Thin Ice

The Bet

A day after the fight.

I enter the ice skating rink and Grace comes up to me asking,

"Are you okay?"

I respond, "Yeah, I'm okay. I just want to skate."

No, I'm not but my dad doesn't pay her to chat and I don't want to waste time or my dad's money. I can get motivation from Nathan anytime for free. He's the best friend ever he really does care for me and I care for him.

"Okay. Let's get started. Wait! One more question. Do you think Ava will drop out of the competition?" Grace asks me.

"She would have by now if she was going to," I claim.

"That's good. Let's go practice," Grace adds.

My practice was supposed to end an hour ago but I need to perfect everything. I am tired but I don't care I need to practice.

I practiced for two hours over normal time but that means my programs are complete and perfect. Well, almost perfect my quads could be better but, most teens can't do them soo it will be fine. Now I have to get better at performing with joy and seem free to my audience. Like I was on the lake in the mountains.

I step off the rink and I feel like I have won against my confidence but then I look at my phone and my social media has blown up with posts from yesterday's fight. I pick up my phone and their awful, now everyone thinks I didn't try to save Kaley. I feel a tear hit my cheek. Therefrom all of the people that were watching us fight. The meanest one is the first post from - Ava! Ava! I guess our friendship is over she is calling me bad words. I feel better after seeing the posts from Nathan backing me up because he was the one that supported me after the event, but it still hurts when the girl has been friends with my whole life has turned on me in a snap of a finger. Ava has gone crazy and she's like a puppet because all of the mean girls and Mary are controlling her like a puppet. It makes me feel sick that she is letting them control her like that.

Nathan calls me after I ate supper at like nine pm. He says,

"Have you seen the horrible posts from Ava and and 'her new friends'? Those girls are the mean girls and there only her friends right now because they want to hurt you!"

"Yeah, I have," I say sluggish.

"Are you okay? You sound exhausted," Nathan asks concerned.

"Yeah, I am. I just stayed for two more hours of ice-skating practice tonight," I state laying down on my bed.

Nathan responds confused, "Is that healthy for you?"

It's not really, but I don't want him to worry about me, so I ignore the question and I'm going to try to change the subject.

"Hows been your snowboarding practice been?" I question him ignoring his question.

"Fine. But why are you ignoring my question?" he questions me.

"Are we having mountain climbing training on Thursday?" I ask.

"Harper! You aren't taking care of your body properly," Nathan rants sympathetically raising his voice.

"I know. I know. I'll get back into a regular and healthy routine after Sunday," I respond.

"Good. Answering your question from earlier. Yes, we are having practice Thursday as long as your up to it," Nathan adds.

"Okay normal time, shorter, or longer?" I inquire.

"Shorter, you need to rest more," Nathan claims strictly.