1 I wrote this story as a birthday present for a friend. She liked it and I
thought I put it on the web as well…
The character from Lord of the Rings are not mine, Serena however is completely my 'baby'. And before you start to flame, no she is not an incarnation of me.
Please, please review!
2
3
4 Thank you for loving me…
‚ Thank you for loving me
for being my eyes, when I couldn't see
for parting my lips, when I couldn't speak
Thank….'
The music stopped and the young woman on the ice did the same. Slowly she skated back to the place where her coach stood a puzzled look on her face. "What's wrong? I haven't been aware of any mistake this time." The older woman smiled. "It was not something you did, it is about something you didn't. Serena, you can't skate to such a song as if you were going for a walk."
"What she means, little one, is that you showed as much emotion as a stick. Dammit girl, you want to thank the man you love, this can't be that difficult can it? Just imagine your dream guy…" The grey haired man's voice trailed off, as he realized what he had said. Serena turned towards him. "My dream guy, don't you read the paper? My dream guy changes every month… and you don't really want me to think of Alessandro while I am performing." Her voice was ironic. "I'll give it another go, can you start the music?"
As the soft tunes of the Bon Jovi song filled the Olympic hall once again, Valerie turned towards the old man. "Do you think it was the right choice to let her skate to a love song?" Dimitri knew what the elder woman meant. With the Olympics coming closer it was becoming more and more obvious that Serena had problems to transform the feelings expressed in the song in a dance. "She's good enough to win, without the B marks though. I kind of hoped…" Once again he didn't finish the sentence.
Valerie looked at him, pity in her eyes. She knew what he had hoped for.
Serena skated over to her coach and choreographer. Both looked concerned and she knew that once again she hadn't done well. It wasn't the jumps or the technical skills that troubled her, it was the performing. She just couldn't get a feeling for the song. It was beautiful, but didn't mean anything for her. Love was only a distant memory, her heart was buried behind layers of ice since….. 'Stop thinking that way' she firmly told herself and went over to get changed.
When she left the ice rink, several reporters were already waiting for her. In Italy, the beautiful figure skater was famous and her various affairs with other celebrities had made her the most pictured woman of the southern country. Smiling she answered the numerous question until her car was brought to her. Only then she excused herself, got into the car and drove off.
Dimitri had observed the short scene from the café close by and smiled sadly. Sipping his coffee he thought back when all had changed.
// At seventeen Serena Fiorana and her skating partner Marco Periani had been the rising stars in the European Skating community. On the ice they showed a harmony and friendship that was unbelievable, off the ice however there were no two people more different than the two. Serena had been taught from childhood to do what she had been told. She had cast away her life, practising four hours a day and never questioned anything either Valerie or Dimitri had asked from her. She had been alive but she wasn't living. Marco on the other hand had been a rebel in every meaning. Provoking his coaches everyday, daring them and always testing his limits. He had lifted on the fast track of live and he had loved it. Serena and Marco had been like ice and fire until that one fateful day.
"I hate you, f… off!" Serena had thrown her skates at Marco and stormed out of the empty ice rink. Taken aback by the sudden outburst of the usually quiet girl, Marco had stood there like a statue. Then slowly a huge smile had crept over his face until he was grinning like a lunatic. Finally, he had broken through the barrier the girl had built between herself and the world. Still smiling he had removed his shoes and followed her. Serena had been sitting on the stairs, her head buried in her arms and her shoulders shaking. Marco had sat down next to her and tenderly stroked her hair. "Why do you do this? Why can't you leave me alone?" "Because I love you!" There it had been said. All the emotions that had always been underneath the surface, all the tension between them, Marco's desperate attempts to make her wake up, to start living, it suddenly all had made sense.
In that year they had won the European Championship and Serena had been sure that life couldn't get any better.
It had been during a contest a year later, when Serena suddenly felt a sharp pain in her back and she had to fight the urge to stop skating. The whole incident had only lasted a couple of seconds, but Marco had seen it and the next day he pressed her to go and see a doctor. "The world championship is in a month, so it's better if they check you through before that. And while we're at it, I'll have my routine check."
