Ryder is finally cleared to go back to hockey which means it is time to pack up and move to New York. Francesca is thrilled about living with Ryder for the summer and has already made a ton of plans for them. Both want nothing more than a perfect su...
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"Wait wait, I am not ready yet," I frantically yell at Ryder as she zip up my packed skating bag and grabs my jacket. I am ready, I am just stalling, which he knows.
"Yes you are babe. Now come on, we have to go, your warmup starts in 30 minutes and we still have to get to the arena and you need to stretch before you warm up."
I smile a little as my boyfriend, turned figure skating trainer, starts rattling things off. When we met I had the upper hand of years of hockey knowledge but he came in having to learn my sport, basically from scratch. And while I am sure that was intimidating he threw himself in head first and learned everything he could. Now you'd have no idea he hasn't been in the sport for years the way he conducts himself.
"No, I need a few more minutes," I tell him, fixing my lipstick again even though it was perfect the first time Maya did it 20 minutes ago. Ryder came to our shared girls room after I was dressed and ready to go so he could walk to the arena with me. He is staying across the hall in what has been dubbed the hockey room where he is rooming with Stan and Bray. Next to our girls room is the skating boys room which is Tristian and Parker. We thought about switching things up now that boyfriends are involved, but after 3 going on 4 years of this system none of us wanted to mess with something we knew worked. Besides, one of the rooms had to have the ladies, who we snuck in, and we decided they were best kept with the people not competing.
"Butt, you don't need more time and I know you don't. Yesterday wasn't your best day but you can easily come back from that and win."
Best day? I mean it wasn't as tragic as the one a few months ago but I fucked up a landing and teetered and that put me in 4th place. The worst part is I fucked up a landing on something I have been landing for years. Now with a free skate program loaded with jumps much harder, I am terrified. I know my program is technically hard so I have a little room for mistakes but I will have to be damn near perfect if I want to fight my way to 1st.
"I felt so good when we got here," I sigh, feeling a little defeated. The short program is supposed to be where I make a cushion so for free skate I can push myself and not stress but now I am starting outside of metal contention, a place I didn't expect to be.
"I know babe but hiding out in your room isn't going to change what's already happened."
I look down at my shoes sadly but I hear Ryder setting my bag down and walking over toward me. Without warming he lifts me up and I wrap my limbs around him despite knowing he'd never drop me.
He keeps one arm wrapped tightly around my waist and the other grabs my chin forcing me to look at him. "You are so fucking talented babe you can't get one bad landing discourage you. I have watched you work too damn hard for this for you to basically give up."
"I'm not giving up," I tell him defensively. I am still going to skate. It isn't like I am telling him I want to drop out of the competition.
"Beck you have been moping around since yesterday and now you're stalling. Maybe you didn't physically give up but mentally you're counting on messing up again. You need to forget yesterday and remember your months of work. Hours on the ice. Years of training. Yesterday sucked but today is a new day and you're going to fucking show everyone that you are that bitch."
