Bring it on

Chapter 22

I never thought the day would come when Anna stepped foot on the ice. She'd always been the one flipping through the air or bouncing off beams, completely in control of her body. Skating? That was a whole different kind of balance. It was one thing to dominate the floor of a gym and another to glide across something slick and so unpredictable as ice.

But here we were, standing at the rink's edge, and I had to admit, I was kinda excited.

"You're sure I won't break my neck, right?" Anna asked, eyeing the ice with a mix of skepticism and curiosity. "I mean, I'm not exactly. known for being graceful in this environment."

I couldn't help but grin. "You'll be fine, I promise. I've seen you pull off some insane stunts-this won't be much different."

I could see the nerves in her eyes, the uncertainty that, for once, wasn't masked by her usual bravado. Anna was used to mastering things, but the ice was a different beast. I knew she was wondering if she would have the same kind of control here as she did in the gym.

"Trust me," Natalie said from beside her, holding out her hand. "You have balance, you only have to trust your feet.

I was curious to see how Anna would handle this. I knew Natalie was an incredible teacher-she'd taught me how to be patient with my own progress in skating, even when I wanted to rush things. But Anna? Anna wasn't used to starting from scratch. She had high standards for herself.

I moved back, leaning against the boards of the rink and watched the two of them as Natalie led Anna out onto the ice. Funny how fast Anna seemed to go from hesitant to determined. She took a slow step, and then another, wobbling for a halfsecond before quickly catching her balance.

"Okay," Anna said, adjusting her posture. "Not so bad. But what happens when I try to go faster?"

I heard Natalie's reassuring laugh as she led Anna forward, one hand gripping Anna's elbow for support. "You'll glide. You just have to trust it."

As they moved along the rink, Anna's steps were still cautious, tentative. But she wasn't giving up, and that's what made her a natural. Even when something scared her, Anna didn't back down. She leaned in, pushed harder, tried again.

In a matter of moments, Anna found her rhythm. I couldn't help but smile to myself as she skated a few feet without wobbling. Of course, it wasn't perfect, but it was impressive. I hadn't expected her to pick it up this quickly, but then again, I shouldn't have been surprised.

"You're doing great," Natalie called to her, already skating backward with ease, watching Anna closely.

Anna shot her a grin. "I'm not gonna lie, this is kinda fun."

I watched as Natalie pulled ahead, giving Anna space to practice. Anna's feet moved a little more confidently now, and I saw that familiar spark of competitiveness in her eyes. When she pushed herself to try something, she didn't mess around.

"Alright," Natalie said, skating back toward her with a playful glint in her eyes. "Ready to try a spin?"

Anna's face lit up, but there was that brief flash of doubt again. "Spin? You mean, like one of those twirly things you do?"

Natalie chuckled. "Exactly."

Anna looked at her like she was out of her mind. "I don't know about that. I can barely stay upright without crashing into the boards."

"You'll be fine," Natalie assured her confidently. "You have the balance, now it's just about the right momentum."

I could see Anna processing the idea, working out how the hell she was supposed to spin without falling on her face. But I knew Natalie's confidence would rub off on her.

"Okay, fine," Anna said, her tone challenging with a touch of disbelieving. "But if I look like a flamingo on roller skates at the end of this, I'm blaming you."

The two of them began to practice the fundamentals of the spin, Natalie showing Anna how to glide with just a little extra push before allowing her body to turn. I couldn't help but watch them, the way Natalie was being so patient with her. Even though Anna didn't think it, I could see how much she was learning from Natalie-not just about skating, but about trusting herself. About pushing her limits, even when she wasn't sure where they were.

A minute later, Anna took a deep breath and went for it. She tried her first spin--awkwardly at first. She wobbled, and I could see her body fighting for balance. She spun maybe half a turn before almost losing her footing, but she caught herself at the last second, smiling a little sheepishly.

"Okay, that. was not as graceful as I thought," Anna admitted, the flush on her face evidence of the effort she had put in. "But hey, I didn't fall. I'll take that as a win."

Natalie laughed. "It's all about getting the feel of it. Just keep practicing and it'll get easier."

I strolled over to them, grinning at Anna's persistence. "I told you, you've got it in you."

Anna rolled her eyes at me, but I could tell she was well pleased with herself. "Alright, alright. I'll admit it. This is actually pretty cool. But don't think for a second I'm going to be doing triple axels anytime soon."

I laughed, clapping her on the back. "No pressure. But I wouldn't be surprised if you got there eventually."

She shot me a sideways look, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "We'll see."

I watched the two of them for a little longer, Anna getting more and more comfortable as she practiced. It was kind of incredible, seeing how well they were working together-Natalie with her calm guidance, Anna with her usual fierce determination. It was a side of Anna I didn't often see; the quiet, focused side of her that wasn't about showing off or impressing people, but about pushing herself to succeed in something new.

I don't know how much time we spent at that rink. Probably an hour or more, but by the time we'd gotten off the rink, Anna was skating as smoothly as I'd have ever wanted, beaming with pride.

"Not bad for a first lesson," I said, stepping off the ice, and watching her wipe off a few beads of sweat from her forehead. "I'm proud of you."

Anna gave me a look, but behind her eyes, I could tell the quiet pride was there. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but. thanks. That was actually fun."

I smiled, knowing full well that, deep down, she was already thinking about coming back. "You're welcome. Maybe next time we'll teach you to land a jump."

She raised an eyebrow. "Let's take this one step at a time, alright?"

I laughed and put my arm around her shoulders, giving her a friendly squeeze. "Alright, alright. But I have no doubt you'll get there."

We walked toward the exit together, Natalie a few feet ahead of us, and I couldn't help but feel this overwhelming sense of pride. Anna was more than just a gymnast; she was someone who could take on anything-even ice-and own it.

And seeing her step outside of her comfort zone like this, I could only feel privileged to be a part of it.