Episode 22: Regroup, Remember, Recharge
Anna couldn't hear anything outside of her ear buds, which blasted music as loud as possible—more specifically Stronger by Kanye West Featuring Daft Punk. Though, she used the instrumental version because she wasn't a fan of rap. Or Kanye West. She listened to it three times whilst pounding the crap out of a defenseless punching bag.
Then the music switched to On The Floor by Jennifer Lopez and she changed her rhythm to match the music. That's how she trained. Blasting music and falling in time with it. The professionals would never agree it was a great way to practice but Anna couldn't do it better any other way.
She used a specific pattern of kicks and punches. She twisted only her hips, as if they were dislocated form her body, as she swung her leg up and landed a solid kick to it's middle. She vaulted backwards into a back-flip then lunged forward into a new series of kicks. The whole while, Anna thought of nothing but her anger toward her situation.
She hated her parents for birthing her. She hated the way her childhood was sick and twisted and caused a little girl to grow up way too soon. She hated the fact that she even knew how to do what she was doing. Her song changed to Vanity by Lady Gaga and again she changed her rhythm.
She couldn't remember when she made this playlist. But, she wondered, what she was drinking when she did? She then walked away from the bag and went to the large open gymnastic mat in the center of the empty gym. She tucked the ear bud chord away so it wouldn't swing in front of her, stretched her muscles a bit, and then rolled onto the balls of her feet.
Still listening to Vanity, she ran and vaulted forward. She flipped twice, twisted to flip backwards, and then sprung upwards into a short spin before landing perfectly. She remembered all of the gymnastic lessons she was put through when she was little. The corners of her mouth twitched up into a smile as she remembered one of her old routines that one her first place at her first competition.
She went to the door and grabbed her jacket, zipping it up and exiting the building. She turned up the music and started jogging up the sidewalk. She'd been outside of the house doing things since yesterday at eight AM. she didn't plan on going home just yet so she jogged to the Ice Skating Rink a few miles down the street. She didn't breath abnormally when she walked in the door.
She pulled out her ear buds and rented a pair of skates from the front desk. She went to the locker rooms and put her jacket and tennis shoes in a locker. She tied the laces on the rental skates and made her way out to the ice rink. Ice Skating was something she did when she grew bored of Gymnastics.
She won trophies and medals doing both activities but she loved figure skating a lot more. the ice was empty when she made onto the ice. The slippery feeling under her feet felt welcomingly familiar. She took a second to remember everything she'd learn and then set up the speakers to play Explosions by Ellie Goulding.
She always loved skating to that song. She went center rink and took her beginning stance. She started with simple sprint turns and little twists on her skates before attempting her actual routine. She picked it up quickly and lost herself in the memories of who she used to be. Her arms and legs acted naturally without her telling them what to do.
She spun and vaulted into a quad at the start of the chorus then landed perfectly with a leg out and arms outstretched. She then twisted into a ball on one leg, spinning around at lightning speed, in place. She moved upward, still spinning. She bowed her chest forward and hooked her fingers onto the heel of her free skate behind her head. She then dropped suddenly and smoothly and flawlessly skated up the rink.
She stopped and swung her leg up and across a few feet to land on the other leg and spin slowly, whilst evening her body to run parallel to the ice. She straightened and picked up speed moving down the rink again. she vaulted into a series of: triple toe, triple toe, double sow. She landed all three perfectly and ended her skate flawlessly at the center as she did when she began.
When she finished, her arms were outstretched to empty bleachers and a wide smile splayed across her face. She dropped her arms and spun around of her skates when she heard a slow clap echoing in the stadium. By the door to the ice was Oliver with a genuine smile on his face. She could tell he was surprised and she suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. "That was amazing" he said.
She bent in a half bow and he chuckled. "I try" she said. She slowly started over to the door and leaned forward onto the rink-wall beside him. He slid his hands into his pockets, everything suddenly awkward between them. "Where'd you learn to do that?" he asked. She could tell he was trying to smooth things out and make yesterday like it never happened. "My friend Richard taught me when I was fifteen" she said, keeping her tone casual.
