Elena looks at her schedule as the bell rings, signaling the end of her Trig class. She grabs her backpack and exits the room.
"Hey, you," Bonnie falls into step with Elena, "Where are you headed?"
"Free period," Elena crosses her arms, hugging her binder to her chest as they walk down the hallway. "Then I have lunch, and advanced bio right after."
"It's only been three periods in and I've already got a ton of homework. Grams isn't going to cut you a break with your skating. I don't know how you get it all done."
Elena smiles politely, her mind already elsewhere. "I'm going to the library," she says, nodding towards the large double doors to their right. "I'll see you later?"
"What for?"
"To...start on my homework so I can keep up with my skating. Sheila wants me to ask Dad about entering the regionals."
"Good luck with that," Bonnie trails off, glancing down at her watch. "I gotta go. You know how Mr. Saltzman gets when we're late for history class. See you later!"
Elena purses her lips as she watches Bonnie hurry away and disappear into the crowd. She makes her way to the back of the library, skirting around comfortable-looking armchairs until
she finds an empty desk almost hidden from view by two large bookshelves. She perches on the edge of the table as she rummages through her bag, trying to find her phone, smiling when she sees a text from Damon.
"All I want after this long day is a tall glass of you." *heart emoji*
She laughs quietly and responds with a blowing kiss emoji before putting her phone down and opening her textbook.
Elena steps out of the school building and lets out a sigh, happy to be done with classes for the day.
"Hey, Elena!"
She doesn't even have to turn around to recognize Bonnie's voice.
"What's going on?" she asks simply when Bonnie reaches her.
"I was wondering if you wanted me to go with you to the rink. I could run interference with Grams." Bonnie laughs as she keeps pace with Elena.
"I don't think it'll help. She won't let me leave early but if you want to, I won't object," Elena replies with a smile.
Bonnie waves as she heads toward her car and clicks it open.
Elena's eyes roam over the other cars in the parking lot with faint disdain before landing on her beat-up old VW. She unlocks the door and tosses her things inside.
"Elena, you're here." Sheila is already standing in the foyer, clearly waiting for her to arrive.
"How was school?"
"It was fine..." Elena sits down to put her skates on.
"You need to keep your grades up, too."
"I know," Elena nods as she laces up her skates.
"Wonderful," Sheila smiles, rubbing her hands together. "Now put your skates on and get to work."
Elena stifles a yawn as she glides onto the ice.
After parking his car, Damon slides out, smiling as he locks eyes on the bowling alley. The icy air whistles around his ears, causing his skin to tingle and sting as he walks down the sidewalk. His fingers and toes are numb, but it's a good feeling. Snug inside his many layers of clothes, nothing can spoil the overwhelming feeling of being taken back to childhood.
The urge to make a snowball is all consuming and he has to restrain himself from lying down on the ground and making a snow angel. Every step he takes leaves a fresh, crisp footprint in the snow as if he's the only person to have ever been here.
Snowflakes fall gently from the sky as the branches of the trees bow with the heavy load they are carrying, bending toward the ground.
Everything glistens as if a fairy has sprinkled her dust over the entire world. Colors are brighter against the pure white blanket that spreads as far as the eye can see. The houses become works of art, with their beautiful undisturbed snowy roofs. Aerials and chimneys become sculptures, taking on new forms.
Damon breathes in the fresh air as he continues his trek down the sidewalk toward Sheila's place.
Elena yawns as she sits down to take a break. She rises early every morning to meet Sheila at the skating rink slash bowling alley to practice her routine. At sixteen, she realizes that she's almost too old to train professionally but...when fate hands you a dream so far beyond your imagination, it's difficult to believe it will actually come true.
For as long as she can remember she's loved ice skating. Elena feels happy every time she sets her blades on the ice, be it this old ice rink or the frozen pond on their property. Her mother, Isobel died when she was very young, leaving just her and her dad. Home is a farm on the outskirts of a tiny Iowa town.
Elena knows it hasn't been easy for him to raise her alone and there have been mistakes along the way. They have a great relationship and she wouldn't change a thing.
John can hold his own on a pair of ice skates and he is supportive but doesn't want her to get hurt so at times he's hesitant to let her leave the nest.
Sheila Bennett-the owner of the place- took Elena under her wing. Sheila skated in her youth, winning a regional championship of her own. Sadly, she never had the money or the sponsors to be able to skate at a world-class level.
Her granddaughter and Elena's best friend, Bonnie skates casually but has no interest in competition so Sheila set out to train Elena.
"You ready?" Sheila's voice interrupts Elena's reverie.
