Ice Queen

Chapter 13 - Like a Fish out of Water

Tsubaki was intimidated, to say the least. She definitely wanted to have a chance to talk to Akemi Sakurai, though it seemed like the teenager wasn't up for any social interaction judging by her expression.

The white-haired girl thought that it would be better if she were to speak with Sakurai once she's calmed down. In the meantime though, Tsubaki wanted to get a feel for the rink before her competition tomorrow.

Instead of changing openly in the locker room, Tsubaki opted to change in the bathroom stalls. Not because she's insecure about her body, but because she was more of a private person. When she finished changing, Sakurai was nowhere to be found.

She must have been in a hurry to get on the ice, Tsubaki thought as she left the locker room.

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Once she did, Tsubaki was greeted by the cool, yet familiar air of the ice rink. Something that she never got tired of. While she tied the laces of her skates, she tried to get a better look at her fellow competitors as well as the ice rink itself.

Tsubaki recognized a few people like Hikari Otani, the short doe-eyed yellow-haired girl whose technique and choreographic sequence were radiant. She happened to compete in regionals with Tsubaki and came in first place. She also recognized the tanned pink-haired girl, Ayako Kiyabu for her colorful attire. Something that Tsubaki noticed that the teen had a passion for when she first met the girl during regionals and saw her pastel-themed costume when she won third place. Even though Tsubaki didn't recognize everyone here she knew that everyone here is extremely skilled and talented to even be able to compete in sectionals. This made her feel a familiar buzzing sensation in the pits of her stomach that made her nervous yet excited. Nanako usually described that feeling as having "butterflies" in your stomach, though Tsubaki found that to be a bit ridiculous.

"Yukiharu, are you just going to sit there zoned out or are you going to skate? You know, since it's the reason why we're here in the first place." Coach Haruki teased.

Tsubaki seriously wanted a hole to swallow her up, she couldn't be this unfocused when the competition was only a day away!

Tsubaki slapped both of her hands on her face to wake herself up, but it also earned some weird looks from some of the skaters who sat on the bench, trying to tie their laces.

"Right!" Tsubaki said passionately.

"Okay then, while you're practicing your routine it wouldn't hurt to socialize a bit more. You know one of the best parts about competing is meeting new people and making friends!" Haruki said to Tsubaki as she began to make her way to the rink.

"I'll try," Tsubaki said plainly, not totally believing her coach's words.

When the blue-eyed girl stepped into the rink, it finally felt like she was in her element. Where she belonged. As she glided across the ice with ease Tsubaki thought that it would be better if she did her routine once as a warm-up before she did any socializing. She put on her airpods as she listened to If You Can Forgive by Ieiri Leo.

Tsubaki got into position and only began her routine when she began to hear the inhale of the singer along with the piano and violin in the background. She had done the routine hundreds of times so by now it was like muscle memory. She only needed to be cautious of the people in the rink, but besides that, Tsubaki could zone out and let the music wash over her.

The song finally concluded, leaving Tsubaki to feel more accomplished. However now, she had to get to the part.

Actually talking to people.

It's not like Tsubaki's totally socially inept, she's just really awkward and usually doesn't attempt to talk with people first. For example, when she first met her best friend Nanako in the third grade she was a really shy kid which made her too afraid to talk to people until Nanako randomly went up to her during recess and noticed Tsubaki swinging alone. In Nanako's 8-year-old brain, she thought, "Oh you like to swing? So do I! Let's be best friends!"