Cold Feet

Chapter 11- Lucy

I can feel my heartbeat in my veins as my pulse races. With my phone pressed to my ear, I rush into the arena. "Are you listening to me, Lucy?" My dad is yelling on the other end. "Because I'm telling you exactly what you need to work on, and you aren't even responding."

"Yes, I was just absorbing and taking in everything you were saying." I roll my eyes and run towards the locker room.

"Well, I'm just trying to be a helpful dad and you're not even listening to me. Why am I even wasting my time?"

My fingers linger on the door to the locker room, and I sigh. "Dad, I'm literally going into practice right now. I'll do what you say, I swear."

"You also said you worked out all summer and that was a lie."

As annoying as he is, he isn't wrong. "Bye Dad." Irritation flows through me as I quickly get ready for practice. I know I'm going to be the last one in the rink, but I don't even care. 

With a heavy sigh, I step out onto the ice. Everyone is warming up and skating around the rink, so I join in. The anticipation of this up-coming season pushes me to skate harder and faster. As much as I hate to admit it, the drills Mallory had shown me really are improving my footwork. I look up and see Coach in the stands. Her eyes are intensely watching me, and I know I'm going to hear it from her later. The captain should not be late.

"Alright, let's switch partners for today." Eliza says beckoning us all to the middle. "And Coach Giselle thought I did such a good job last week, she's asked me to lead the drills, again." Her smile is vaguely familiar, and I still haven't placed why she looks like I should know her. "Well, I'm sure Coach Giselle likes me leading practice because I went to the Olympics—"

"Actually," The red head cuts in, her eyes shooting daggers at Eliza.

"Just get on with it." Mallory cuts in. "No one cares." I nod my head, agreeing. Was Eliza really in the Olympics? Was that why she was so familiar?

"No one cares about a has been either." Eliza bites back. My eyes shoot to Mallory who acts like she doesn't care. "So, who wants to be my partner today?" Eliza claps her hands together and her eyes land on me.

I shift my eyes towards Riley, pleading, and they shake their head. "No way." They mouth. "Not again."

My eyes shift to Dani, who's refusing to meet my eye. I turn back to Eliza, ready to agree, when Chloe shouts out. "I want to be your partner!"

Eliza's eyes widen in shock but almost instantly breaks out into a smile. "Well, I can't say no to your enthusiasm."

Chloe leans into me. "I'm only doing this because I'm on Team Mucy." She scrunches her face. "The name is a work in progress." Before moving to Eliza's side.

A momentary relief floods through me, but when I look back up at the stands towards the coaches, Coach is animatedly talking on the phone, and she does not look happy. Her eyes shift towards me, and she nods her head. Fuck. I've been improving and working out a ton.

I turn away, my anger swelling into a blob within me. Mallory moves to my side, but I don't even spare her a glance. I know I'm being a dick, and I know my behavior is mimicking my father's and I hate myself for it, but I can't let go of these emotions.

"Okay, well some of you followed direction, great." Eliza's voice deadpans around us. She begins demonstrating the drill.

My feet easily do the crisscross foot pattern today, which helps to warm up my limbs. My legs welcome the movement, and I can easily visualize being in the arena, facing my opponent, using this exact move, and not screwing up this time. But maybe that's all I'm meant to become is an angry player who just screws up. I let my self-loathing begin to consume me. What's the point of fighting it today?