(Hello, thank you in advanced for reading, and just so I never even get the chance to be sued: Disclaimer! I don't own Frozen or RotG!)
"And you are certain that you want to do this?" This was the tenth time Carmen had asked this. We (Anna, Carmen, and I) were in the elevator to leave for the first day of pairs practice.
"Yes Carmen, this could be my only chance for the Olympics. I'd rather try out now, than wait for four years!" Honestly, I wasn't too sure on how this would go. I've only ever seen Jack once, and that was last night. I didn't know how he skated, or if he was any good. I mean, he would have to be good to get fourth in his division, but was he Olympian-good? I sighed and drank from my water bottle.
We got into a taxi and I looked at Anna. "Where is this rink that he wanted to meet at?" I asked. It turns out that Jack grew up in the city and he trained here as well. So we agreed that if we practiced at his facilities then there would be fewer reporters, and less crowding. We would actually be able to work.
"It's called The Ice Guardians, or something like that." She nodded.
We stepped out of the taxi and paid the cab driver. I shouldered my duffle bag which held my leotards, tights, skates, hair items, and my snowman. The building in front of us was huge! It was like the mother of all ice centers! The outside consisted of bricks, but as we went inside we saw that the welcome desk was in bricks too. The walls were tiled with a white marble design. There was a sign that pointed in four directions: The East Rink, the Sky Rink, the Dream Rink, and the Snow Rink. Next to the Snow Rink label was a sign that said: "reserved for J. Frost and E. Carol." I looked to Carmen then Anna.
"Whoa," Was all that I could function my mouth to say. I kind of just wanted to live here, forever! This was my version of heaven. Carmen was the first to compose herself.
"Come along, we don't want to be late. You have a lot of work to get done and little time to do it in." She led the way to the snow rink. I grinned wildly at Anna. And for a moment bounced up and down in excitement. She laughed and took my arm, walking with me as we followed Carmen.
We walked into the ladies locker room for me to change and I gasped. Not only were the lockers full size, but they were each labeled with a name. There was even one for me! In the locker room there was a small snack bar filled with everything from protein bars to water to hot chocolate and candy bars! I quickly changed into one of my favorite leotards; it was blue with diamond snowflakes on it. The diamonds were fake and it was just for practice, but it was still one of my favorites. I still wore my formerly white, now greyish from the outside, tennis shoes. I had my skates hanging from my shoulders. I took Anna's arm as we walked out to the actual rink.
Jack was already out on the ice. He wore a dark blue leotard with brownish tights on the bottom. I sat my stuff in the front row of the bleachers and laced up my skates as I watched him. I was pretty good. There was no music playing, but the rhythm of his skating made it look like there was. He used the space of the rink brilliantly. Most people stuck to the edges, using the corners for a majority of tricks, but Jack used every inch of ice. He drew to the center and preformed a triple axel then went straight into a double Lutz. He ended with a camel spin into a pose, with his right arm extended as if asking a girl to dance. He looked so in control and confident that it made me want to clap for him. I didn't of course. Then a voice came on the intercom.
"Frost, off the ice we need to get it cleared up." Jack waved a salute to the top of the bleachers where the announcing station was. He glided off the ice as a Zamboni came out.
"Hey Kris! Can you go over the left edge twice? There were catches from the beginner's class that didn't get smoothed out all the way." Jack called to the Zamboni driver who gave a thumbs-up. Jack then slipped on his blade guards and walked over to us. "Did you enjoy the show?" He asked.
I looked to him. Was he being cocky? I shrugged. "Your rotations on the axel were shaky, and your left foot on the Lutz wasn't pointed correctly. Oh, and on the camel your outer leg wasn't completely straight by a few degrees, but your pose was nice."
He ran a hand through his hair. "I like your criticism, but the correct response was, 'oh my god you're like the best skater ever, I love you, will you go out with me?'" He used a higher pitched voice like he was a valley-girl. I shook my head.
"Wow, so the rumors were right. You are completely full of yourself." There were no rumors, but that was the best come back I could come up with on the spot. Anna cleared her throat behind me.
"Are you two done flirting with each other?" My darling sister asked.
Jack and I both sent her a look that said 'Are you crazy, we're NOT flirting.' Anna rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She commented.
A man came over. He was a bit large around the middle, but also rather muscular and tall. He was probably a foot taller than Jack. He kind of reminded me of a Russian lumber jack. He had a long white mustache that ran into his matching long white beard. His eyes were bright blue and topped with bushy brown eyebrows. He wore black pants and a red long sleeved shirt. His sleeves were pushed up to his elbows, revealing tattoos on each arm. The right forearm said, "Control" and the left said, "Attitude."
He patted Jack's back roughly, causing the now small looking boy to stumble forward. "Aren't you going to introduce me Frost?" The man asked.
Jack nodded. "Oh yeah! Elsa, Anna, Carmen, this is Steven Anta North. He's my coach. You can just call him North, that's what everyone else does." The coach extended his arm to each of us who shook his hand back. "North, this is Elsa Carol my soon to be partner." Jack winked at me with a smirk as if he was insinuating more than just a skating relationship.
"It is pleasure to be meeting you Miss Carol. Are you ready to be showing what your skills are on the ice?" North asked. Yup, definitely a Russian lumber jack. I nodded.
