FIVE: Valeries POV
"Okay, as soon as the Zamboni doors close, get on the ice. I want to see you warming up your layback, sit, camel, flying camel, and every other sp8in in your program; plus some if you must. After that I want to see jumps. I want to see all singles, just once each. Then doubles, triples, and quads. Comprende?" I ask her.
She nods seriously.
"Ooh, and don't forget your footwork." I add as she moves towards the ice. She nods once more as she removes her light blue guards and brings them across the ice to a small table.
I go over to the side while she practices. I see her warming up her flying camel at this point and look just in time to spot Molly making her way towards me while the parentals retreating backs are still visible behind her.
I look back at Vanessa to see her landing her double loop and watch continually until she's on quads. The only quads she has in the program are the flip, loop, lutz, and toe loop so the only quads I see her confidently landing are those four. I see her then focus on footwork and know she's ready for this to be her turn.
"All skaters have two more minutes of warm up before they must get off the ice and the first six competitors will be up for performances." The head judge announced. I nodded to myself and watched as Vanessa ran through the combination jumps of her program. Good thing because I'd forgotten to tell her that.
"All skaters off the ice now. All skaters off ice now." The intercom spoke at us.
"Here," I say to Vanessa as she gets off the ice.
"Why?" Vanessa asks holding her own.
"These are designed to let the flow of music through them but everything else doesn't exist." I tell her.
She takes them without question and automatically puts one into her right ear, leaving the left unplugged for the time being.
"First up is Aarika, skating from Germany." The head judge speaks to us. She's in a simple black dress with a green intricate design of ribbon laced around her arms and torso.
"Next up is Elizabeth, skating from England," the voice toned out, commenting vaguely about her looks and style. She wore a simple red dress dusted in pure golden sparkles.
"Third skating today is Albania's' own Era," they inform the expectant crowd. She skates onto the ice sporting a dark blue dress with an intricate black design that reminds me almost of dark forest trees…
"Now, halfway through the first round of skaters, we have Vanessa Rochester, skating from Australia. You know, she's the youngest competitor at age sixteen since Valerie Kathryn competed and won the gold. And," they continue dramatically. "We've heard rumor that Valerie Kathryn has been around supporting Miss Rochester." the crown erupts into discussion on my location and status.
Vanessa is in center ice now and moments tick by as All I Need begins to flow through the rink.