Skates & Cleats

12

The chill of Turin, Italy, settled deep into the bones of everyone in the Olympic Village. It was February 2006, and Taylor stood on the cusp of her lifelong dream: competing in the Winter Olympics. Every nerve in her body tingled with anticipation as she prepared to represent her country on the world's grandest stage. But something was missing.

Back in Ohio, Travis paced his room, frustration building with every passing hour. He had begged his parents to let him fly to Italy, but they kept pushing it off, citing his school and their busy schedules.

"I can't miss this," Travis muttered for the hundredth time that week. "She's been there for me every step of the way, and now she's at the Olympics, and I'm stuck here."

His older brother, Jason, leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching Travis spiral. "Dude, you've asked them like five times already."

"I'm asking again," Travis replied, storming down the stairs, where their parents, Ed and Donna, sat in the living room. The TV was on, but Travis ignored it, too consumed with his mission.

"Please, Mom, Dad," he pleaded. "I know this is last minute, but you have no idea how important this is."

Donna sighed, setting down her coffee. "Travis, it's not that we don't want to go. It's just—"

"It's just what? I'll keep up with my schoolwork. I swear I'll make up anything I miss," he interrupted.

Jason finally chimed in from the top of the stairs. "You're not going to win this unless you pull out the big guns."

Ed glanced at his sons, his expression softening. He had been silently proud of Taylor's achievements ever since the two had met, watching her grow from a local competition skater to an Olympic contender. His heart softened as he looked at the determination in his youngest son's eyes.

"You really care about this, don't you?" Ed asked, already knowing the answer.

Travis nodded. "More than anything."

Ed glanced at Donna, who smiled in defeat. "Fine. Pack your bags. We're going to Italy."

Turin, Italy: The Day of the Program

The day had finally arrived. Taylor stood in the dressing room, staring at her reflection in the mirror, her nerves coiled like a spring. Her new coach, Bethany, was fixing the final details on her costume, smoothing out the edges of the sparkling silver fabric.

"You've got this, Taylor," Bethany said softly. "You've worked harder than anyone to get here."

Taylor nodded, but her stomach was in knots. The Olympics were a different beast. It wasn't just about skating anymore—it was about perfection, about representing her country, about the weight of every dream she had ever had.

The door cracked open, and one of the event coordinators poked their head in. "Ten minutes to ice," he announced.

Taylor exhaled sharply. It was almost time.

Before heading out, she reached for her phone, desperate for a message from Travis. She hadn't heard from him in days, and as much as she tried to focus on her skating, the thought of him missing this gnawed at her.

As her fingers hovered over her phone screen, a message appeared.

Travis: "Guess who's in Italy? Look for me in the stands."

Taylor's heart leapt in her chest. No way. Was he serious? She stared at the message for a moment, stunned, then quickly grabbed her gear and headed out of the dressing room.

The arena buzzed with anticipation as she walked into the tunnel leading to the rink. Her breath fogged up in the cold air, and her nerves threatened to overtake her. But then she remembered the message. He was here. Travis was here.

As she stepped onto the ice for her warm-up, her eyes scanned the packed arena. And there, just as he had promised, she saw him—Travis, with his family and Jason, all waving wildly from the front row.

Her heart swelled, and in that moment, all the tension melted away. With a deep breath, she knew she could do this.

The music started softly, the opening chords of "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol echoing through the stadium. It was Taylor's chosen song for the most important routine of her life. As the first notes filled the air, she took her starting position in the center of the ice. The familiar melody wrapped around her like a blanket, grounding her, reminding her of why she was here.

The world fell away. The lights dimmed, the audience faded, and it was just her and the ice.

She opened with a graceful spiral, her arms extended as her blade cut through the ice in perfect harmony with the music. Every step, every jump, every spin had been drilled into her muscle memory, but today, it felt different. Today, there was an energy in her that hadn't been there before. Maybe it was the weight of the Olympic moment, or maybe it was knowing that Travis was in the stands, watching her.

As the music built, so did her routine, moving into her first combination jump—a triple lutz, double toe loop. She landed it perfectly, the crowd letting out a collective cheer. The momentum carried her into the next sequence, each movement growing in intensity, each spin tighter, each jump higher.

When the crescendo of the song hit, she launched into her final jump, a triple axel, soaring into the air. Time seemed to slow as she rotated, her body suspended in midair before landing cleanly on one foot. The crowd roared as she transitioned into her final spin, the music swelling to its climax.

As the last notes of "Chasing Cars" echoed through the arena, Taylor stopped, her arms lifted high, her chest heaving from the exertion. She stood there for a moment, frozen in place as the cheers of the crowd washed over her.

In the stands, Travis was on his feet, shouting louder than anyone else. His heart raced as he watched Taylor glide across the ice, his pride swelling with every flawless move she made. She had done it. She had nailed it.

When the scores came in, there was a moment of silence before the crowd erupted again. Taylor had taken the lead with an incredible score—one that would secure her the gold.

After the Competition

The weight of the gold medal around Taylor's neck felt both surreal and heavy as she stepped off the podium. She had done it. She was an Olympic gold medalist.

Backstage, she barely had time to catch her breath before she was swept into a tight hug. Travis had found her, his arms wrapping around her as he lifted her off the ground.

"You did it!" he exclaimed, his voice full of awe and excitement. "Gold medal, Tay. You're an Olympic champion."

She smiled, tears welling in her eyes as she hugged him back. "I still can't believe you're here."

"I wouldn't have missed this for the world," he said, setting her down and looking at the gold medal hanging from her neck. "You're incredible, you know that?"

Taylor blushed, her heart full to bursting as she looked up at him. "I couldn't have done it without you."

Travis chuckled. "Well, I was just in the stands yelling my head off, so I'm not sure how much I helped."

"You were here," she said softly. "That's all that mattered."

As they stood there, the weight of the moment settled in. Taylor had won her first Olympic gold medal, and Travis had been there to witness it. It was a moment they would never forget.

The future stretched out before them, full of promise and endless possibility. And in that moment, they both knew—this was only the beginning.