AllFreeNovel
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I can do coffee.
Coffee is easy.
I turn my back to them, pulling out my mug and placing a fresh one.You can do this. He’s just sitting here. It’s not like it’s a big deal. You’ve done this a thousand times before and today isn’t any different.
Grabbing two mugs, I turn around. Everybody has already taken a seat, leaving only one place open, the armchair, which is seated right next to…
“Of course,” I mutter to myself as I make my way to the chair.
“Here you go,” I say, handing Prescott his coffee before curling into my seat. The first girl is already out on the ice.
“What are they doing again?” Mason asks. His arm is thrown over the back of the couch, fingers skimming absentmindedly over Grace’s naked shoulder.
“This is the long program,” Grace explains, her eyes still on the screen. “Basically, every girl will get out on the ice and has a little over four minutes to perform her program in front of the judges.”
“That’s it?” Prescott asks. “How do you know who wins then?”
Tingles run down my neck at the sound of his soft, gravelly voice.
I turn to him, only to find him already watching me. My heart does a little leap, and my tummy clenches at the heat in his gaze. “There is a point system.” My words come out tight, so I clear my throat before continuing. “Each element wins her points, and based on the execution, the judges will give her a certain number of them. The points from the short program and long program will give her a total score that will determine her overall ranking.”
The understanding flashes in his eyes like I knew it would. I shift in my seat, my hand bumping against his, and even that small touch feels like I’ve been burned.
“Sorry,” he whispers.
“It’s fine.”
“It’s crazy when you think about it,” Spencer leans forward, rubbing at Henry’s fur. “We’re sitting here, and she’s out there competing in the most prestigious sporting event there is.”
“Maybe you’ll be there one day,” Grace says. “They do have hockey, you know.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
We continue chatting as the girls perform their programs one by one until there is only Rei left.
I tug my sweater over my palms, too nervous to stop fidgeting. “C’mon, Rei,” I whisper as I watch her skate over the ice, shaking her limbs to warm up.
“What did she say? Is she doing a quad Axel?” Spencer asks, leaning his elbows against his knees.
“She damn well is going to try it,” Grace whispers.
“Quad Axel?”
“It’s one of the most difficult jumps, right?” Penny asks. “I remember Rei talking about practicing it.”
“It is. She’s been working on it for over a year now. Four and a half rotations in the air.” I shake my head. I’ve seen Rei attempt it a few times. I’ve seen her fall time and time again. I’ve seen the beating her body took, the bruises. “It’s a jump that has never been landed in a competition. Hell, I’m not even sure if any of the girls have ever even attempted it.”
Mason’s brows raise. “It’s that hard?”
“It’s that hard,” I whisper just as the camera lands on Rei’s serious face. Sometimes it is hard to connect the person we see on TV with our friend.
“She landed it a few times in practice, but she herself admitted it was a frivolous jump. Too hard to control.”
“And yet she’s trying it? What if she gets hurt?” Mason asks.
The familiar music starts, so I keep my eyes on the screen. “But what if she lands it? We can avoid being hurt all we want, but there are no guarantees in life. The only thing you’ll miss out on is life and all the great things that could happen.”
We watch Rei skate the beginning of her routine, her body one with the beat of the song.
