Bring it on

Chapter 5

I really wasn't sure why I had agreed to come to this. I mean, sure, Natalie asked me to. She said it'd be "good for me" to see the other side of the ice. But what did she mean by that? I knew ice. I knew hockey. I knew what it felt like, cutting through at full speed, the weight of a stick in my hands, the sting of a puck on my shin guard. But this? This was something else entirely.

It was quieter than I thought it would be on the rink. There was a slight hum of blades through ice, but not the normal chaotic buzz of skates and sticks and people yelling. It was subdued, dignified. I could barely distinguish the light, airy music playing off of the speakers. A few ice skaters skimmed across the surface, their movements fluid, easy-like they were floating. Nobody was falling into boards or battling for ownership of anything. It was almost. calming.

Almost.

I hunched my shoulders and jammed my hands deeper into the pockets of my hoodie as I leaned against the boards, watching as Natalie skated toward the center of the rink. She was wearing that look-the one where she was full on in her element. I didn't get it. She started spinning now, arms out poised and graceful. Impressive, I guess, just not the same way hockey was. The skill was there, the precision in her moves, but all I could think was: Where's the point? What does it mean, really?

It was all about purpose on the ice when it came to hockey. Every move made a difference for something-you fought for space, for the puck, for the win. There was an end in mind. But this. this was just dancing on ice. She wasn't trying to score anything wasn't like there was a real reason for all those jumps and spins. They were beautiful, sure. But what did that mean in the end?

I wasn't being hard; I wasn't trying to be a prick. I just couldn't see the point.

She finished one of her jumps, landing clean, and shot me a grin. I gave her half of one back.

"Hey, you're not nodding off over there, are you?" she said, gliding over to me on her blades, crinkling her eyes up at the corners. "I can feel the judgment from here."

I snorted, pushing off from the boards. "Nah, just wondering why you're spinning around in circles instead of, I don't know, doing something. useful?"

She raised an eyebrow, twirling once more before skating right up to me. "Something useful? Like what? Slamming people into the boards?"

"Exactly," I said, giving her a half-smirk. "At least with hockey, there's a reason behind it. You're trying to score, trying to win."

Natalie leaned forward slightly, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "And what's so wrong with doing something just because it feels good?"

I shifted uncomfortably, trying to put my thoughts into words. "I guess I just don't see the point if there's no goal. No. no purpose, I guess?"

She tipped her head, the teasing grin relaxing into something almost contemplative. "Isn't the whole point of doing something-anything-to find joy in it? The goal doesn't always have to be a trophy or a win." She paused, her eyes locking with mine. "Sometimes it's just about the feeling in the moment."

I munched on that for a second. "But doesn't that get old? What happens when you reach the end of the song, and there's no scoreboard to check?"

Natalie pushed herself backward, skating a little away from me before she turned on the edge, pulled off another effortless spin. "It doesn't have to end. Not everything needs to have a finish line. Just-" She made a sweeping gesture across the rink, eyes sparkling. "-just enjoy the ride."

I blinked at her, somehow both annoyed and impressed. I didn't get it-but there was something in the way she moved that made me want to. "You're serious, aren't you?"

She laughed, more of a gentle chuckle than a real laugh. "Yeah. And I can tell you're trying to figure it out. You'll get it eventually."

I hunched my shoulders deeper into my hoodie, leaning against the boards again. "Maybe," I mumbled, watching her glide around with an ethereal grace. "Still doesn't seem like a game."

"Maybe not," she said out loud with a soft smile, her eyes meeting mine as she slowed to a stop. "But it's still worth playing."

I couldn't say anything against that.