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"Again!"
You speed forward, the ice gliding under your skate with ease as you lift your leg, leap, spin, and land on the same leg. It trembles. Your skate swerves ever so slightly and sweat courses down your forehead. You know she saw. She knows you know she saw. She skates up to you, staring down at you with her cold, Emerald eyes that look yellow in certain lighting. Bela Dimitrescu, her blond hair is pulled back into a tight pony tail, so tight you're convinced it'll rip off her skin if it goes any tighter. She's only a few years older than you but somehow acts like she has 50+ years of experience all because she's the coach.
"Y/N, what was that? Are you trying to screw up on purpose? Do you want to disappoint the entire team?" Bela yells.
The rest of the team avoids eye contact, all of them suddenly very interested in their skirts or the ice beneath their feet. The international skating competition is in a few short weeks, everyone is on edge not only because this is the first time it's being held here, in their home town, but this is also the first time their team has qualified. Bela and the whole town chalk it up to how Bela coaches, saying it's solely because of her that they qualify in the first place. Everyone is stressed, on edge, tired, and lowkey a little annoyed with one another. You sigh exasperated which Bela takes as attitude.
"20 laps," she orders.
"What?!" You yell.
"30! Want to make it 40?" She threatens.
You want to huff, throw your hands, but you know that'll just get you more so you spin around and skate to the nearest wall before following it all around the ice rink.
"The rest of you grab your gear and head out, remember we have double days this upcoming break. I expect you all here bright and early every morning at 6am, and every evening at 6pm. If you need a schedule exception get it submitted before the first," Bela says.
You sigh, shaking your head as you continue to skate around the rink, a little grateful for the laps because it at least means you get a mental break. All you have to focus on is not colliding with the wall which is pretty easy considering it doesn't move. The other skaters leave the rink but Bela remains, standing in the center as she watches you finish up then approach her to be dismissed.
"I'll see you tomorrow Y/N," is all she says.
You skate off the rink, remove your skates, grab your bag and head to the locker room where the other girls give you a glance then return to their conversations as you toss your bag onto the bench.
"God she's such a bitch," you mutter.
"I know! I know the competition is coming up, but come on. Shouldn't we be resting? I can't keep doing this seven days a week crap," another girls says.
"Could one of you hit me with your car? Not enough to hospitalize, but maybe get me a day off?" Another girl jokes.
"You would need to be in a coma to get a day off, and even then she still might push your hospital bed around just to say you were on the ice," one quips back.
The room erupts in snickers and you huff as you change out of your uniform into your street clothes.
* * *
Every day of break feels the exact same: you wake up, go to practice, go to work, go to practice, sleep, repeat. Even on the weekends you spend all day meal prepping for the week, and catching up on chores that it doesn't feel like you have any down time at all. You're grateful that you have a break from classes but what you really wish is for a break from Bela. You see her more than you see your own cat who you live with! You would think she's kind of pretty if she wasn't so mean to you all the time. Even now as you lace up your skates you dread having to listen to her, you don't use the hate word often, but you would say you hate her. Loathe her even.
You skate out onto the rink and the captains get started on warm up, Bela no where in sight. Maybe the skating gods answered your prayers and she got into a horrific accident and can't continue the season. You're almost hopeful, until that hope is smothered like a flame on water when she bursts through the double doors, huffing and more furious than before. Oh great. Practice is going to be even worse now. Bela sits and slips on skates before she comes out to the rink.
"Gather up girls, I'm afraid I have bad news. Thanks to you an error with scheduling, us and the hockey team now have to share the space."
Everyone groans.
"They'll be here soon, so while we have the whole rink, get some laps in then find your partners and we'll run through catches today."
We hear them long before we see them, the hockey team comes into the rink filling the once quiet space with their rowdy laughter and jeering. They sit on the benches and whistle, making comments about the skaters and laughing at their 'witty' remarks. Bela has none of it. She skates over to the coach and publicly reems him in front of his team, making his old, wrinkly face turn bright red. Well, you may hate her, but now there's a little respect hidden behind it all. Today she decides to pick on Hannah who nearly dropped her partner, and you're thankful because that means she won't pick on you.
At least, so you thought.
At the end of practice as you're about to leave, you catch up with one of the hockey players and talk with him. He's a guy in one of your classes and he's helped you a on a few assignments, you said you would catch up. Then Bela calls you over, you groan internally and skate up to her.
