The Chance

03 || High Standards

2 On - Tinashe

𓆩♡𓆪

Evie

It's not good enough. We run the whole thing over again, but it's still not good enough.

We add turns.

Still not the best.

Vita comes over to straighten up our choreography and it helps, but it's still not enough.

The routine is good, but it's boring. And try after try after try, I've come to the realistic conclusion, "I need to do it Braden. This routine is not going to score well against other pairs and we both know that."

"It can place Evie. Even if we get third that'll-"

"No," I interrupt him, "We aren't placing third when we can place first. Bronze is not going to cut it at every competition, especially if we want to be selected for a quota spot." I stress.

"Why are you so adamant about placing for this competition?" he asks me. "This is the first out of many we'll compete in. It's okay if we don't receive the shiny gold you seem to want so badly."

I groan and shake my head. "Because Braden. Qualifying for the olympics has been my dream since I was 6 and you are the best fucking partner I've had in years. I am not wasting another moment, nor waiting four more years for an opportunity like this."

He stays silent and crosses his arms over his chest. His face is straight and yet I still feel he's unsure about me. When he skates back and turns to our coach, I feel my stomach drop.

He really thinks I can't do it?

Vita ceases her attention on the other skaters and glides over to us. "What's with you two now? Why aren't you running your routine?" She asks in a strict manner and her Russian accent makes the question sound more like a demand.

"She wants a quadruple axel." Braden tells her softly.

Vita's eyes widen a minuscule amount, but I notice. "A quadruple-" she stops herself mid-sentence and looks at me. It feels more like a death stare and when she turns back to Braden I feel like I underwent a silent investigation. "She wants a quadruple axel?"

Braden nods as his words are thrown back at him.

"Give it to her." Vita says and uncrosses her tense arms. "Do you see the look on her face Braden? She wants a quadruple axel, so you give her a quadruple axel."

I think I was the most surprised person in the conversation. Usually asking for something like that would be followed by a huge 'do you know what you're doing?' lecture, but she had nothing to say.

"Okay," Braden sighs and Vita skates away. "Block it for now and work your way up. I don't want you pushing yourself too hard. It's early season."

I smile a big white smile at him before we start our music up again. And I meant what I said when I told him he's the best partner I've ever had. We work like we've known each other all our lives, but it's only been three years.

Our routine is going as smooth as butter when I hear certain chatter fill the arena and I scoff.

How can they be talking over our music?

The slight distraction unfocuses me for a moment but I soon realize we're coming up on our throw jump.

I refocus as best I can before I'm launched into the air. I don't go too high and I'm not worried about my landing, but when I hear a certain snap I lose my balance and crash onto the ice.