” Runaan mumbled under his breath.
Rayla knows for a fact that, in spite of his demur and the hesitancy he’s got for pair skating, he’d still give his best to coach her — and her partner — through.
“You are dismissed.”
She smiled, “Thank you, Runaan.”
He gave her a small smile in return.
She exited his office feeling lighter on the shoulders, relaxed on the limbs, and calmer within. It was something that had been troubling her for quite some time now, and its resolution was like a breath of fresh air, a weight off her mind. Truthfully, she had been prepared to give thoroughly thought reasons to his upcoming excuses. She’s glad she hadn’t need to put those into use.
Just as the door closed behind her, a feeling of excitement came over her in full force, though she tried to contain it in as to not make a scene in the middle of the hallway. She can’t say she did the same in the enclosed quarters of her room.
Now, all that rests to do is to get to work in those ads.
How hard could it be to find a partner?