The next morning, the dull light of dawn barely filtered through the curtains, casting a pale glow across the room. Aemilia hadn't slept much if at all.
Her mother's words still lingered at the back of her mind, causing a sickening throb in her chest.
Rolling out of bed, she glanced at her phone. No messages from Lorenzo. She couldn't lie and say part of her wasn't relieved. She wasn't sure she could handle his questions or his silence.
Her mom was probably waiting downstairs since she was home late last night, ready to tell her she'd planned her entire day, more lessons, more practices, more competitions. The pressure was already building in her chest, the familiar weight that made it hard to breathe.
She had forgotten all about it but in reality it never went away. She found herself getting lost in Lorenzo probably hoping that she could escape from her real problems but this was the reality of her situation.
Her life was gonna return to normal, no real family, no real love, self hatred and she couldn't face her mom. Not yet.
Dressing quickly, Aemilia threw on a hoodie and leggings, then slipped out of the house before her mom even realized she was awake. The chill of the early morning air bit at her skin, but it was better than the suffocating atmosphere inside.
Without thinking, she got into her car and drove to the one place where she felt like she could escape. It was early, hours before it would open to the public, but she had a key. One of the perks of being on Ms. Loxfire's team—or at least, she used to be. She wasn't sure anymore.
She unlocked the door and stepped inside. The cold air of the rink wrapped around her like a familiar embrace. The ice was freshly resurfaced, smooth and pristine, waiting for someone to leave their mark.
Aemilia laced up her skates slowly, letting the repetitive motion ground her. As soon as she stepped onto the ice, that rush hit her. Gliding across the frozen surface was like nothing else. It was the one place where she still felt a little bit like herself.
But even here, the thoughts wouldn't ever leave her alone. Every time she glanced over her left shoulder, she was reminded of the void. The darkness where her vision used to be. No matter how hard she tried to forget, it was always there, waiting to throw her off balance.
She skated faster, trying to outrun the thoughts. Her muscles burned, but she didn't care. She pushed herself harder until the world blurred. Then, she hit the ice—hard. The impact sent a sharp pain shooting up her leg, but she stayed down for a moment, breathing heavily, staring up at the rink ceiling.
Out of time. Out of excuses. If she couldn't even get through a solo practice, how was she supposed to compete in less than two weeks?
She didn't hear the door open, but suddenly, she wasn't alone. Ms. Loxfire stood at the edge of the rink, arms crossed, her expression a mix of disappointment and concern.
"I didn't expect to see you here this early or at all," she said, her voice echoing in the empty space.
Aemilia pushed herself onto her knees, wincing at the throb in her leg. "A lot going on."
Ms. Loxfire glided out onto the ice, her movements fluid and graceful. "You're pushing yourself way too hard, Aemilia."
Aemilia let out a bitter laugh, brushing ice from her clothes.
"Isn't this what you'd want to see as a coach? Students trying hard?"
Ms. Loxfire stopped in front of her, her expression softening. "Not like this."
They sat in silence for a moment before Ms. Loxfire sighed, crouching to meet Aemilia's gaze. "I know your mom has high expectations, but you're not ready for this competition. Not yet at least."
YOU ARE READING
The Blind Deception
Misterio / Suspenso"Please..." she began to beg though she didn't know if she was pleading for him to stop or keep going "Please what, amore mio, tell me what is it" he said in a mocking tone, a smirk played its way to his face. His fingers moved at a dangerous pace n...
