Thin Ice

Thin Ice
[ongoing]

"a single fracture

leads to a break

though it can refreeze

it may still crack

only to heal when fresh"

Alison Wilson knows what it's like to fall in pursuit of her goals only to stand up and try again; hockey taught her at a young age that failure is inevitable and that true failure comes from giving up. That mentality is easy enough to follow in sports, but when it comes to relationships - both platonic and romantic - breaking out of her comfort zone is a debilitating task. For years now, she's ignored the feelings she harbors for her best friend Hunter to avoid jeopardizing the friendship she holds so dear to her heart. As if that internal conflict doesn't weigh on her enough, new-boy Tristan moves to town and inserts himself into her team and friend group, pushing the very limits of her forgiveness and maturity.

Ali has survived her fair share of life's shitstorms while chasing the constant self-improvement she craves, but moving on from her past is almost as terrifying as not moving at all. Try as she might, she can't let go of past burns long enough to find warmth in the new people and new situations that she now shuns: it's easier to stay in the middle, caught between the safety of what she has and the thrill of what she wants. She'd rather skate the same route over and over on the ice than abandon her path.

But any hockey player knows that ice can break, and thin ice is a danger even to the most skilled of skaters.

DEDICATION:

I dedicate this story to my absolute best friend. For years you've supported me through every idea I've thrown your way even though none of them ever moved beyond shitty half-chapters left on my laptop. That may happen this time around too, but at least I'm putting it out on the internet(:

I love you, lydiahephzibah Thank you for never making me feel like any less a writer even after having so much trouble actually writing.

NOTE:

I believe this is the third or fourth time I've posted this story on wattpad. Each time, the plot, characters, pacing, and title have shifted and grown in ways that better fit what I envision. The most recent change is necessary because of the current events happening in my country.

I have a handful of stories whose ideas have stuck with me for years. One of which is this one, once named Stolen Love, as it began in the 8th grade as an extension to the one shot I wrote for Stolen Jerseys. While it's no longer affiliated with that story, I still draw inspiration from it often.

Another story that has stuck with me, one that I love dearly and very well may be my favorite story idea ever, is about a girl who feels corned and caged in her life. She meets a boy who lives a life very different from hers. They become best friends and share a FWB relationship. The love interest is black, as is his family, who quickly take her in as their own.

I used this story idea to excuse the fact that I didn't have enough diversity in this story. Yes, I have two LGBTQ+ characters, but both are white. Practically every reoccurring character is white. Or, they were.

I refuse to make excuses. Representation is SO important for people, and having one story with racially diverse characters does not negate a white-washed story. I'm committing myself, starting with this story about imperfect teenagers trying to navigate school and social lives and sports, to spreading diversity in every story I tell. Every story will have characters of different races, ethnicities, sexualities, religious affiliations, etc, and just one character who isn't straight and/or white is not enough.

I'm so excited to post this. The description has been rewritten many times, with the help of my best friend Lydia, and I'm determined to not let my own misconceptions about what writing/posting on wattpad should be. If I post this bit by bit slowly, so be it. At least its progress, working toward the dream I envision so clearly.

If you read this far, thank you. Hopefully the fourth (fifth?) time is the charm.