Bring it on

chapter 23

It was a rather quiet rink when I finished my morning practice, and the early chill still clung to the air. My legs were sore from all the repetition of jump and spin, but it was that kind of good ache-just like I'd really worked. I could feel the surge of adrenaline underneath my skin yet, like floating just a little.

I was about to slip on my jacket and head out, when I spotted Ethan leaning against the glass at the edge of the rink, arms crossed, looking far too relaxed for someone who was supposed to be in the middle of a grueling off-ice workout. His presence was always a little grounding for me, especially after a long session like this. There was something in the way that he watched me, not with that competitive fire he reserved for the ice, but with something softer. Something warm.

"Didn't think I'd see you here," I said, skating over to him, my boots tapping on the floor with a familiar rhythm.

He grinned at me as I approached, pushing himself off the glass. "I figured I'd come get a front-row seat to watch you work your magic. Besides, you've been skating a lot faster lately. Thought I should make sure you're not leaving me in the dust."

I laughed as I stepped off the ice, taking a breath to steady myself. "I'm sure you'd keep up just fine, if you tried."

"I don't have to keep up with you," he said, winking at me. "I've got my own thing to take care of tonight. But perhaps we can exchange some tips later on."

I smiled wryly as I unzipped my bag. "You're lucky you're cute. You know that?"

He laughed, looking a bit too smug. "I'll take that as a compliment. But I'm more interested in hearing how your practice went."

Better than I expected," I said, looking back toward the rink. "I've been working on a new combination, and I think I'm finally getting the timing right. I was going to try a new sequence with some higher jumps, but I decided to call it a day before I broke something."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "You think you're the only one who's good at jumping around?

I shot him a look, rolling my eyes. "Oh, please. The only jumping you do is to hit people on the ice."

He laughed, the sound warm and familiar. "True. But you know, I could teach you how to handle a body check. It's all about timing, just like your jumps."

Maybe I'll pass on that," I teased, looking down at my skates. "I think I'll stick with gliding around for now."

"Fair enough," Ethan said, his voice a little softer as he leaned in. "You're pretty good at that, too."

I smiled upwards at him, that now-familiar flutter in my chest. For after all that was practices and competitions and talks carried well into the night and early-morning workouts, we had found this place. There was no trying to be something more than we were, no pressure, no expectations. It worked.

Ready to go get some coffee?" I asked, feeling the need for caffeine after the workout. "I think I'm going to need it if I'm going to survive the rest of the day."

"Coffee sounds perfect," he replied, stepping backward and brushing a hand through his hair. "Not quite sure I could handle the rest of the day without it either.

I gathered my stuff, slung my jacket over my shoulder, and tugged on my boots. As we left the rink together, Ethan gave me a little nudge, his shoulder against mine.
"So, how's competition prep going?" he asked. "I know you're always in the zone right before a big event, but you've seemed more. focused than usual this time.

I wasn't sure if I was ready to admit to myself how much pressure I'd been putting on myself. Yet with Ethan, it was easy to be forthright. So, I let the words come out, even though I was still trying to work out how to process it all.

"I've been feeling good, I guess. But there's this constant nagging thought that I'm not ready. That I could be doing more. I don't know, maybe it's just nerves," I admitted, looking ahead at the empty parking lot.

Ethan was silent for a moment, but when he spoke, his voice was even, smooth in a way that seeped into my bones. "You've always been ready, Nat. You're always ready. You just need to trust yourself."

I smiled softly, looking over at him. "It's not that easy sometimes.

"I know," he said, a little softer now. "But I know you're working hard, and I know that's what you're gonna bring, so that's all you can do; the rest will take care of itself."

Something in me bloomed, warm and quiet, like a still, sure confidence I hadn't known I needed. Ethan had this way of cutting through the self-doubt and just laying it out for me in simple, real terms. It wasn't about what everybody else was doing or what I was supposed to do. It was about showing up, doing the work, trusting I could handle whatever came my way.

"You always know what to say," I whispered, my chest loosening just a little.

He flashed that confident, boyish grin I'd grown to cherish. "It's a talent. But mostly, I just tell you what I see."

I bumped my shoulder against his, feeling a little giddy from the way his words settled in my chest. "I think you're the one with all the talent, Mr. Hockey Player."

He laughed, nudging me back. "I've got nothing on you."
We stopped by the car, and I tossed my bag into the backseat-feeling a little more at ease than I had in days. Ethan was always like this-steady, grounded, like a force of nature I could rely on, even when things felt uncertain.

He slid into the driver's seat, and I turned to him, my heart going just a little faster than necessary.

"You know," I said nonchalantly, relaxing in my seat, "I have this competition coming up, and I might just need you to appear and cheer for me."

He smirked, his eyes glancing over to meet mine. "Wouldn't miss it for the world. But just so you know, I'm probably going to be the loudest one there. So you might want to warn the judges."

I laughed, a little breathless. "I think I can handle your cheering."

Driving away from the rink with the soft hum of the motor, all I could feel was lightness. Maybe it was the impending coffee, or maybe it was just the rightness that was between us, but whatever it was, it was enough to make nerves and pressure melt away.

I had Ethan by my side, just as he had always been. With that knowledge, I knew that I could face whatever was to come.