Fire on Ice

Part 9

We start stretching, or at least I do. He says he doesn't need to. I can already tell this is not going to go well but I have run out of options. I skate over to him after I'm done stretching and say "Let's start with getting more of a feel for each other."

Kevin puts a slimy smile on his face and I am suddenly uncomfortable but I shove the feeling down.

"Sure." 

We skate to the end of the rink to start doing the exercises that Coach makes us do whenever we are introduced to a new partner. I am a little iffy about it because it entails holding hands, which is not something I particularly want to do but nevertheless I do it. Kevin stands too close to me so I say, "Can you scoot over a little? I need space or we'll crash into each other."

He ignores my request and responds, "If you're uncomfortable with being close to me then pair skating isn't for you." He scoots even closer and grabs my hand to start skating, not giving me a chance to even reply. I know he has to grab my hand for the exercise, but his aggression is slightly unnerving.

I stumble a bit at first because I wasn't ready to start skating, but quickly get my bearings. He skates fast and messily and we come close to crashing multiple times. His grip on my hand is rough and uncomfortable and I try to loosen it a little, but every time I do he holds it even tighter.

Once we somehow finish 10 laps without crashing my heart is racing and I know my face is red, but he is barely panting. He runs a hand through his excessively gelled hair and all I can think about is how he is going to put his oily hands all over my clothes.

"How experienced are you?" He asks.

"I've been skating since I was 7 and went until I was 22. I had to take a break because of personal reasons but I'm back."

"Why did you have to take a break?" His tone implies he doesn't care, he is looking for something to give me a hard time for.

"I said personal reasons." I bite back. He rolls his eyes, but not in the weird, endearing way Nikolas does it, his is arrogant and entitled.

He goes to say something else, but I cut him off, "Let's start with step sequences."

I really need to move forward with choreographing my routine because with only 7 more months to go, which is nearing 6, I am definitely behind other competitors. I already have a few moves I know I want to include and one of them is step sequences.

Surprisingly he doesn't say anything snarky, "Okay, what do you have in mind?"

"I want to start with double axles that flow into something synchronized that we can do together, and then death spirals."

His moment of compliance comes to an end when he says, "A double axel? Are you 12? If you want to win we need to do a triple."

Deciding I've had enough I snap, "It's clear that you think you can walk on water, but no matter how good you think you are, we don't need to bust out a triple axel in the first 5 minutes of our routine. It takes a lot of energy and buildup, and the rest of our routine is going to look boring. If you have any other stupid comments, bring it up with Coach."

I hear a smirk in the distance and turn around. Nikolas is standing there watching this whole interaction with what seems like a proud expression. He sees me staring at him and says, "By all means, don't stop on my account." His voice comes out in a silky drawl and I'm stuck in my position for a moment before I remember where I am.

Now Kevin turns around, "Now I see why you didn't want her, Nikolas. I'm only sad I got stuck with her." The smile instantly drops from Nikolas' face.

"You're one to talk. Who was it that hasn't medaled in a tournament in the 6 years they've been skating?" Now Kevin's smile drops and it turns into a death glare.

Before Kevin has a chance to respond Nikolas spits, "You and I aren't friends, so don't act like we are." before leaving in a huff like he always seems to do, except this time I'm grateful. Kevin turns back to me and I say, "So, you were saying?"

"Just shut up and let's keep going." We start off with gaining momentum and head for a double axel, but he skates too close to me and we get caught in one another. I scream as we fall to the ground and he yells, "What the fuck?"

I sit up and see him glaring at me. I get up, "What do you mean? That was your fault! Why did you skate so close to me?"

"I skated close to you? You were in my way the whole time! You better get your shit together soon or we're coming in last."

At this point I am fuming and I'm struggling to keep my emotions in check, "Well based on your track record that seems where we're headed no matter how much effort I put in."

I know I'm yelling and this is proven when Coach walks out of his office to see what the disturbance is.

"What the hell is going on?"

Neither of us say anything for a minute before Kevin says, "I don't why you stuck me with this incompetent waste of space." I stare at him in shock. What the fuck is wrong with him, not only was our fall his fault, but he just met me.

Coach gets a stern look on his face, "Kevin you do not talk about her like that. Quite frankly I paired you two because you are my last option. Don't let the fact that you have a chance to enter the NIDC get to your head, but if you guys do qualify, then it'll be Nora who got you there." I widen my eyes and Kevin stands there in silence.

When nobody says anything for a minute, me because I am trying not to laugh, Coach says, "Why don't you guys take a break for now. Let's try again tomorrow. Kevin, my office now."

I bolt the second the words leave his mouth and storm into the locker room. That was probably one of the worst practices I have ever had in my life. Coach was being nice when he said he wasn't as experienced as Nikolas or Sebastian. His arrogance on the ice makes it seem as though he is the only one that matters. In ice dance partners are supposed to complement each other, to meld into one another's moves. Kevin did nothing but try to overpower me. Ugh. men and their fragile egos.

This was going to be rough.

Author's Note:

Here's your double update! Thanks to everyone who voted, it really means a lot :) 

Also comment what you wanna see in the rest of the book! We have a bunch of ideas but a few more won't hurt :)) 

One last thing: if this chapter gets 8 votes by Sunday, then the next chapter will be in Nikolas' POV so make sure to vote!!