Sean huffed sourly without looking up at Mark. Stuffing his new skates into his backpack, he muttered under his breath defensively. "Friends? Is that what you're calling it now..." Stacy shifted uncomfortably, then looked a bit relieved as the bell to the shop rang out. Gesturing to the store counter, she silently slipped away without another word. Leaving the two of them to sort out their issues on their own. Sean refused to look up, trying to be sure that he had everything. Only to roll his eyes and curse. He left his hat down by the rink. Straightening up, he froze. Mark was holding his hat out to him with a humble expression. Sean was tempted to not take it... Or to yank it away from him, but he hadn't quite decided yet. Mark distracted him by asking in an awkward voice. "Was that Stacy?" Sean nodded, deciding to just accept the hat nicely from him. 

Knowing now that Mark wasn't exactly living the high life as a skater made him a little more satisfied. It was a small sense of justice to his two years of depression and recovery. Mark crouched down, giving him a weak smile as he said softly. "She seems like a nice woman... Why didn't you marry her?" Sean didn't return the smile. Instead, he climbed to his feet and grimly stated down at him. "Maybe because she found out that I had slept with my enemy. Or maybe we had decided we wanted different things. It's hard to tell anymore." Sean stormed off to the counter, before he let anything else slip out. The truth was that Stacy and him had simply parted ways. She loved her rink and wanted to stay in Ireland. While he... He wasn't sure what he wanted anymore. He felt lost. Skating had been his life and without it... He was barely holding himself together.

He didn't know what he could do apart from skating. Sure, playing games on youtube paid the bills for now, but it just wasn't the same. He didn't want to be like everyone else in this small town. He didn't want to settle down, before he ever got the chance to get out and live a little. As a woman left with a rented pair of skates, he stepped up and fished out his wallet. Pulling out his credit card, he told Stacy with a half-smile. "Thank you. They work great. As always." Stacy took his card and ran it through her machine, telling him warmly. "You're welcome, Sean. You know... If you need anything. You know I'm always here for you, right?" Stacy waited for the receipt to print, then handed him back his card with it. Sean took them, then beckoned her closer with a finger. Stacy hopped up in order to lean over the counter and he kissed her cheek. She knew without words what it meant.

After years of supporting him, this was always his way of telling her that he'd be alright. That he knew he could always count on her. Stacy blushed like she always did, asking him innocently. "Do you want me to drive you home? I can get dad to cover for me?" Sean shook his head with a smile, then took his leave. They tended to make more sales when she was there. Her dad was a little... intimidating. Wincing as he rushed down the steps, he started walking back home. His feet were killing him, but he hated being a burden on people. As cold and wet as the weather was, he enjoyed seeing the world this way. Seeing people he had known his whole life. A few people in the shops waved to him as he walked past and it made him feel good. He had no bigger fans than the ones here at home. They supported him through it all. Even when he failed. Especially when he failed.

Slipping into a small café called the Dirty Bean, he barely entered when the little irish man behind the counter saw him. The man snapped his fingers at him, stating out in a thick accent excitedly. "Ah! Don't tell me! Tall dark coffee. Plenty of whip cream. Right?" Sean rolled his eyes, adding in to get a laugh. "Ya, and any fresh cookies if your wife made them." The man scoffed playfully, shooting back. "Are ya saying my cookies are bad, lad?! Cause them be fighting words, I tell ya!" The people in the booths chuckled as Sean set his bag down by a chair, answering with a chuckle of his own. "I fancy keeping my teeth for a few more years if ya don't mind. There's not enough coffee in the world to soften yours up." The man let out a hearty laugh, stating over the machine. "Aye. For sure. For Sure." Sean leaned his hips back against the counter, glancing up at the news on the mounted TV.

The weather man was commenting about tomorrows forecast, when the bell rang at the door. Lowering his eyes, Sean shifted uncomfortably. All around the small café came hushed talk and whispers. Sean lowered his eyes to the floor, grumbling out. "Are you stalking me now?" Mark rolled his eyes, answering politely. "No. There just isn't a coffee place closer to the rink than this one." Sean glanced over his shoulder to see the other people quickly lower their gazes to their laptops and coffees aimlessly. There was no doubt in his mind that word of their conversation would be all over town in a few hot seconds. Mark approached him casually, calmly informing him. "You really shouldn't be on your feet after switching to new boots. You'll break your blisters. When you get home, you should-" Sean cut him off to say, a bit curtly. "Soak them. Yes, Mark. This isn't my first time. I know how to take care of myself."

