Fire on Ice

Part 6

When I fall for the tenth time practicing my Biellman spins later that week, I groan in frustration and take a deep breath. I need to get this simple move down if I have a chance at getting back to my previous condition. I get up and brush the ice off my leggings. Just as I start skating backwards to gather momentum Nikolas walks out of the boy's locker room and sees me skating. He pauses for a moment and for some reason it makes me nervous. I try to ignore him, but his searing gaze only gets worse as he goes to sit down in the stands. I step forward right before my spin but I fail to get my leg up high enough again.

"Fuck" I breathe out, loud enough that I know Nikolas heard me. I don't want to glance at him and be met with that lovely scowl of his face, but for some reason I do anyway. He looks serious and judgmental, what's new. After a few more tries, I get my leg up but I don't have enough speed so the spin is too slow. Suddenly Nikolas gets up from the stands and walks back into the locker room. Thank God he's gone, having him watch me was making me too flustered. A few minutes later I see I have spoken too soon when he gets on the ice and starts skating towards me.

I glare at him and ask, "What are you doing?"

He ignores my questions and states harshly, "You need to get that move down if you want a chance at the NIDC" echoing my thoughts from earlier.

Frowning at his tone I bite back, "You're not my partner, what's it to you?"

"Not yet, but Coach seems pretty hell-bent on making it that way, and I am not about to be partners with someone incompetent."

I scoff, "What is your problem? I'm partners with Sebastian so your opinion isn't needed. If that's all you came to say, you can go now."

He rolls his eyes condescendingly, "I came to help you. You can't get your leg up high enough and your spins are slow."

Now it's my turn to roll my eyes, but this time in disbelief, "You came to help me? How do you suppose you do that?"

"Have you never had someone spot you before? I'll help you get your leg up." I hesitate because I know I need his help, but I don't want to admit it. We stand there in silence before I eventually say, "Fine." He nods and says, "Go stand in the corner and put your hands on the railing. Try to get your leg up while being stationary."

I skate over and do what he says. After I place my hands on the railing, I try to get my leg up and only get it 75% of the way there. He places his hands on my back and says, "This is your problem, you're not leaning forward enough so your leg doesn't have room to get up." I try to focus on what he's saying and not the growing warmth that is spreading through my body stemming from his hand. I simply nod because I can't seem to form words and lean forward more. I am able to get my leg up 80% of the way and he says, "Better. Let me try something."

He puts his other hand on the thigh of the leg that is in the air and I jerk suddenly. He takes his hand off and says, "What?" even though he knows why I moved. I reposition myself and just say "nothing." He puts his hand on my leg and back again and this time I thankfully don't move. He slowly starts to stretch my leg as far as it can go and soon enough I get it up all the way.

"Okay now put your hands on your skate and balance." This part I never had trouble with, so I get it pretty quickly.

"Good, now get your leg up by yourself. Remember how it feels right now and try to recreate it." I put my leg down and put my hands on the railing. I lift my leg up and try to get it high enough. Nikolas says, "Back" and I know he means that my back is still too straight, so I bend down and he says good again. I am able to get my leg up all the way and I am surprised at how quickly I was able to do it.

"Try the whole move at once" Nikolas demands. I frown at his tone again but decide not to say anything, since this is the longest we have gotten along since we met. I skate to the middle of the rink and start skating backwards to gather speed for my spin. I go to get my leg up, trying to remember how it felt when Nikolas was helping and I do it, but the spin is still too slow. I go back into starting position and Nikolas asks, "Why is your spin too slow?"

I roll my eyes, "I don't know, care to enlighten me?"

He ignores my comment and says, "You're not pushing off with your right leg hard enough. You can't gather as much momentum when you've already started the spin, so it has to come from the moves beforehand. Try just the lead up to the spin and pushing off your leg." I hate that what he is saying makes sense. I do as he says and immediately see my problem. I am pushing off my right leg too weakly and it's causing the rest of the spin to be slow. 

I try again and this time I push off too hard. I start losing control and feel like I am about to fall. I reach my hands out to break my fall but since my hands are on my skate I know I won't be able to bring them down fast enough. I close and expect the hard impact of the ice. But it never comes. Nikolas' strong arms wrap around my waist and hold me there. His oaky cologne invades my nostrils and when I look up, his sharp jawline is clenched and fire flickers in his eyes for a split second before it's gone. He puts me back on my feet and pushes me away a little. I am still flustered so I don't say anything when he skates off the rink and into the locker room. A few minutes later when I decide I've had enough for the day, he walks out of the gym without a word. 

Author's Note: 

Nikolas being angsty<<< 

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