AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Cat, it could get the committee’s attention. No one else is going to switch their partners right now or even risk skating with someone else on the side while keeping their existing partners just to try this thing out. There’s not enough time, and they’d risk not being able to adjust going back and forth, you know? They’d risk injury. They–”
“You’d risk all those things.”
“Not the going back and forth part. I’d only skate with her, and if and when we find a male partner, I’d stop. Easier to adjust that way. And there’s always a chance of injury, but my point is that the ones who are going to make the team right now wouldn’t risk it because they won’t want to risk their spots. I have nothing to lose, right?”
“You do, though, Chandler. People won’t take you seriously.”
“They would if we skate well.”
“Not as seriously as they’d take you when you skate with Walker.”
“Maybe not at first. I’d have to earn it. But I can.”
“Where is this coming from? I know you sent me an article, but you seem to have thought about this a lot.”
“I haven’t. Well, sort of. I’ve been thinking about it since I read the article and found out about the opportunity.”
“Opportunity? Chandler, your opportunity is right here. He’s skating tonight, and he’s a soloist who we can turn into a partner for you. Yeah, I agree: we’d have to stay on top of him and make sure he puts in the right amount of effort. But it’ll be worth it when you make the team.”
“It is an opportunity. What if we could find a woman who’d put in the hard work without us having to force them?”
“Who are you even talking about? There’s no one I can think of who would want to be the first to even try this, let alone take it seriously enough to get you noticed. That’s what this would be about, right? Getting you noticed. How would we find someone who has no partner, wants to try this very risky thing, and would make it all about you because they don’t want to make the team themselves? We’d have to find ways to pull focus away from them for it to work. Would you really go back to being a soloist after, just for the Games, or are you pinning all your hopes on Walker being able to compete? I just don’t see you getting to the Games either way, honestly, but this is risky. I don’t even know anyone who would consider this, and I know everyone competing right now, Chandler.”
Chandler smiled.
“What are you smiling about?” Catalina asked.
“I have someone in mind.”
“What? Who?”
“Belle Elrod.”
“Who the hell is Belle Elrod? What kind of a name is Belle Elrod, anyway?”
“I think she’s maybe Irish. I don’t know, though.”
“What?”
“She was in the program with me,” Chandler began. “An amazing skater. She would’ve made the team.”
“Would have? Why have I never heard of her?”
“She left the program when we were fourteen. She doesn’t skate competitively anymore.”
“Why not?”
“Long story. But if I could get her to consider trying this, what would you think?”
“I don’t even know who she is,” Catalina argued.
“She’s here, Cat.”
“What?”
“Belle is here.”
“I thought you said she doesn’t skate anymore.”