"Yeah, I'm ready." I glanced at Jack.
"Okay everyone, ice is polished! If you need me I'll be in East Rink." Kris, the Zamboni driver called as he drove off. Anna waved goodbye to him. It was no secret that she loved the ice polishing machines. They fascinated her. She was a strange child, I'm pretty sure she was dropped on her head as a baby.
North nodded. "Alright Elsa, impress me."
Carmen looked at North. "What about music, how do you expect her to show you a routine without music?"
North shook his head. "First day, no music. Second day, maybe we have music, but first day? Never. Skater shows me the music, skates to rhythm in head and projects that rhythm onto audience."
Carmen looked to me and I shrugged. Show him the rhythm that should be easy. All I have to do is sing the tune in my head and then skate to it. I though as I made my way to center ice. Three, two, one. Skate. I started, and quickly found that it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. Come on Elsa, relax. But I couldn't relax. I was quickly off rhythm. Then I forgot which song I was even supposed to be skating to. I forgot what move came next. I could practically hear Jack laughing at my misery. I stopped and looked at Carmen, shaking my head. I couldn't do this.
North stared me down with his bright blue eyes; they weren't as amazing as Jack's though. "You see, you are dependent on the music. You hold on to it tightly like a life raft. To be amazing skater you must let it go. Do again." He told me.
A second chance. Okay Elsa, pick a song. Ummm, I got it. Breathe in, Breathe out, and let it go? I went back to center ice and tried again. I got further in my routine, but I still fell apart. North smiled.
"Better, now we add music and Jack." Jack looked at his coach.
"What? But we don't know any choreography yet."
"What?" North mocked back at him. "You know many choreography. You know tricks, you know spins and jumps. She knows these things too. This is what is called improve. We add music, and we make partnership. Then after we worry about choreography."
This guy was crazy! He expected us to skate like a duo, by improving a solo. I looked at Jack as he met me on center ice.
"I have no idea what's going on, he's never done this before. Just go with it?" Jack said quickly. I nodded.
"When it starts you go left and I'll go right?" I asked and he nodded in response. We stood there awkwardly next to each other waiting for the music to start.
"No, no no!" Coach North exclaimed. "You are pair, you must look like one. Face one another. Jack, you hold waist. Elsa, you hold hand on shoulder as if you are dancing at school function." We did as he suggested. Jack took my waist and I his shoulder. It was strange. I just met this guy less than twenty four hours ago, and now his hands were around me. At least he looked as freaked out about it as I did. I heard a click and looked over. Anna had taken a picture. I sighed; I would have to kill her later.
"Good, now we play the music and you skate." The music slowly started. It was a romantic piece, great. Two beats in and I pulled away from Jack, heading to the right. Then I saw him wait a count before chasing after me. What happened to him going left?!
I did a triple axel then a double salchow before looking back at him. He performed a double axel and a triple salchow before making it look like he fell. I executed a camel spin before falling back to him to pretend to see if he was alright. He 'got up' and took my hand. He squeezed it three times then drew apart. He nodded to me and we each preformed our own camel spin three times. We weren't together, but at least we did the same move. I dropped down into a basic sit spin as he went up into a biellmann spin. I stood up and started to skate away, but he reached for my arm in an arabesque and I looked back at him.
"Four counts left!" North informed up from the bleachers.
Jack slowly pulled me to him. He took his free hand and caressed my cheek. What the Hell is happening. Elsa, pay attention! He brought his lips to my ear as the music had one note left.
"Wow, you really suck at improve don't you?" He whispered. "You're cute when you blush though." He snickered.
"Erg, you're so conceited." I threw my words right back at him.
"Okay, everyone come over here and I will tell you my thinking." North beckoned us with a wave. Jack quickly let me go and went over to his coach.
What just happened? I questioned myself as I glided over. I kept a space of distance between Jack and myself as we listened to North.
"Okay. I am looking for music after this, but we have problem. You two, you are not comfortable being with each other. You have no trust. Pairs are about trust. Without it there can be no lifting, and there has to be lifting."
Carmen looked at him. "Trust? How do you expect them to magically trust and be comfortable with each other?"
"By a date." North nodded.
"Say what?!" Jack exclaimed. My jaw literally dropped.
"Do not say what to me. I am right. You must for a relationship. Not romance, no, but friendly yes. I want you to know each other. I want you to tell me what Elsa is afraid of. And Elsa, I would like to know what it is that motivates Jack. What is the center of your skating? Once we find a relationship, then we can find what style and choreography will be working best."
"I…I guess that makes sense." I say as I look over at Jack.
"Alright, alright." Jack put his hands in the air in a surrendering motion.
"Then ask her." North pushed.
"Umm, Elsa Carol, would you, umm, like to go on a, umm, a date with me?" He asked. Aww, it was cute how nervously awkward asking that was for him.
"I would love to accompany you on a date, Jack Frost." I politely replied. It wasn't like I could say no. And that is how my first date with Jack Frost came to be.
(Hey guys! I know this was kind of long, and possibly a bit boring, but I promise that it will get more interesting in the next chapter. As always I would love it if you reviewed this, good or bad, I take all criticism. Thanks)