FOUR: Vanessa's POV

The next three days flew by and before I knew it, tomorrow I was to compete. It was seven o'clock and I was ready for bed. Tomorrow, I'd sleep until ten-thirty, when I'd wake up and get all of my stuff into my Züca by eleven and be out of the door. I would arrive at the Egypt Skating Centre as eleven-fifteen and have forty-five minutes to get ready. I skate fourth out of twelve tomorrow.

I repeated this in my head time and time again until my twelve hour sleeping pill kicked in at eight o'clock.

I rolled over, stretching and groaning as I looked at the clock. It was ten, so I figured I could get a head start on today. I showered quickly and threw on my new over the book skating tights, yoga pants, tank top, sweatshirt, and gladiator sandals. I checked my Züca to make sure everything was in it before stuffing in my make up bag and multiple bottles of water to refill my Alice Springs one with.

I went to my bedroom and grabbed my simple black skating dress dusted lightly with baby blue sparkles. I brought the dress out on its hanger and hung it on the hooks to the door leading out to the hallway.

It was ten forty-five now and I had fifteen minutes to kill so I wandered into the kitchen and looked through the menu before room-service-ordering a bagel with plain cream cheese.

My bagel was here in five and I had ten minutes left to eat it.

I was just starting on my second half of the bagel when Valerie walks into my suite.

"Big day today; you ready for this?" she hugs me as I standup.

"Yes," I say surely. "I've been waiting for this for forever."

"Good, that's the attitude. What have you eaten for breakfast?"

"This bagel."

"You need fruit, for you metabolism." She explains, picking up my phone and ordering a fruit salad.

I shrug and let it go.

I sit and start eating my fruit as soon as it gets here. Valerie watches impatiently as I finish and as soon as I'm done she grabs the bowl and places it on the counter. She grabs my dress and I grab my Züca as we walk out the door and head for the limo.

We get in and the driver shuts the door behind us before sitting behind the wheel and starting towards the rink.

"Your parentals and Molly are already there at the rink. They surprisingly trusted that I'd have you there and ready on time." Valerie tells me as I laugh.

"You're going to do great. Trust me. I promise." We smile and the limo stops at the rink.

We both get out together and head into the rink to get me ready for my program.

Clouds of foundation powder and eyeliner attacks later, I was in my black and blue dress, tying my skates into place.

"Come here," Valerie says, sitting down on the bench and forcing me to surrender over my hands as soon as I'm done tying my skates.

She forcibly holds each hand still as she paints on thick white French tips with small sparkly blue strips just below the white lines.

"Thanks," I force out while I wait impatiently with my nails under her portable nail dryers.

"You're welcome," she smiles smugly. Ten minutes later, or what feels like about an hour later, Valerie finally lets me remove my dry hands from the dryers to see them.

"They're pretty," I mutter unexpectedly.

"I told you so," Valerie brags. "You can get them done professionally so you don't have to do them yourself." She informs me as I flutter my fingers around, watching them sparkle.

I look up and Valerie smiles, watching me study my hands.

"Are you ready?" she stands, waiting for me to follow suit. I stand with her and we go out to the rink. Val magically produces my Alice Springs water bottle, my music via CD, and my program layout.

"You're amazing." I say, hugging her quickly before snatching my water from her and pulling my iPod and headphones out from my Alice Springs sweatshirt pocket and began listening to All I Need by Within Temptation, getting myself mentally ready for my program.

As the song flowed I did my program in my head, preparing while I hydrated myself with the cool water in the bottle.

"I'm going to go put your music with the CD boy and then come to find you, okay?" she asks.

I nod and head towards the door to the ice where other figure skaters are waiting for the Zamboni to finish.

"Ready?" Valerie asks as she appears while I watch the Zamboni make its last lap around.