The Hockey Star and the Ice Princess (Complete)

Ch. 34 - Sectionals

Rachel stood outside the door to enter the ice stretching and shaking off her nerves. It was almost time for her long program. After the short program she was in second place because she had fallen on one of her jumps. She landed a quad but then tried to do a double right after and slipped. Then she wobbled on another landing but didn't fall. It was a silly mistake and she was beating herself up for it. She was still able to rank second because her routine was so difficult. 

Coach Sumners came up and said, "Hey, what's going on with you today? You're off your game." 

"I know Coach. I'm just in my head. When my Mom got the call yesterday telling her what Laney had done, Laney turned the whole thing around and made herself look like the victim, like I ruined her whole life. She said everything was better before I came home." 

"Let me guess. Your Mom fell for it, hook, line and sinker didn't she?"

"Of course," Rachel sighed. "She took her side like she always does. She even kicked me out of the house, so now I have nowhere to live when I get back home." 

"Nonsense. You'll stay with me and Gladys in one of our spare rooms. You're like family. You think I'd let you live on the street?"

"Thanks Coach," she said, wrapping her arms around him and giving him a hug. "I really appreciate it." 

"You're welcome," he said patting her back. "Gladys will be thrilled. Ever since our kids grew up and moved far away the house has been lonely and quiet. She'll be excited for the company." 

"Well I appreciate it. My Mom can be really difficult sometimes," she said sadly, her eyes starting to water. 

"That's putting it mildly," Coach laughed. He looked up in the stands and asked, "Where is your Mom? I haven't seen her today at all?" 

"When she didn't show up for my short program earlier I called her phone but there was no answer. I called the hotel and they said she already checked out and the woman at the front desk said she overheard her say they were heading home, so I don't think they're coming."

"Wow. That woman's really a piece of work," he grumbled, shaking his head.  He put his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "I want you to shake it off. Forget about her and Laney. This is about you and your dream of going to the Olympics. Focus on that and forget about everything else. Nothing else matters right now but you and what you want."

 She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in and let it out, trying to calm her mind and focus.

"Welcome to the ice Miss Rachel Beckett," she heard the announcer say. 

"Go out there and do this one for yourself kid, " Coach said, patting her back and opening the door for her.  

She smiled at him and nodded and then glided out onto the ice. The sound of her skate on the ice brought back a memory of the first time she stepped back out on the ice months ago when she first started on this comeback journey. Being back on the ice had felt so good. It felt like being back home where she belonged, like it was what she was meant to do. She was going to do what coach said and skate this one for herself and just enjoy being on the ice again, even if it ended up being her last time ever competing. 

Rachel went to center ice and struck a pose in her white leotard, with rhinestone sparkles and a flowing translucent skirt. The haunting violin music started to play and she pushed off and started gliding around the ice. She remembered Coach's blindfold lesson and she closed her eyes and just felt the music as she skated to it and let her emotions pour into her movements. 

She went into a spin and laid back as far as she could putting an arm up and then she grabbed the blade of her skate and pulled her leg straight up behind her in the air until it was so high up it made a tear drop shape. She had been working on the Beillmann spin and was finally able to do it perfectly.