Song is for the start of the chapter!

In honor of Valentines day, I decided to post another chapter this week! Enjoy!!!

Also this amazing photo was made by annabethgranger666

Darla H

I turned up my music that was already blasting in my headphones as we drove into the Seattle ice arena parking lot. I looked at the enormous building and let out a breath to cool my nerves, knowing that the next few days would determine if I had it in me to make it to nationals.

I felt the car turn off and without a word; I exited it, knowing what I had to do next since I had been to enough competitions and this one was no different, at least that is what I told myself.

"El," mom said as she pulled out one of my headphones. "Goodness, I have been talking to you for like 10 minutes. No wonder you didn't respond to me," she said with a smirk. She knew how I got with my competitions. I sunk into my headspace, refusing to come out for anyone.

Right now, it was all about my skating. Nothing could distract me, I couldn't let it. I looked at her with a slight frown, since she was killing my focus. "Sorry. What did you want?" I asked as I grabbed my skate bag and my dress bag.

"I'm going to drop your brothers at the hotel. Kris said she'll be here in an hour for your warm-up ice this evening."

I nodded as I put my music back in my ears. "I'll see you later," I said, waving her off. I stretched, feeling my muscles tense up. That four-hour car ride was a little longer than I wanted it to be and left me stiff and slightly sore.

Mom kissed my cheek and smiled. She moved her mouth, but because of the music playing, I couldn't hear her. I was sure she said something like 'I love you' but instead of making her repeat it, I just nodded with a smile. With that, she walked back into the car and drove off.

I let out another breath as I walked into the building. The smell of the competition hit me like a brick wall. It didn't matter where the skating competitions were at, they always smelt the same; hairspray, superglue, and tears.

I walked up to the check-in desk with my head held high. From now on, everyone would look at me and they needed to know that I belonged here. I deserved this and I would win. This year was going to be my year. I paused the music I had blasting through my headphones and smiled at the people behind the table that checked people in. "Hi, is this where I check in?"

They both looked up at me and nodded. "It sure is!"

"Great, my name is Ellis da Souza."

One of the ladies quickly flipped through some name tags. "Got it. Welcome to sectionals. Dressing rooms are to the right. You can follow the signs," she said and handed me a bag of information and goodies that the local rink moms put together.

"Thank you so much," I said as I took it, giving them one last smile before I walked away.

"Ellis, Ellis da Souza? Is that you!" I heard my name called out.

Stopping in my tracks, I sighed rather loudly, but no loud enough for the voice to hear. I didn't want to face her. I was hoping I could slip in without her seeing me, but she was like a bloodhound. Regretfully, I turned to face a girl named Taylor to see her perfectly straight blonde hair already hair sprayed into place, hinting she was trying too hard. "Taylor! It's so good to see you again!" I said as I gave her a hug with the fakest smile I could muster.

I tried to tone down the voice in my mind which said, 'I hoped that she never came to this competition to begin with'. In fact, last I heard, I thought she wasn't coming based on some mental breakdown or something.

"Likewise! When I saw you walk off the medal ceremony after regionals, I was like super sad I didn't say goodbye. But then I realized! I would totally see you here!" she cheered.

There was a reason I ran off before she said goodbye. I had no patience for her. She was annoying with her high pitched shrill of a voice that got under my skin. She was the most two-faced person I had ever met and everything in my body said to stay away. It also didn't help that she placed first in regionals, whereas I only placed second. But this competition was where I would get my revenge.

Please go away and die. "It was just our luck," I said with a fake smile.

She nodded with an enormous smile. "I'm doing my warm-up ice today and I saw you're on the list too! Oh lawrdie, you'll be able to see my triple combination. You'll love it. It's perfect. Well anyhoo, I'm going to let you set up. I have been here since yesterday so I know the rink well already. I'm sure you'll get to that point in a day or two," she said and waved me goodbye.

I nodded at her, then walked away without saying another word knowing she was trying to get into my head. She wanted to seem like she had it all together, but I know she didn't. She was just as bipolar as she was last time I saw her. Taylor wanted to make me unsure of my actions, wanting to chip away at my confidence, but that would not happen. I threatened her because I was now landing my triple axel successfully.

I got into the very last locker room that said "Senior Ladies" and walked in. With Taylor not close by, I could finally say what was on my mind. "Gosh. She's too much. I rather her jump off a cliff of the skating world and never return," I said to myself as I dropped off my things so I could warm-up.

In skating, there was always an air of fakeness. Skaters faked perfection, coaches faked knowledge, and skating moms faked having surplus money. Lastly, Skaters, coaches, and skating moms alike faked being besties with one another. But behind closed doors, they all wanted to step on each other's toes.

I was used to all of these things, but sometimes the amount of faking was too high for me to stand. That was why Cami and I were best friends, because out of everyone in the rink, I felt like we were both real with each other.

I walked out of the locker again and tied my sneakers a little tighter. I looked around at the empty hall and turned up my music again, knowing I needed to warm up before my ice time in an hour. With that long car ride, I needed to get extra limber, so with that; I started running down the hall.

Before I knew it, I was back in the locker tying my skates to get onto my warm-up ice time. I shook slightly as I pulled on my laces. I was jittery already, which was not like me. Normally, jitters didn't come until the day of the actual competition.

I latched my laces around the hooks of my skates, but struggled to get a good grip. My hands shook as seconds ticked by. Sitting alone in this locker room was killing me as I was alone with my thoughts. I couldn't let myself drown in fear, I needed to get out on the ice to show Taylor that she needed to watch out. I looked at my tied skates as I stood up and bounced on my knees then with that; sighed and walked out of the empty locker room.

