Fire on Ice

Part 23

Nikolas POV

Something has definitely changed. When I look at Nora I no longer see the possibility of us failing, only the potential we have; I'm only hoping she still feels the same way. I'm still not ready to be in a full blown relationship, but I don't feel so pessimistic when it comes to the prospect of us being together anymore. I don't know why or how or when this happened, but I only know I want to act on it.

Nora meets me outside the locker rooms and I grab her hand to lead her to the competitor seating area. I keep holding her hand in mine and I can see the look of confusion on her face through my periphery.

The rest of the competitors are good, but our routine had more passion than theirs did, and it shows. Finally there is another break for the judges to score all the competitors.

"What if we weren't good enough?" Nora nervously asks me.

"We weren't good enough."

"What?" Nora almost cries out.

"We were better, and the judges will see that."

"Nikolas!" She uses the hand not enclosed in mine to slap the back of my head, "Why would you do that to me?" I'm too busy laughing, which makes her even more angry. She pinches the inside of my arm and I jolt in surprise.

"Jesus woman, calm down."

"No I won't because that was mean. You know--" She is cut off by the announcer coming back on the ice.

"Alright everybody! We have the results and let me just say, the performances were incredible this year!" Everybody claps and he continues, "Now, for what you all have been waiting for: the results! Should I make it even more suspenseful?"

A round of 'boos' ensue across the entire crowd and he says, "Okay, okay I won't!" He pauses, "In tenth place...Ashley Marcus and Julian Rivers!" I hold my breath because if we don't hear our name called it could either mean we placed really high, or didn't place at all.

"In seventh place Natalie Jackson and Asher Williams!" He keeps listing off names and I only pay attention once he hits third place.

"In third place Nicole Trout and Patrick Holt!" Nora's grip on my hand gets tighter and tighter and I can't blame her.

"In second place Nora Peterson and Nikolas Valentino!" Nora gets up and starts screaming. I launch out of my chair and I wrap my arms around her so tightly, I'm sure she can't breathe.

"Oh my god, holy crap I can't believe we did it!" Nora starts crying and I wipe the tears away with my thumbs. We don't even hear who won first place because getting second this early on in the season is a huge accomplishment. Nora is still in my arms and she's looking up at me with such a big smile. I genuinely feel happy, so happy that I lean my head down and press my lips to hers. She tenses for a second before relaxing and kissing me back. She wraps her arms around my neck and I lift her up. She slips her tongue into mine and I entangle my hands in her hair. I pull away before it gets too heated because we're still in public, and she looks at me panting once more with her face red.

"After we get our medals we're going straight to the hotel." I whisper and she simply nods.

Nora POV

The medal ceremony is a blur and before we know it we're in the taxi going back to the hotel. I'm incredibly nervous, and honestly, confused. I don't know what caused Nikolas to have such a change in heart in what seems to be the last hour or so. I don't know what this means, but I don't want to think about it. He is still holding my hand and I'm looking down at our silver medals. Jessica and Kevin won first place, and to be honest, they deserved it. Their routine was incredibly hard to pull off, which makes me wonder how they did it. Before I can think about it too much, the taxi pulls in front of our hotel and Nikolas shoves a wad of bills in the driver's hand before pulling me out.