Three days later they had been sitting in the doctor's room. Dr. Bruna had been unusually serious and Serena more than a bit scared. Marco however had looked as always happy and easy. Then Dr. Bruna had told them the terrible news. Serena's back was ok, they had not been able to find anything. But in the routine check they had done for Marco they had found something. He had a tumour in his head and it was growing. Growing fast. The doctor had given Marco another month…//
His coffee was cold and brought Dimitri back into reality. Serena had promised Marco to continue skating and she had kept that promise. But the girl Marco had loved didn't exist anymore. Serena now was a stunning beautiful woman, but in more than one way she had retreated from life more than she had before Marco. Her affairs were numerous, yet not one of it had lasted more than two month. Currently she was going out with a famous soccer player, but Dimitri doubted that she would invite him to the games in Salt Lake City. Serena had closed her heart that day they had closed Marco's grave. She was nothing but a beautiful but inside dead body.
A hand on his shoulders brought Dimitri out of his reverie, Valerie looked at him concern in her eyes. "Are you ok?" "I was just lost in the past for a while." "She will be doing fine. There is nobody on her current level. If nothing happens, she will win."
------
Three weeks later February 10 in the Olympic Stadium in Salt Lake City
" And now on the ice, representing Italy: Serena Fiorana"
As light as a feather Serena entered the ice and the first tunes of Robbie Williams 'Rock DJ', her music for the short program, began to play.
It was a beautiful yet technically demanding program and when it ended Serena was breathing hard and soaked with sweat. She had however performed flawlessly and was rewarded with the highest score.
"The siren is going for gold" was the headline on the newspaper.
-----
February 13, evening in the Olympic Village in Salt Lake City
"You are so nervous, can't you just sit still for a minute?" Serena asked her room mate. Maria was six years younger than her and it was her first participation. Normally Serena didn't have any problems with her and she liked the girl very much. Today however she was nervous herself and couldn't stand the chatter and giggle of the other skater.
"If the queen wants to be alone, she just has to say so." Maria left the room and Serena sighted. 'I better go to bed, if I want to be awake tomorrow.' Tomorrow; all her life had been directed to that one goal. Since she could remember she had been on the ice every single day except Christmas. Tomorrow…
Three hours later Serena gave up. Sleep seemed to evade her tonight and she knew from experience that staying in bed tossing and turning would not help. Silently she got up and dressed in the blue training dress of the Italian team. Without disturbing Maria she opened the door and left the room. It was cold outside and she shivered for a moment, then she walked over to the little park that was the centre of the Olympic Village. Looking up at the stars she didn't watch her steps and never saw the little hole. Twisting her ankle she failed to regain her balance and fell down hitting her head on the ground.
The character from Lord of the Rings are not mine, Serena however is completely my 'baby'. And before you start to flame, no she is not an incarnation of me.
Please, please review!
2
3
4 Thank you for loving me…
‚ Thank you for loving me
for being my eyes, when I couldn't see
for parting my lips, when I couldn't speak
Thank….'
The music stopped and the young woman on the ice did the same. Slowly she skated back to the place where her coach stood a puzzled look on her face. "What's wrong? I haven't been aware of any mistake this time." The older woman smiled. "It was not something you did, it is about something you didn't. Serena, you can't skate to such a song as if you were going for a walk."
"What she means, little one, is that you showed as much emotion as a stick. Dammit girl, you want to thank the man you love, this can't be that difficult can it? Just imagine your dream guy…" The grey haired man's voice trailed off, as he realized what he had said. Serena turned towards him. "My dream guy, don't you read the paper? My dream guy changes every month… and you don't really want me to think of Alessandro while I am performing." Her voice was ironic. "I'll give it another go, can you start the music?"
As the soft tunes of the Bon Jovi song filled the Olympic hall once again, Valerie turned towards the old man. "Do you think it was the right choice to let her skate to a love song?" Dimitri knew what the elder woman meant. With the Olympics coming closer it was becoming more and more obvious that Serena had problems to transform the feelings expressed in the song in a dance. "She's good enough to win, without the B marks though. I kind of hoped…" Once again he didn't finish the sentence.
Valerie looked at him, pity in her eyes. She knew what he had hoped for.
Serena skated over to her coach and choreographer. Both looked concerned and she knew that once again she hadn't done well. It wasn't the jumps or the technical skills that troubled her, it was the performing. She just couldn't get a feeling for the song. It was beautiful, but didn't mean anything for her. Love was only a distant memory, her heart was buried behind layers of ice since….. 'Stop thinking that way' she firmly told herself and went over to get changed.
When she left the ice rink, several reporters were already waiting for her. In Italy, the beautiful figure skater was famous and her various affairs with other celebrities had made her the most pictured woman of the southern country. Smiling she answered the numerous question until her car was brought to her. Only then she excused herself, got into the car and drove off.
