𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒: 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊 | 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐬

[ 033 ]

'Smart people get the point from a single hint.'
- Afghan Proverb

The training camp in France was as exhausting and intense as she had imagined. After the first day she already had sore muscles in her legs. After Tuesday she couldn't even laugh because her stomach muscles were so sore.

Still, it was good to see all her friends again. They could spend time together despite their tough schedule and do what people her age did. They could have fun together. Especially before the next season would start again and there would be no more time for that.

So they had gone out for dinner together on Monday and played mini golf together on Tuesday. Today, after seven hours of training, they wanted to go to the cinema and watch a movie.

At lunchtime, they wanted to go to the cafeteria to get something to eat. They only had an hour before the next training session was due to start.

Just as they were about to leave together, her cell phone rang.

"Go ahead, I'll be right behind you. It's my mom." It really wasn't her mom, but she wanted to keep who it really was a secret from her friends.

"Okay, I'll see you in a minute."

People left the changing room and she was alone when she answered her phone. A picture of Lando appeared on her iPhone, apparently sitting in a car. His hair was perfectly curled and he was wearing a light blue Quadrant sweater.

"Hey." A smile formed on her face and a wide smile appeared on his as well.

"Hey, how's training going?" he asked, glancing to the side for a moment.

"It's going okay. I mean, there are always ups and downs. Especially after the summer break." She shrugged her shoulders, "But it's getting there."

He looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Why do I get the feeling that you're underestimating yourself."

"Trust me, no. The only thing that looks good is my spins. My jumps look terrible," she sighed, "A lot of sweat will have to go into it, but that's the way it is. It's nothing new."

Even though it was disappointing and devastating to have to start from zero every year, it was simply an inherent occupational hazard. As soon as you stopped training and enjoyed the summer break to the full, you lost a lot of skills. While it was important for the body to recover, it also had an impact on her own ability, which she then had to relearn with lots of intensive training. This mainly related to the Ultra C elements such as quadruple jumps or the triple Axel. But it wasn't just her problem, it was all the other figure skaters too.

"I'm sure you will manage it all."

She laughed, "If you say so, it must be true."

Lando laughed too and she knew again why he found his laughter so beautiful.

"And you? You seem to be on your way to France already."

She couldn't make out which car it was, but she could see that he wasn't driving himself, someone was driving him.

"Yes, it will still take us about an hour."

"And do you have something to do straight away or do you have time to check into your room first?"

"I actually have time to move into my room. But knowing me, I'm not going to do it." He smiled guiltily, but then shrugged his shoulders.

She could pretty much imagine that Lando was the type who lived out of a suitcase. Just like her and her brothers.