Broken Ice

adrenaline boost

Sodapop's POV

Im not sure what Dallas did with the other ticket, but it was just us four outside the door, waiting for them to open and them to collect our tickets.

"Hi, can I see your tickets?" A girl asked.

We all handed them to her and she looked at them. "Alright. VIP tickets." She said with a grin. "Which skater are you here for?"

"Sadie." We all said at the same time.

"Cool! What a sweet girl. She didn't pick what seats she wanted to reserve the tickets for so I got to choose. Are these four ok?"

"They're awesome." Darry said. "Thank you."

"Of course! Enjoy! It should start within the next fifteen, thirty minutes." She said walking away.

They we're front and center. We were right above the judges tables. This is awesome!

There was an empty seat next to us with a sign that said "RESERVED FOR SADIE CURTIS." Along with many other signs behind us, next to us, and on the opposite side of the building that we're reserved for other people.

I wondered how Sadie didn't pick who to give hers to and yet she still got the best seats.

Sadie's POV

"Sadie!" Molly yelled

"Hey, everything ok?" I asked.

"Your seats are being used. Four boys."

I smiled. "Awesome! Thanks!" I said with a grin.

"Four?" Cassidy asked. "You gave the tickets to Dallas?"

"Yep. I told him to give them to Darry, Soda and Pony. Probably kept one for himself."

"Don't ya think that'll make ya nervous?" She asked.

I grinned. "Nope."

If anything it made my nerves fade away. I had to be... confident.

Adrenaline boost?

She looked like she didn't believe me. "Just don't get cocky. Good luck." She said just before they announced Madelyn's name.

I waited by the door for her to finish and took a breath before I went out on the ice.

I waved to everyone as claps erupted from the stands. I avoided all eye contact to where my reserved seats were.

For the third time, I counted myself in and focused only on skating and not on anyone else.

"Thank you, Sadie! Next up we have Ashley VonCamp!" I waved a bit and looked up at the seats.

I couldn't see very clearly, but it had to have been my brothers and Dallas.

I stepped off and sighed like I have for the past two times.

"Wow! That was your best one yet!" Someone's mom said. "Good job!"

"Thank you!" I said with a smile.

"Well, we should invite your brothers more often. That looked awesome, Sades!" Cassidy said with a hug.

I grinned. "Thanks. But as you said, don't get too cocky." I winked at her and we laughed as the rest of the contestants went.

"Alright, ladies! Come on back!" The judge said.

We all went on in order and I took a deep breath as my nerves kicked back in.

"Very close competition today! Congratulations to our winner today with a score of 47/50... Sadie Curtis!" I smiled and laughed. No way!

The judge put a medal around my neck and I smiled at the camera in front of me as I shook his hand.

"Next up with second place is Madelyn DeLawrence, Nora Price, Carly Griffith, Lindy Evans, Rebecca Barker, and Kathleen Dunn. I'm sorry Ashley, but you received the lowest score of 30/50."

I sighed with relief as we all skated off.

-

The next few weeks were pretty much the same. Following Ashley's loss were Lindy and Rebecca. Both similar reactions of crying and sobbing as soon as they were out of sight.

I haven't said a word to Dallas since I gave him those tickets.

I was laying on the bed on the nice Wednesday afternoon waiting for Sunday.

"Sadie! Guess what!" Cassidy yelled running through the door.

"Huh?" I asked, sitting up and putting the magazine down.

"You made the top five!" She yelled.

I laughed. "Cass, I figured this out on Sunday."

"You haven't heard? Turn on the TV!" She said tossing me the remote.

I quickly turned it on in a panic and flipped to channel two where a news reporter took over the screen.

"James Maxwell, beloved mayor of Tulsa, has invited the top five from the girls and boys division of the national ice skating competition to open the new library downtown this Friday night!"

There was a pause.

"Mayor Maxwell has expressed his excitement to meet Madelyn DeLawrence, Sadie Curtis, Nora Price, Kathleen Dunn, and Carly Griffith from the girls division and Max Marion, Jonas Quindel, Barron Mite, Robert Johnson, and Larry Mendel from the boys division. Hope to see ya there, skaters!"

I turned the TV off. "No way! I get to meet the mayor!"

"I just found out! That's insane!"

"Oh my God! I only have a couple days to get ready!"

Cassidy laughed. "I think you'll have time."

"I'm gonna go shopping for a new dress! I'll be back later!" I said, quickly getting up and rushing out.

I walked downtown and I went into a small boutique at the end of the road. I got a white dress with pink flowers with matching baby pink heels.

"Hey!" Someone called out.

"Hi, Dallas!" I said, quickly recognizing his accent.

"I saw the news. You're gonna open the library?"

"Yep! Pretty cool. Just bought an outfit for it." I said with a grin.

"Awesome. I hoped I'd run into ya. It's been a while. How ya doing?" He asked walking next to me.

"Pretty good. My nerves have settled down a little bit more. I only get nervous on Saturday nights and Sunday's until after the competition."

"That's good, I think?"

I laughed. "Better than how it was. I haven't seen ya since you guys came. Did ya like it?"

"Yeah. Although I think Darry got bored after you went."

I laughed. "Really? To be honest, I didn't think he ever really cared about me. Neither him or Ponyboy. Even Soda sometimes." I saw him grin. "Odd reaction." I followed.

"No, it's just when we went out to the diner I could kinda tell."

"What? How?" I asked in shock.

"Lucky guess?" He said, mocking me from that taxi ride.

I laughed. "No, I don't think so." I continued, following along.