"Friend huh?" he asked, his smile indicating he was teasing her.
"He was like a brother. My dad adopted him after his parents died when he was young so we grew up in the same house" she clarified.
"You're really good at it" he said. She slid over to the open door and stopped herself so she wouldn't keep sliding away. She pulled his hands out of his pockets and pulled him onto the ice, despite his protests. "It'll be fine" she assured, after getting him to the center.
"Aren't people supposed to, I don't know, use ice skates?" he asked, sarcastically smiling.
"I have ice skates" she said, visible trying not to laugh.
"Well how nice for you" he said, jokingly. She let a small laugh out then started past him. She grabbed his hand and pulled him along with her. after a while of skating together, Oliver stayed at the door. Anna chuckled and shook her head as she skated back to the center. Anna had set up her iPod to work wirelessly with the speakers, so she played her playlist starting at Vanity.
She made up a routine as she went along, moving in time with the music. She vaulted up into a triple axel on the far left side of the rink and landed perfectly. She spun on one leg at lightning speed as she past the door, obviously showing off, and Oliver shook his head. She spun into a typical ballet spin in the center of the rink. Then she folded down into a ball a few inches from the ice still keeping up her fast pace.
She spun up and out to the right with a little hop, twisting her around to skate backwards into her next quad vertical. She landed it perfectly again and skated backwards into a snake like pattern before twisting around to skate forward again. she used some of her old dance moves, too, spicing up the routine.
She vaulted up into a combo of triple toe, quad vertical, triple toe when the song came to, "Look at me (Watcha lookin' at?) Look at me (Watcha starin' at?) Look at me (Watcha lookin' at?) Look at me (Watcha starin' at?)" she then stopped and twirled, turning on her side to spin with her leg outstretched parallel to the ice. When that part of the song ended she went back toward the middle for her finishing dance moves and final double vertical.
She landed and twisted to her ending hand-outstretch just as the song ended. She managed to face the door where Oliver stood when she landed, too. Oliver smiled brightly and clapped as he'd done before and Anna couldn't help feeling like the luckiest girl in the world to him waiting for her. she skated over and stopped right next to the door, inches from him, and wrapped her arms around his neck just before kissing him.
They drove home and made their way to the apartment in silence. Anna could feel the heat in the air between them as they entered the apartment. Oliver shut the door and Anna lurched forward, kissing him passionately. He kissed her back and they both seemed to have the same idea. They took off their jackets and shoes then Anna pulled his shirt over his head.
Oliver pushed her down onto the couch and climbed atop her. he pulled off her shirt and jeans with expert ease before moving to kiss up her stomach. She arched her back at the feeling of his tongue across her navel. He kissed her in an invisible line up her abdomen, between her breasts that were protruding out of her tight bra, and up her neck.
He savored every moan that came from her as he did so. She unbuckled his belt and together they pulled off his pants. she kissed him briefly before he pushed her back down by her shoulder. She fought to hide the animalistic grin creeping onto her lips. He discarded her bra and panties in seconds and then moved down between her legs. She arched her back with a gasp and gripped the couch at feeling his tongue inside her.
She felt a shockwave of ecstasy wash over her and she moaned loudly. Then before she could really feel his absence, he thrusted into her. she wrapped her legs around his waist and wound her arms around his neck. They met each other thrust for thrust with a speed and intensity neither had experienced before. A particularly rough thrust on his part caused his name to fall from her lips and he growled against her neck.
"You feel so good" he whispered, before biting gently at her neck.
"You're not bad yourself" she whispered back. he gripped her hips firmly, feeling himself reaching his end. She came first then he followed shortly after. They stayed there a minute before Oliver carried Anna up the stairs to the bedroom and they slipped under the blankets of their bed.