"You're staying," she says bluntly.
"What? You can't keep me here."
"Legally, I can keep you until the rink closes which is in one hour."
"What do you want from me? What did I do to piss you off so much?" You snap.
"I want you to be great. You're better than all those girls in there but you cannot allow yourself to get distracted," Bela says back.
"Distracted? How am I distracted?"
Bela tilts her chin up where you were previously standing, "that boy you were talking to, is a distraction."
"He's just a friend, besides, why do you care?"
"Because I don't want you to make the same mistakes others have! You could be the greatest skater ever Y/N, you have that potential, but you're willing to throw it away for what, a little fun?"
"Having some fun wouldn't kill me."
"No, but it could ruin your career."
You scoff, "you sound like my mother."
"Then perhaps you should listen to both of us."
"Or perhaps you should let me do what I want."
"I won't let a boy-"
"I don't even like boys!" You snap.
The silence fills the room and you cover your mouth, eyes wide as Bela looks at you. If your mother knew, or the other girls, you fear the worst. Your mother especially. She would kick you out, and that would be the best possibly scenario. Your team, what would your team think? Even your best friend doesn't know. You back away and skate off toward the exit, accidentally cutting your hand when you rip off your skates trying to run off to the locker room.
* * *
The day of the competition. Hundreds of countries all gathered into one ice rink. You fidget nervously, tugging on your uniform because it feels restrictive. Ever since your 'talk' with Bela you've been on edge, nervous. she hasn't spoken a word to you and the anxiety is eating you alive. She hasn't told anyone yet, they would have said something by now right? You sit on the bench and McKenzie sits next to you.
"Hey," she says.
"Hey.." you respond.
"You okay?"
"Yeah just nervous....you?"
"Same. I didn't sleep a wink last night because of nerves, but I can't even imagine having to do a solo."
"Same."
McKenzie raises an eyebrow at you confused, "um...you know you're doing a solo...right?"
"What? I thought only qualifiers were doing solos?" You ask, your heart sinking into the pit of your stomach.
"Yeah, according to the roster, that's you."
You hyperventilate and rush over to the podium to check the schedule, you didn't bother checking solos because you thought you didn't have one. You scan every line, then you find your name near the bottom. Your mouth runs dry, you spin around and rush over to Bela who's talking to a group of people.
"Excuse me, Coach Bela?" You puff out.
"Excuse me," she says to the others before she turns to face you, "yes?"
"Why am I doing a solo? When were you going to tell me? What is going on?" You begin to hyperventilate again.
"Hey, easy."
Bela takes your shoulder and guides you outside, propping the door open to get back in. The air fills your lungs and you breathe in deep gasps as she holds your shoulder in comfort.
"I meant what I said before. You can be great Y/N."
"But, I don't have a routine, or anything! I didn't practice."
"You've been practicing all year."
"With a partner!"
"Y/N listen to me," she turns you around to look you in the eyes, "I know you can do this. I've been hard on you because I've been preparing you for this. Do what feels right, I promise once you get going, you'll fly."
You slowly calm down, looking at Bela, "why haven't you said anything? About what I told you?"
"That's not for me to share with anyone."
"Then, why have you been avoiding me? Not pushing me?"
"I figured the anxiety would be a great motivator."
What a bitch.
"We'll see if I'm right soon enough," she says giving you a pat on the shoulder before leading you back in.
Your name is called, you step onto the rink and wait. It feels like forever but only a few short seconds pass when the music plays. You know this song by heart, you know the moves, so you let muscle memory take over for a moment. Starting slow, a few spins here, a couple kick ups there, and then the build up, more daring moves with leaps and spins, and Bela was right; you fly. You dance like you're on cloud 9, no one else is in the arena, only you and the spot light. You add some improv moves, some dazzling triple spins, and you move fluidly like water. The song is about to end when you leap into the air, spin, and land perfectly in sync with the final note.
You skate around the rink, passing by the audiences with a wave and smile as they erupt in cheers for you. Slowly exiting off the rink before nervously turning to look at the score, then the screen illuminates with the highest score yet you can't help the scream that comes from you. You leap up and down, grateful you took your skates off before doing so before bounding into your team mates who consume you in a hug. You look through the crowd to see Bela with the other coaches looking at you, before she gives you a smile and a thumbs up.