"Get up," the lady with purple hair says. Her name is Irena. She is the coach of the skaters and now I realize Odett was referring to her. She has already eaten me alive by putting me through a week of grueling training.

I struggle to push myself off the ice as another skater passes me. I glance at the clock on the wall. My body is sore, stiff, and bruised. My feet are crying in pain. The new skates are digging into my ankles, making them bleed. Irena doesn't seem to care or notice. She wants to see what I have, but at this moment, I have nothing left to give.

Ice time is nearly over. The last few minutes could not come fast enough.

I stand just as the buzzer rings, telling us our time is finished. I crash onto the ice again. Black spots come into my vision.

The ice is cold but I don't care. If I could just lay here, I would. Maybe if I stay here long enough, I will turn into the ice and fade away.

"Walter! Son of a twister. Telvi, get up from the slag ice!" Irena yells at me.

I have only skated with her for a few days but with her help, I am now well versed in Motherwealth swears. Three in one breath. I've heard her say more.

"Need help?" a broad boy with short brown hair asks, offering his hand to me.

"Thanks," I say, taking it, hoisting myself up.

Together we skate towards the boards to get off. Every movement hurts. Bed never seemed so appealing as it does now.

"You aren't looking too bad out there," the boy by the name of Ari says.

"Thank you."

No amount of kind words would help me feel confident. We both know I am last in the wrung of talent. Everyone's jumps are higher, their spins faster. Never did I feel so small and inadequate in my skating as I do here. I try to not let it get under my skin, but I fear I will ever be as good as them.

I put some plastic strips of my blades to protect them as I step off. Irena told me I need to wear them every time I step off the ice. She called them guards because they protect the blades. They were awkward to put on and I don't want to use them. But I know she would yell if I don't. Yelling is her favorite thing to do it seems like. Everything set her off from not pushing hard enough, to not tying my skates tight enough.

"She still has a long way to catch up," a girl named Constance says as she bumps into me.

Ari makes a face then rolls his eyes. Once she is out of earshot he says, "She's just jealous." Ari smirks, patting my shoulder.

It hurts. I rather if he doesn't touch my sore body, but I welcome the comradery.

"I am sure she fears she might lose her favorite spot with Irena."

The way Irena yells at me, I hardly believe that. In fact, I think she hates me.

"See you around Hellian." With that, he leaves.

Trying to catch up was quickly zapping the enjoyment out of skating. It is like a race that I can never win. How can I catch up when they are already so far ahead.

While the remaining three skaters get off the ice, I find the nearest bench and take off my skates. Constance isn't the only person that doesn't like me. The remaining three girls refuse to talk to me. In fact, Air, the only boy, bothered to introduce himself.

Two girls pass me and I hear them whisper about how I don't skate properly. Another one says I will never be a true figure skater. I try to pretend I don't hear them. But their words cause tears to build in my eyes.

It's not enough that I don't want to be here, now I have to deal with their whispers. They are crushing.

"So how was it?" Eydis asks, hopping forwards me, her hair swaying around her face.

My back pops as I pry my skates off my blistered feet. My white socks are spattered with red. Bandages are not cutting it for protection. I need a day to heal, regain strength, but I will not get that luxury. Tomorrow I would do the whole training regimen again.

God, I don't want that.

The thought of putting my skates back on my feet tomorrow is enough to make me feel sick.

"Oh..." Eydis says as her smile slides from her face.

I wipe the snow from a blade then shove the skate into my bag.

"You know, it does get better," she whispers, sitting down beside me, wrapping her arm around me. I melted into the side of her. "And tomorrow is our day off. I was thinking of doing something fun but if you just want to rest, that's fine too."

I let out a breath. A break. A day off. My feet would have a day to breathe. I have been so worried about training that I forgot about the day off. The thought of not skating for a day made my heart flutter a little.

She beams as she takes my skate bag in hand. "I thought you might be interested. Now, let's celebrate. Tomorrow we will sleep in."

"Telvi, wait," Irena speaks up.

My head snaps towards her with a frown. It wasn't enough that she screamed at me for three hours. I thought I was free as soon as I stepped off that ice.

I don't have time run of. She to me within seconds. "You skated well today considering what you came from. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." She gives one nod then walks off.

"She's pleasant," Eydis mutters under her breath. "Those Motherwealth people always think they are so superior to everyone else."

A chuckle escapes my lips. Every once and a while, Eydis would slip some snarky comment about the Motherwealth. I liked it. I started to believe that she was someone I could trust.

I follow Eydis out of the rink. She chatters about her classes and how the instructors told her she was almost done with training. "The thing is, my two years aren't up yet so I don't know what will happen," she tells me as we pass a boy who looks our age.

