Heart Hope

Prologue

"Valentina, how often have I told you, don't hold back on the quad Salchow! You keep backing out!"

Valentina smiled awkwardly and rubbed the back of her neck "Sorry Ciao, I'll do it the next time." Pichit snickered behind her and the brunette turned around, sending him a glare.

Pichit grinned at her, before watching the girl skate off. Valentina was preparing for the European Championships, excited of course, because who wouldn't be? It would be her first performance in the senior division and she had planned to become the best. She left the junior division with rank one and planned to keep that in the senior division.

She skated around the rink to gather some more speed, before she then jumped for the quadruple Salchow. But again she chickened out, fearing that she didn't have enough height, and turned it into a triple and a half — if you could call that half.

In the distance she heard Celestino sigh — she was far away but just knew that he sighed — and skated a bit once more, before again jumping and finally managing to land the quad sal.

Celestino and Pichit cheered. Wait, Pichit too? Didn't he have to practice himself? What a lazy kid he was. Here Valentina was, working as hard as she could, while Pichit just watched her.

Well, he had the Grand Prix Series after him and other few championships.

Ahh the Grand Prix Series. Valentina had been at her own events and at her brother's events. And at the finals they competed together anyways.

She had met her ex, Otabek — his skates had gotten a lot better, considering he made it to the finals — Viktor Nikiforov, the guy who Christophe had told her so much about, Yuuri Katsuki, Viktor's protégé and her and Pichit's friend, a few others and a certain blond punk.

Yuri Plisetsky. That guy's skate was just breathtaking. And inspiring. And beautiful. He also won the gold. For Chris it was only bronze, but still. Valentina would brag with her gold medal anyways.

Yuri Plisetsky. She couldn't get that name out of her head. He was a year older than her and also at the top of his league, just like he had been at the junior's. She remembered when she had met him a while back at the Junior Grand Prix Final, too.

He was someone she looked up to, or Sara Crispino. To be honest, she nearly fainted when she got the chance to talk to Sara, as she was a big fan of the brunette Italian. Chris kept on snickering at the Finals whenever Sara was mentioned or when Valentina watched her skate. And at the European Championships she'd see her again.

Valentina then sat down as soon as she got off of the ice for a break and watched the Thai male skate his program he had planned to perform next.

The brunette grabbed her phone and noticed a text message from an unknown number.

Hey Otabek, it's Yuri, I've got a new phone.

Valentina's eyes widened as she read those words. If she were right, this was Yuri Plisetsky who accidentally texted her. For a moment she thought about what to do, before she quickly made a screenshot and texted Yuuri K.

Vally: Hey Yuu, can you ask Viccy if this is really Yuri Plisetsky's number? Cuz' he just texted me and I have no idea what I should do!

Valentina then changed the chat back and stared at the text Yuri Plisetsky supposedly sent her.

Oi Otabek, stop reading and not replying, that's an asshole move.

A blush of embarrassment spread on her cheeks, before she quickly shut her phone off and shoved it back into her bag. Quickly she slapped her cheeks and took a deep breath. Okay, this is real, this is happening.

"Hey Vally, what's wrong?" Pichit asked as he leaned against the railing before the brunette.

"Yuri Plisetsky just totally texted me and thinks I'm my ex."