Behind Closed Doors

Chapter 5: Mr. Big and Carrie Bradshaw

Y/N made it about a quarter of the way - she thought quite an admirable distance - before falling. After that, she fell about every 50 feet. She couldn't seem to recover after that first initial wipeout, but she was trying her best. Y/N wished she wasn't so far behind Joe and Mary, and that Joe could tell her what she might be doing wrong.

She made it to the closest lift drop-off and stopped. She saw Mary on the ground and Joe kneeling beside her. Y/N did her best to scoot over to them, but she ultimately took a foot off of the board and just pushed herself along.

"What happened?" Y/N asked. "Are you guys alright?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. I think I twisted my knee or something though. Not feeling my best right now," Mary replied.

"She was trying to slow down, and she twisted weirdly," Joe explained. "In any case, I think she's done for the day. I told the lift operator over there, and he's having the rescue team come with one of their vehicles. I don't think she should put pressure on it to board all of the way down."

Y/N nodded. Joe was probably being overly cautious, but he never fooled around when it came to Mary. He was head-over-heels for her, and he took her welfare extremely seriously. She noted the little frown on his face and the crinkle between his brows. Mary was rubbing circles with her thumb on his hand.

God, they're so sweet. It's borderline sickening, Y/N thought. She smiled at her friends, and Mary caught her eye. She grinned widely.

"I'll be fine. I'm sad our day got cut short though." She really did seem put out. "Hopefully I'm better by tomorrow or the next day, and this vacation won't be a total wash."

The snowmobile drove up, and they got Mary situated. They took her away, off to get her knee checked out. Joe looked like a ball of anxiety.

"Go with her," Y/N said finally. "I can manage my way down from here. I'll meet up with Edward and Mickey at the lodge or something, we'll meet you at the cabin. I'll be fine, it's okay."

Joe gave her a terse nod, and shot off down the mountain.

Alright, now I just have to figure out a way down without dying, Y/N thought. She didn't want her friends to worry about her, but she was nervous about getting to the bottom on her own. She attached her foot to the board, took a deep breath, and tried to make her way down the mountain.

She made it about 15 feet.

Fuck, I am terrible at this, she thought as she got up. She made it another 25 feet, fell, got up. After another 20, she fell again. She sat in the snow for a second, lamenting her poor skills.

Y/N heard someone barreling toward her. She was half convinced it was another baby snowboarder about to collide with her and kill them both when the person came to a stop beside her.

"You're not standing right."

It was even worse than a novice about to plow into her; it was Chris.

She looked up at him, frustrated that he was seeing her like this. She wasn't a clumsy person by nature. She obviously just had no natural talent for snowboarding. Y/N was embarrassed, and she just wanted to make her way down the mountain alone, however long that may take her.

"Your center of balance isn't in the right spot. It's why you've fallen like 15 times in the last 20 feet." He held a hand out for her to help her up. "I can show you how to stand so that you'll stop becoming a ski mogul." Chris was smiling, but Y/N did not feel cheery.

Y/N took his hand, and she glared at him as she pulled her up. It made her pride hurt less. She tried to balance on the board, when Chris spoke up again.