Story
Skating Practice
Soft music plays from speakers high over the rink as the sound of ice skates, gliding on the ice, come near. A girl, a gray braid and a skating outfit, comes by. She has a determined look on her face as she gets ready to do something. The girl gets a lead before leaping into the air, spins twice, then looses her footing as she lands. She slips and falls, hard on the ice. A voice comes from the other side of the rink as the music continues to play.
"Alina! Change your footing! You keep falling every jump you come to!"
"I know, John!" she shouts back while getting up.
"I know you know, Alina. I'm just not seeing you do anything different!"
"I can't help it! I can't seem to get my feet to untwist fast enough!"
"Don't say you can't," John replies as he walks over to a switch and flips it. The music stops and he glides out onto the rink wearing his own pair of skates. He stops by the edge and faces Alina.
"Here. Show me what you are doing, again. Pick up from the double."
"Ok..." she replies. Alina skates around the rink once, before she got ready for the jump. She leaps, spins, then falls again, skidding across the ice. Alina lets out a yelp of frustration. John tries to stifle a chuckle. She gets up, knocks ice shavings off her outfit, then glides over to John.
"So...?"
"You are putting your leg out too late. Put it out a beat before..."
"Late?! What do you mean, LATE?!"
"ALINA!" he says, a little blood vessle coming out of his forehead.
"....Sorry..." Alina replies. "I'll try it..." She goes through the steps and completes the jump, just barely landing on her feet. She waves her arms around a few times before keeping her ground.
"I did it! I did it! I.....woah!!" Alina jumps up and down a few times before falling back on the ice. John glides over to her, a grin on his face and a hand lent down to help her up.
"Yes you did...just work on that landing before next practice, ok?"
"Ok, John," Alina agrees, grabbing his hand and pulling herself up.
"Looks like it's time I dropped you off, Kiddo. Go change out of those clothes."
Alina nods and skates off the rink.
* * * * * *
Paul waits by the door, a cassette tape in his hand. Alina comes back out, a small bag over one shoulder, and her skates slung over the other.
"Ready to go?"
"Yep," Alina smiles back. The two walk to Paul's blue '89 Ford truck, after Paul makes sure that the doors to the ice rink were closed and locked. They climb into his car and drive off down the road.
"Alina?"
"Hmm?"
"I'm going to suggest something. Try to work on that attitude of yours as well...app! Don't say anything, I'm not finished. You seem to have a quick tongue in that mouth of yours, and I think you might want to work on it. At least humor me, ok?" He asks, smiling.
"Ok...I'll work on that, Paul. I really will," she replies, looking back at him.
"Good girl," he smiles again, patting her on the shoulder. The rest of the drive back was talk about upcoming competitions that Alina had thoughts of being in.
* * * * * *
Alina enters her room at the Academy, and flops her stuff down on her bed, along with herself...
"Hullooooo?" came a voice right above her. Alina opens her eyes. She must have fallen asleep!
"Awake yet, Ali?"
"Yeah..." she says, sitting up. Alina looks at Eliza.
"So, when did you get back?"
"I don't know...How long was I asleep, Liz?"
"I came in about, five minutes ago...And it's..." she looks at her watch. "...5:30 now."
"Just came in..."
"So, how was practice?"
~*End*~