Skates Out // a Luis Mendoza Fan Fic

3. Competition

JJ. 

Viola and I changed into our leotards and skates before walking out of the locker rooms and going to rink where Charlie, Mendoza and the other Ducks were waiting, I shot them a smirk before stepping onto the ice and doing a couple easy turns to warms up. "Ready to lose?" I asked Mendoza challangingly, he snorted, "I wouldn't be to sure about that Jerome. You're very cocky for someonw who's about to get their ass kicked." 

I rolled my eyes and watched as Viola and Charlie took their bets on us, Vi shot me a knowing grin and I returned it as Goldburg yelled, "GO!" and we took off. I wasn't stupid, Luis probably was faster than me he needed to be fast to win and I need to have good precision, so he had the upper hand, but I wasn't going to let him beat me because of it. 

I pushed off of my skates harder as we neared the finish line behind the goal, both of us going crazy fast. 3..2..1 and... I screeched to a stop a small bit of ice spraying away from my skates as I did so, I groaned Luis had beat me. But apparently he hadn't stopped, I watched amused as he slammed into the wall of the rink at breakneck speed. 

Before I could help myself I burst out laughing, losing the race had so been worth seeing that, Charlie climbed over the wall and skated up to Luis who was still lying on the floor, "hey Luis buddy, you ok?" he asked helping his teamate to his feet. Lusi nodded and he turned to me smirking through his helmet, "I don't want brag and say I told you so, but I will, I told you so Jerome." 

I bit back nother smile, I mean, yes I was definitely annoyed he had one upped me, but there was no way I was going to throw a tantrum about it in front of him. I wasn't pathetic. I smirked back, "I don't know Mendoza, seeing you crash like that was a win for me too if I'm being honest." I replied making him frown. 

He rolled his eyes, and I continued, "I guess us figure skaters just have a bit more precision than you." I said folding my arms across my chest. He scoffed, "please Jerome don't make me laugh I have just as much precision as you." 

I raised my eyebrows, "oh really, well then lets have another competition, I'll do a couple of things and lets see if you can follow, I promise it wont' be anything that you couldn't handle I'm sure that Charlie could do this if he tried." 

He gestured to the ice as if to tell me the space was mine, "be my guest." 

I skated forwards starting slow and then going a little faster and then swirling into an easy turn, I was going t start simple and then hit him wIth something he couldn't do when he least expected it. He rolled his eyes and copied me, before saying, "is that all you got in store for me Jerome?" 

I shrugged, "I guess you'll just have to wait and find out won't you?" I said before gathering up speed before skating backwards on one foot. He made a face at me before doing the smae thing flawlessly. I nodded, "ok now see if you can follow me while I do it." I said before starting to cicle around the outside of the rink to gather up speed, I did a small turn and started skating backwards before gathering up more momentum and making some tight corners around the goal before skating to the otherown to do the same.

I cold see the smug grin on Mendoza's face as he did exactly what I had been doing earlier, the once I had finished my scond tight corner I started racing up the side of the pitch towards the goal just like we'd done in the race, Luis followed not thinking twice, then I stopped as abrubtly as I could. He didn't he flailed around as he kept going before he managed to grab the wall and stand up right. 

I sighed grinning, "of all the things Mendoza, stopping is your fatal flaw." He glared at me, "shut up Jermone, "at least I don't skate at the speed of a grandmother." my smile dropped and I shot him a sharp look. I could hear footsteps as Ida and Team USA's coach walked down the stairs to join us. 

"What's your name kid?" the coach called to me, "Julia-Josephine Jerome, but you can call me JJ." I replied watching as the walked out onto the ice, Ida looked Mendoza up and down, "and you, what are you called?" she asked stiffly. He turned to meet her eye, "Luis Mendoza, Ma'am." 

She nodded in approval, "Julia, the ice hockey man and I have made a deal." 

The coach rolled his eyes, "Coach Bombay." he corrected. 

Ida waved him off, "yes, yes, back to what I was saying, we were watching you have your strange little competition, and decided that the two of you could learn a great deal from each other, in fact the whole team could learn from each other so as of tomorrow you will have on extra hour on the ice where you will be teaching eachother things." I made a face, I understood that the Ice hockey players might need to learn some precision and grace from us but what could we need to learn fom them?

Coach Bombay continued, "JJ and the other girls will be helping you guys with your accuracy and precision on the ice, I've seen video's of these girls and the turns they make are fantasitc in terms of of how quick they get you to where you need to be." I shot Mendoza a smug look, "and the girls will be learning about speed and how to harness it to get those more difficult jumps on point." he mirrored my expression. 

I shot Ida a complaining lookthat read, I don't want to spend all day with him! and she returned one that said, I don't care it's good for your skating suck it up!

The coach turned to Vi and I a smile on his face, "well, we'll be seeing you girls tomorrow, enjoy the rest of your day we have to get to our interview now." he explained before ushering is team off of the ice. i shared a look with my best freind as she slung her arm around my shoulder and we started skating cricles of the rink at a relaxed pace. "Come on jaige, I'm sure Luis isn't that bad." she argued. 

I scowled, "your not the one that has to teach him, you get to help your boyfreind Charlieee." I teased, Viola elbowed me, "he is not my boyfreind JJ." 

I raised my eyebrows, "what ever floats your boat Vi."