She nods and steps onto the ice, taking her skating position. When she's ready, Elena squats further down, just until her knees are bent. She dashes down the rink, and skates around the perimeter, twirling, practicing her sit spin and jumps.
"Straighter. Get your head up. Your back will follow along. Are you on your tracings?"
"Pretty much."
"Pretty much isn't good enough, Elena. Your threes aren't good enough," Sheila remarks.
"I know." Elena pauses to take a breath when she catches a glimpse of Damon entering the rink. "What are you doing home?" she calls out and skates over to him.
He wraps one arm over Elena and one around Sheila, squeezing them. "I couldn't stay away from my girls."
"The hell you say. Did you do something stupid and get expelled?" Sheila asks, eyeing him skeptically.
"Nope!" Damon shakes his head. "I quit."
"Why did you go and do a dumb thing like that for?" Sheila swats him on the head.
"Ouch! And that's none of your business," Damon replies with a scowl.
"Well, at least we all know what not to talk about!" Sheila quips.
"Want to go home?" Damon whispers in Elena's ear.
"I heard that," Sheila interrupts. "Not yet, she needs to work on her figures." She eyes Elena critically.
"I'll see you later." Damon kisses her cheek. "I need to go home and tell my mom and dad. Wish me luck," he calls over his shoulder as he leaves.
"Bye," Elena replies, waving at his retreating form.
"Back on the ice," Sheila nudges her forward.
Elena takes her time to circle three full laps as she builds up speed. She curves around the boards, her arms spread and feet flying through her back crossovers as she makes a diagonal line across the ice, approaching the corner. Straightening up and lifting her back foot in preparation, Elena firmly plants her toe, taking off from the back outside edge to attempt a double Lutz. Good height. Good speed. Good rotation. Landing solidly, she feels a surge of exhilaration flows through her.
After successfully landing that jump, they spend the remainder of the day polishing up the move and beginning to work on others. They don't all come easily but landing her jumps without falling feels great.
At the end of the session, Sheila hugs her. "Good work today."
"It was a good day," Elena agrees, her smile wide. After taking her skates off, she grabs her things to leave and finds Damon leaning against his car waiting for her.
"Hey!" he greets her. "Sheila let you leave?"
"Yeah, just a few minutes ago," she confirms, her hair's a mess, her clothes sweaty, and her eyes shining. "I landed a double Lutz!"
"That's awesome, Elena," he exclaims, squeezing her tightly before setting her back on her feet, his hands cupping her face. "I knew you could do it."
"I'm just so excited," Elena exclaims, sitting back against the porch railing.
"Really? I can't tell," Damon teases dryly, lightly tapping her nose as he leans beside her. "You're amazing."
"So are you," Elena sighs, grinning widely as she rests her head on his shoulder. At that moment, riding the high of her day and with Damon at her side, she feels invincible.
Elena and Damon are enjoying the crisp fresh air as they trudge through the snow. "I missed you," she breathes as she rises to peck his lips.
"And I missed you," Damon replies, pulling her into his embrace and kissing the top of her head.
He's longed to have her in his arms since he left. Although his parents aren't happy with his decision to drop out, he's glad to be home. Still, they're right. He needs to do something with his life but when he considers how long that might be, he struggles with it. What if he ends up hating his chosen profession?
Abruptly Elena pulls out of her arms and runs behind a tree.
Just then, a snowball whacks Damon in the shoulder.
"You asked for it," he calls to her and starts forming one of his own.
A barrage of snowballs begins to rain down on him. Damon dives behind a fallen tree trunk as Elena continues to launch them at him.
Determined now, Damon begins to lob snowballs at Elena, hitting her squarely in the chest when she reveals herself.
A series of volleys explode with precision as a blur of snowballs hits guts, butts, and faces.
Damon winds up and releases another one.
Elena fires one back that hits the incoming snowball exploding both of them in mid-air like two missiles colliding.
They both sit panting.
Damon jumps to his feet and charges - descending on Elena, launching a flurry of snow.
She finally raises her arms and gets up slowly in surrender.
Damon smirks at her and turns his head away for a brief moment when another one explodes on the back of his head.
"That's cheating. You surrendered."
"Did not!" Elena leaps at him, landing them both in a thick pile of snow.
They're both breathing heavily. Elena brushes a wet strand of hair off his forehead. "I won," she quips.
"I let you," he retorts with a smirk and drops his mouth to hers.
Damon smiles against her lips at the little moan that escapes as he's kissing her.
Thank you, everyone. You're all uber-awesome.
The "Trig class" is for you, CosmicAdventurer.
Love you, Eva!
The next update will be TQR.
Have a wonderful day!