The Teammate

40 - The-Jump-That-Made-History

December 2024 – Beijing Big Air Competition

Arabella could barely think, she could barely comprehend what just happened. It wasn't until the announcer said it. Told the world what she had done that it registered. Tears started to well in her eyes, and she brought her board to a stop at the bottom of the run.

"She's back!" The announcer practically screamed into the microphone. "Arabella Van Dijk is officially the first woman in history to land the backside triple cork 1260!"

Arabella lifted both of her hands above her head, fist pumping the air in triumph. She'd done it. She landed the jump that had almost taken her life, her career, her relationship.

Undoing her bindings she looked around for her friends, for anyone.

But the men's final was next, so the guys were at the top of the run.

Katie hadn't gone yet.

Levi was back in the Netherlands.

She didn't have anyone to share it with.

She was alone.

It hit her harder than she expected. The feeling of having no one to share such a huge moment with. She forced the smile to stay on her face. Turning she heard Dimitri yelling from the coach's corner, where they all stood at the apex of the jump. She gave him a wave before grabbed her board and walking toward the interview area.

"Arabella Van Dijk! You did it!" The interviewer said with a smile. "How does it feel, to be the first woman to land that jump?"

"It feels great." She admitted, because it did. "It was everything I ever wanted."

"Now this is the same jump that led to your injury, what was the decision to try it tonight?" Arabella thought about it for a moment.

"I think I needed to prove, that I could do it. Prove to myself that I could do it. That all that hard work I put into it didn't go to waste."

"Well, it's very impressive." The interviewer's attention was pulled, and he smiled. "And it seems you have some fans who think so as well." He motioned toward the fence and the fans on the other side.

Following his line of sight, she looked at the crowd. Most of them had settled down, but a few were still cheering. She gave them all a smile and a wave, a little boy who was holding a sign with her name on it, a man she recognized as one of Seb's friends and then her eyes landed on him.

"You fucking did it!" He screamed, clapping his hands together. One arm in a sling and one wasn't.

"Oh my god." She breathed. "I gotta go."

"Of course, Arabella Van Dijk everyone!" He spoke the second part back to the camera, but she was already moving.

Dragging her board along with her she walked the small distance through the carrel, and he followed along the outside, until the space between the two fences was non-existent and there was only a waist-high fence separating them.

Lando was here.

"You're here." She said, his smile infection as it took over his face.

"I'm here."

"Why?" Reaching into the pocket of his jacket, he went to pull something out but stopped.

"I wanted to support you." He admitted, and she nodded.

"Thank you." She said, and she meant it. "Congratulations by the way, Drivers Champion. That's gotta feel good."

"It does." He said, taking a deep breath. "It really does."