Dimitri had observed the short scene from the café close by and smiled sadly. Sipping his coffee he thought back when all had changed.
// At seventeen Serena Fiorana and her skating partner Marco Periani had been the rising stars in the European Skating community. On the ice they showed a harmony and friendship that was unbelievable, off the ice however there were no two people more different than the two. Serena had been taught from childhood to do what she had been told. She had cast away her life, practising four hours a day and never questioned anything either Valerie or Dimitri had asked from her. She had been alive but she wasn't living. Marco on the other hand had been a rebel in every meaning. Provoking his coaches everyday, daring them and always testing his limits. He had lifted on the fast track of live and he had loved it. Serena and Marco had been like ice and fire until that one fateful day.
"I hate you, f… off!" Serena had thrown her skates at Marco and stormed out of the empty ice rink. Taken aback by the sudden outburst of the usually quiet girl, Marco had stood there like a statue. Then slowly a huge smile had crept over his face until he was grinning like a lunatic. Finally, he had broken through the barrier the girl had built between herself and the world. Still smiling he had removed his shoes and followed her. Serena had been sitting on the stairs, her head buried in her arms and her shoulders shaking. Marco had sat down next to her and tenderly stroked her hair. "Why do you do this? Why can't you leave me alone?" "Because I love you!" There it had been said. All the emotions that had always been underneath the surface, all the tension between them, Marco's desperate attempts to make her wake up, to start living, it suddenly all had made sense.
In that year they had won the European Championship and Serena had been sure that life couldn't get any better.
It had been during a contest a year later, when Serena suddenly felt a sharp pain in her back and she had to fight the urge to stop skating. The whole incident had only lasted a couple of seconds, but Marco had seen it and the next day he pressed her to go and see a doctor. "The world championship is in a month, so it's better if they check you through before that. And while we're at it, I'll have my routine check."
Three days later they had been sitting in the doctor's room. Dr. Bruna had been unusually serious and Serena more than a bit scared. Marco however had looked as always happy and easy. Then Dr. Bruna had told them the terrible news. Serena's back was ok, they had not been able to find anything. But in the routine check they had done for Marco they had found something. He had a tumour in his head and it was growing. Growing fast. The doctor had given Marco another month…//
His coffee was cold and brought Dimitri back into reality. Serena had promised Marco to continue skating and she had kept that promise. But the girl Marco had loved didn't exist anymore. Serena now was a stunning beautiful woman, but in more than one way she had retreated from life more than she had before Marco. Her affairs were numerous, yet not one of it had lasted more than two month. Currently she was going out with a famous soccer player, but Dimitri doubted that she would invite him to the games in Salt Lake City. Serena had closed her heart that day they had closed Marco's grave. She was nothing but a beautiful but inside dead body.
A hand on his shoulders brought Dimitri out of his reverie, Valerie looked at him concern in her eyes. "Are you ok?" "I was just lost in the past for a while." "She will be doing fine. There is nobody on her current level. If nothing happens, she will win."
------
Three weeks later February 10 in the Olympic Stadium in Salt Lake City
" And now on the ice, representing Italy: Serena Fiorana"
As light as a feather Serena entered the ice and the first tunes of Robbie Williams 'Rock DJ', her music for the short program, began to play.
It was a beautiful yet technically demanding program and when it ended Serena was breathing hard and soaked with sweat. She had however performed flawlessly and was rewarded with the highest score.
"The siren is going for gold" was the headline on the newspaper.
-----
February 13, evening in the Olympic Village in Salt Lake City
"You are so nervous, can't you just sit still for a minute?" Serena asked her room mate. Maria was six years younger than her and it was her first participation. Normally Serena didn't have any problems with her and she liked the girl very much. Today however she was nervous herself and couldn't stand the chatter and giggle of the other skater.
"If the queen wants to be alone, she just has to say so." Maria left the room and Serena sighted. 'I better go to bed, if I want to be awake tomorrow.' Tomorrow; all her life had been directed to that one goal. Since she could remember she had been on the ice every single day except Christmas. Tomorrow…
Three hours later Serena gave up. Sleep seemed to evade her tonight and she knew from experience that staying in bed tossing and turning would not help. Silently she got up and dressed in the blue training dress of the Italian team. Without disturbing Maria she opened the door and left the room. It was cold outside and she shivered for a moment, then she walked over to the little park that was the centre of the Olympic Village. Looking up at the stars she didn't watch her steps and never saw the little hole. Twisting her ankle she failed to regain her balance and fell down hitting her head on the ground.