Mark raised his hands in surrender, but nicely asked him. "Sean, let me drive you home. Please? Throw me a bone here. I'm trying." Sean let out a heavy sigh, looking over at the wall. All over the wall were pictures of him from different competitions since he was little. In one of them, he saw a younger version of himself holding up a silver metal with his arm around a younger Mark. Mark was hold up a bronze metal and they both looked... so happy.  It hurt him deeply that he didn't see Mark's betrayal coming. Taking a deep breath, he reluctantly asked him. "Mark... Why did you do it?" Sean wasn't sure he wanted to hear his answer, but he had to know. When Mark didn't answer, Sean turned his head to let him see the hurt in his eyes. Mark snuck a peek at him and then couldn't look away. Mark swallowed, his eyes tearing up a little as he told him in a guilt ridden voice. "Sean... It's hard to explain."

Sean leaned in closer to him, retorting in a stern cold voice. "Try. You want me to forgive you? Than you will tell me why you did it! You owe me that!" Mark never took his eyes off him and Sean watched a tear fall from his eye. Yet, Mark said nothing. The man behind the counter set down Sean's coffee and a small brown paper bag, slipping in cautiously. "Sean?" Sean finally pried his eyes off Mark to face the counter. He started to fish out his wallet, when Mark handed out his card, telling the man. "It's on me." The man hesitated a second, but took the card. Sean straightened himself up with another heavy sigh, grumbling out. "You have no right to come here and think you can buy my affection back. You've given me the ticket to go to the banquet. Thank you. Now go home, Mark!" Sean took his coffee and cookies, then scooped up his backpack on his way to the door.

He only pressed his shoulder against the door, when Mark rushed out to him desperately. "I was afraid of loosing you!" Sean slowly looked back at Mark, asking a little startled. "What? What on earth gave you that impression?" Mark took a deep breath, glancing over his shoulder at the people in the café. All of them ducked their heads franticly and mumbled out random things in an attempt to sound like they had been in a conversation. Sean rolled his eyes in realization. If Mark was trying to keep something secret... It wasn't going to happen in this small town. He'd have to give in to get any answers he wanted. Exhaling with defeat, he told Mark bluntly in a dry tone. "Fine. You can drive me home. Get yourself something and when you're finished... I'll be outside." Mark gave him a brief nod and as Sean started to step outside, he told the little man behind the counter playful. "Hey, potato man! Put what he orders on my tab."

The little potato man waved at him, acknowledging happily. "Will do, Laddie! You be safe now!" Sean stood outside, holding his hot cup of coffee close to his chest to keep his hands warm as he waited. Part of him was scolding himself for doing this... but he needed to know. It was the one thing that haunted him more than anything else. Mark had always been his best friend. Sleeping with him the night before the championship had been a spur of the moment thing. He had opened himself up to Mark for the first time and in the end felt used. Stacy had not only forgiven him despite them being engaged at the time... but even after the fact, she still loved him enough to keep him going. He wondered if he hadn't been such good childhood friends with Stacy, if she would have reacted differently to his moment of weakness. He'd been in a relationship with Stacy since he could remember. They'd always been together.

Even now that they had called off the engagement, the people in town never let him live it down. Everyone just expected them to get together. No one except her knew about the details of that night though. He never hid anything from her. She was the only one in this town that really knew him. Scuffing his shoe across the pavement, he cleared his tight throat softly. He told himself that this wasn't him lowering his guard. He would just hitch a ride to save his feet and get some answers. After that... He'd see how he felt. Mark stepped out of the Dirty Bean with coffee and a bag of his own, giving him a weak smile as he gestured in the direction of his rented car. Mark unlocked the car and Sean hesitated a moment. He didn't like the idea of being seen with him after everything... but his curiosity was making him anxious. So, he shrugged off his backpack and slid into the car. To Be Continued...