I make eye contact with him. His high cheekbones jet out of his cheeks and his watercolors eyes sparkle in the sunlight. He is beautiful. My attention about Eydis flies from my mind when he smiles at me.

"So, this is your new roommate, Eydis?" he asks, keeping pace with us.

"This is Telvi," Eydis says. Her words sound forced.

"Pleasure. I'm Ezra," he says, holding out his hand for me to shake. I take it, noticing how soft it is. His handshake is firm, it matches his stiff straight cut dress clothes.

"It's been a while since I've seen you on campus," Eydis says, breaking the silence.

So he wasn't a Talent. Which means he is a Motherwealth person and Eydis knows him. Her tone was less preppy as it had been a few moments ago. It sounded like the two had history.

He nods as he lets go of my hand. "Yeah, my dad, he had a meeting, so I tagged along."

"Gottu. Well, we're about to go for dinner, want to come?"

Her invite sounds forced, dry and too polite. It doesn't like the Eydis I know.

He smiles at us. "Sure. I have a moment."

Eydis looks outside the gated walls of campus then back to Ezra. "Tell me all that is going on out there."

He shrugs as he walks towards the food hall. "Nothing out of the normal. Same old same old. How about here?"

"Nothing out of the normal."

His attention turns to me with another smile. "So you're the girl, the new skater."

I shift my weight on my feet. How does he know about my skating? Was I that talked about that even people outside of campus knew? If people have talked about me, that leaves room for disappointment. I must be a disappointment.

"Yeah, she is! And she's from Hell."

"Walter, from Hell?"

"I know. I didn't know people actually lived there." Eydis chuckles but stops when someone calls to Ezra. We turn towards the sound. A tall man that looks almost a direct replica of Ezra except 30 years older. They are even dressed the same with dull straight cut clothes. Stiff. Boring. Colors are more like what people in Hell wear.

"Ezra, we need to go," he says, tapping on his watch.

Ezra frowns at us. "Rain check on dinner?"

Eydis nods. "Sure."

He makes eye contact with me again. He enjoys doing that, but it makes me uncomfortable. Too much eye contact. "I'll see you around."

"See you," Eydis echoes as he runs off to the fatherly figure.

The man hits Ezra's head as he comes closer then says something I can't hear.

"Can't stand him," Eydis mutters as she turns towards the food hall. She winks. "But don't worry. I like you."

I smile. My insides feel warm and fuzzy. Already I rely on her for so much and find solace that she likes me. If it counts for anything, I like her too. She is my only friend.

"He's from one of the senate families in the Motherwealth. Sometimes he comes and talks to us. Like he graces us with his presents. Like he's some gift. There's something about him that makes me sick to my stomach."

Senate. I heard about that before. Something about history class. There are 60 members of senet which helped rule over the Commonwealths. They went on public trips and built relations. Everyone knows it is the senet who ruled even though the premier was head of this country. However, he has not made a public appearance in years. Everyone in Hell thought he died. He probably was dead.

Back in Hell, I never listened to gossip, but here, I held onto every word Eydis said. I wasn't sure if all of it was true, but it was all I had. Eydis seemed to know everything. It feels like she had lived here her whole life, not just a year.

"I think other senate families have kids our age, but Ezra is the only one that comes around. I think he's father is in charge of the talent program or something. He just walks around this place like he owns it." She shutters as she opens the door to the food hall.

I follow after her, wishing she said more about the Senet. But it probably isn't safe to talk about it so openly. That will be a shelved question.

"I heard there is cake today. Should I get you a piece?"

She knows me so well already. I couldn't go without something sweet every meal. If I am going to spend two years here, I might as well enjoy the cake and cookies.

I sit down, waiting for Eydis to get cake, Ari waves at me with a smile before turning back to the rest of the skaters he sits with.

"I think he wants you to join," Eydis says as she returns. She sits down and takes a bite of her cake.

Nope. Not going to happen. I do not want to be around that gossip. Plus, I know that only Ari would want me there, no others. Eydis is safe. They are not. They feel like snakes in the grass, ready to bite me at any moment.

"I rather not."

"Ari seems to like you though."

"It's not Ari I'm worried about." I frown as I glare at my cake.

"I'm not sure if you noticed this, but everyone often sits in the group they study with. I just don't because, honestly, I hate all of the math people. Jerks, every one of them. If you want to join the skaters, please, go. I won't be sad."

"I don't want to join them," I reply adamantly.

She smiles. "Alright. Well, it's settled. I'll watch your stuff so you can get your food."