Practice makes perfect, and when you're fighting to be the best in your sport that is especially true. Ryder and Francesca are no exception. They are dedicated to their sport and refuse to let anything distracted. But when a scheduling conflict forc...
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I let out another deep sigh as I look at my rat who is watching me like she always does. I now get why when I started they told us not to name our rats. I named her Penelope, and now I don't want to say goodbye.
"Drew, do I have to?"
"Ryder it is protocol, you know this is out of my hands dude."
"But look at her Drew! Save Penelope!" I pick up Penelope and shove her in Drew's face. Over the last 4 months I have been raising her and using her to help with my research. My work wasn't being tested directly on her; it was to test the odor and gases to see if they were harmful. Other people accidentally killed their rats already but my solution passed to the next round and now I have to say goodbye. Tomorrow she will be killed with the other surviving rats since she can't be used for other experiments since we can't prove my testing had no effect on her.
"Listen Ryder if I could save Penelope I would but I can't. I told you not to get attached."
"I know," I tell him sadly, pulling Penelope to my chest gently. When I signed up for this research I didn't think I would get so attached to a silly little rat but now here I am, getting all choked up over the stupid thing.
"Why don't you cut out early and head to the ice. Beat your figure skating nemeses there."
"Me and Beck are cool now, but yeah I guess I'll head out." I kiss the rat on the head and she lets out a soft noise. I turn away quickly feeling intense guilt. I think she knows what is about to happen to her.
I walk to my car and speed to the rink needing a distraction desperately.
I walk inside, throw my skates on and jump on the ice not even bothering to grab cones. I skip warm ups and stretching and begin skating as hard as I can push myself. I have no regard for the fact I am destroying the entire ice not just my side because the thought of this stupid fucking rat has me all sorts of fucked up. My parents would be laughing their asses off if they saw me upset over a goddamn rat.
"Ryder! Hey asshole, what the fuck!" I stop short and look at a fuming Francesca standing there staring in horror at the ice. I did a number on it pretty quickly. Another wave of guilt washes over me. I didn't mean to fuck her over, I just needed a distraction.
"Fuck. Beck I am so sorry. Fuck." I continue to curse as I skate over to her and we both look at the ice. For me it is no problem but for her it will definitely make practicing a little, well actually a lot, harder.
She doesn't even reply to me, she is still just looking at the ice while I lean against the wall trying to catch my breath. "I will go get the cones," she says sadly and I let her.
I would normally chase after her and try to crack jokes and make this all better but in a way I think I did this intentionally? My dad was notorious for making sure if he was upset everyone else around him too and I think subconsciously I just did the same to Francesca. I feel utterly sick to my stomach at the possibility that I am just like my dad. The crushing weight I felt in the lab and even more when Francesca arrived feels heavy enough to literally bury me.
