Stone Cold {bxb}

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

"Kyhun," Gabriel said out of breath.

"Gabriel," Kyhun said with a smirk.

"What-"

"I didn't crash into you so we could chat," Kyhun spoke, cutting Gabriel off. "In fact, I didn't expect to see you here." He chuckled. "And quite honestly I forgot you were in the competition."

"Kyhun, I'm sorry about our fight," Gabriel spoke softly, ignoring the Asian boy's comment.

"I'm not," Kyhun spoke with no emotion. "You said what you said, and you left. End of discussion."

"I left because I didn't want to make things worse," Gabriel stated.

"Was that before or after you said you didn't need me?"

Silence then Kyhun scoffed while rolling his eyes. "Exactly," he spoke sharply.

He made his way around Gabriel while shaking his head, bumping his shoulder which knocked him off balance.

When Gabriel got to Vincent's apartment, he quietly set his things down by the door. He slipped his shoes off and tip-toed across the living room. And before he entered his own bedroom, he noticed that Vincent's door was cracked open. Although Gabriel was curious to see if he was still awake just so he could apologize he decided not to. So instead, he went inside his room and closed the door.

After he changed out of his competition clothes and into his sleeping clothes he got into the bed, laying on his back. He stared blankly at the ceiling then eventually he turned over taking off his glasses before pulling the blanket over his face and closing his eyes to sleep.

~Gabriel's Performance~

The piano music the rest of the skaters performed to played over the speakers in the ice rink while Gabriel moved around the ice making his first move. He performed a forward inside open mohawk from a stand-still position; skating right to left and left to right. The crowd cheering and clapping filled his head, but the music was taking more control. As he skated from a backward crossover to a backward outside edge glide moving clockwise and counterclockwise.

The music was coming to an end and so was his performance. He did a one-foot upright spin preparing himself for the waltz jump. The announcer was speaking and his heart racing as he moved across the ice. Once his skates lifted from the ice everything went quiet while he was in the air. He closed his eyes not wanting to think about anything else as he came down, but he stumbled on the landing. Gabriel was able to save himself but to anyone who paid close attention, you could tell that it was an obvious mistake.

Gabriel's eyes shot open, and he noticed he was back in his room at Vincent's place. He looked over at his alarm clock noticing that it was only 2:45 am. He looked at his phone, grabbed it off the nightstand, and turned it on.

"Hey," Gabriel spoke once the person he called picked up.

"Gabriel it's almost three in the morning why are you calling me," Leo's tired voice spoke on the line.

"Did I wake you up?" Gabriel asked, ignoring Leo's questions.

Leo groaned and the sound of him moving around on his bed, most likely to sit up was clear on the phone. "No Amore," he replied. "I've been up this whole time."

"Why," Gabriel asked, not realizing that Leo was being sarcastic.

"What do you want, Amore," Leo asked with a sigh.

"I wanted to say congratulations for getting second at the showcase."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Gabriel said with a shrug.

It was quiet for a few minutes before Leo broke it. "Is that it?"

"And," Gabriel added on. "I want to say thank you. You know for defending me against Nico."

"It was nothing," Leo said then let out a yawn.

"Why'd you do it though?"

"I don't know. I guess I just got tired of hearing his voice always talking down on you."

Gabriel stared out at the dark living room that only had a little moonlight shining through the balcony sliding door glass.

"Leo," Gabriel spoke not realizing that he cut the half-sleep male off.

Leo's voice mumbled on the line, sounding tired but Gabriel didn't think too much of it.

"Do you think I belong on this team?"

"Yes," Leo replied still half asleep. "I don't think I do though."

"Of course, you do Leo."

"Amore, I haven't won any titles, I barely made second place at the Moves-in-the-field showcase, and you're asking me if you belong on the team?"

"I'm sorry," Gabriel spoke softly.

"You don't have to apologize, Amore."

"But-"

"I'm going to bed. Goodnight."

Leo hung up before Gabriel could say anything else which left him staring at his phone after he pulled it away from his ear. So many things ran through his head, but he eventually shrugged it all off and laid down going back to sleep.

The next day Leo got to S-Tech Academy early to talk to Keiway. And he was lucky enough to see both the coach and the assistant coach in the office. He knocked twice lightly on the door to get their attention.

"Come in, Leo," Keiway spoke once he looked up from his laptop screen.

Leo walked inside the office and sat down in the chair on the opposite side of Keiway's desk. Once Caeser left the room leaving the two alone, Keiway spoke.

"So, what's going on Leo?"

"That's what I wanted to ask you," Leo spoke, leaning forward in his seat.

Keiway closed his laptop to a slight. "I wanted to say good job on second last night at Moves-in-the-field."

"Thanks," Leo said under his breath.

"But," Keiway spoke again now getting Leo's full attention. "Leo you can't pick and choose when you want to have a good day and when you don't. You're at S-Tech Academy, right?"

Leo nodded.

"So, every day should be a good day okay."

He nodded again.

"So, talk to me now, Leo," Keiway said in a gentle tone.

"Wha-"

"Whatever's on your mind."

Leo stared into his coach's eyes not sure of how to put his thoughts into words. But then he opened his mouth. "Why did you recruit me to the team?" he finally asked.

"I didn't," Keiway replied.

"What do you mean?"

"Vincent did. That's a question for him to answer."

"But you're the coach."

"Correct."

"And this is your team."

"Leo," Keiway said not sounding too nice anymore. "You're a great skater and you're a great kid. But if it was my decision, you wouldn't be on this team."

Leo's eyes shot open in surprise. "I'm sorry I'm lost."

"Leo, you haven't won any titles and you've been professionally skating since you were eighteen. Vincent's been winning titles since he was fifteen."

"Just get to the point already," Leo spoke clearly not wanting to be in this room anymore.

"You have this last chance to win a World Championship title." Keiway paused. "The 2024 World Championship title."

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