"Hey El!" Cami said as she ran up to me with a smile, wearing a pair of leggings and an oversized hoodie that said our hometown. Her comfy outfit denoted she must have just arrived. "We just got here!" she said excitedly.

Thank goodness she was here. She was one of the few people that didn't mess up my focus and I could use her company more than ever. "I'm so glad you're here! But, I'm about to get on practice ice, I'll talk to you later? Right?" I asked with a smile.

Cami nodded, knowing I was on a mission. "Say no more. I'll see you later."

I waved her off as I walked through the halls until I made it to the rink. Looking at the large empty ice arena in front of me, I took off my skate guards, knowing that by the time my long program came, this rink would be full of spectators, ready to watch the next figure skaters rise to power.

I thought about sectionals last year with a slight frown as the memory hit me like a sour lemon. It was in a different state but yet the rink looked the same. Sectionals last year was a learning curve. Something about it got to me, maybe it all got to me. By the time my long program came, I had no chance to make it to the podium. That long program was rough and after the fall and a popped combination jump, I came out of the competition in 9th place. But this year was going to be different. I was more sure of my moves and knew what to expect with sectionals. I was shooting for gold.

I looked at the other skaters on the rink as they all looked so confident in their moves as they skated around. I watched as they skated by, paying little attention to me. All of them were in their own worlds, only paying attention to themselves as the music played in the background.

I studied them for a second, knowing they were all my competition. I needed to outshine every single one of them, but they were thinking the same about me as well. With my head held high, I stepped onto the ice and pushed off from the boards.

I skated with power around the rink a few times until I felt like I was warm enough. Slightly out of breath, I looked around at the large empty stadium again. It seemed even larger now that I was standing in the middle of it.

Even though the stadium was practically empty, I was still shaking. I shook my hands in frustration. I had to keep it together. This was only practice ice so I shouldn't be nervous. I skated another lap with my head high as I looked at the boards with a frown. Kris was nowhere to be seen, and I needed her guidance now more than ever.

"El!" I heard my name being called out.

I stopped in place as I looked around for the location of the familiar voice I knew too well. A smile came to my face since I didn't think he would come for my warm-up ice. I turned my head and saw my dad at the boards smiling at me.

I waved at him, unable to contain my excitement as skated over to him. "Dad! You're here!"

He had slight bags under his dark-colored eyes, hinting that he hadn't slept well the past few days. His brown curly hair was messy and uncombed, not like it normally was confirming to me he just got off his flight.

"Of course I would be. I wouldn't miss this for the world," he said with a smile that made his eyes wrinkle slightly. "Now go back and skate that program. I'll be watching."

I nodded and skated off to set up my program. I set up and took a deep breath to clear my nerves. The music started, and I moved my feet to the music, setting up for the first double axle combo and landing it with ease. I smiled as I moved my arms to the music and, for a second; I forgot where I was. All that mattered was me and the ice.

Finally, I stopped with the music. I breathed heavily as I tried to catch my breath, although I couldn't. My vision was slightly blurry, and I frowned as worry took hold since this had never happened before. The joy of skating a great program was short-lived as sick. I wiped my eyes, then instantly my vision returned.

"El, that was incredible," Kris said to me as she stood on the boards.

I smiled as I skated towards her although frowned when I didn't see dad. Knowing he must have walked off somewhere, I shrugged it off, hoping he saw every move since I did that flawless program for him. "Did you see him?" I asked, only able to think about my dad.

"Who?" Kris asked, clearly confused about who I was talking about.

"My dad. Who else?"

"I haven't seen him."

I shook my head. She was mistaken, or maybe she just missed him. But he was just here, I swore by it.

"You just need to skate like that for tomorrow's short program," Kris said with a smile, already talking about skating again. I could see the excitement in her eyes, like she actually thought I had a chance this year.

"I will." I knew I could.

"Ok, take a breather lap. We have another 20 minutes of practice ice time and I want you to get full use of it."

I pushed off from the boards, only to run into a girl, causing her to fall on her butt onto the cold ice.

She looked at me in shock for a second, then wiped her gloves on her tights. "You slut, what the hell were you thinking!" she shouted at me as she got off from the ice, brushing the ice from her tights. "You made me rip my tights."

I felt myself shrink in embarrassment under her words. I didn't mean to run into her; I didn't see her coming. "I'm sorry," I whispered as I noticed almost everyone staring at us. This was one way to draw attention to myself.

"Yeah, well, next time, watch out. This isn't solo ice. Get yourself together," she snapped at me.

I shrunk under her even more than I listened to one of my past idols hate on me. I had watched her skate before and knew she would be on the podium. Last year she even by-passed regionals and sectionals and went straight to nationals because she was too busy competing internationally. She talked with such force and power that it made me terrified.

She shot me a death glare before she skated off in silence.

I looked at Kris for help, although she was silent as she stared at me. "Did you see her coming?"

Kris nodded. "Yeah, I saw her. It was pretty clear she was going to pass you. I thought you were going to wait," she said with concern. "We really need to get your blood tested again when we come back."

"That was nothing. I just missed her. It's not like watching out for people is the only thing on my mind right now," I snapped.

She eyed me with worry. "You haven't been acting like yourself recently, El."

I sighed in frustration, not wanting to talk about this right now. Health wasn't important when I had more important things to work on. "I'm done with this conversation. I'm going to practice some jumps and footwork. Just tell me if you see something amiss," I said and pushed away from the boards again, this time not running into anyone.