Beating You

Chapter 32

Hello again! :) Thank you for all votes and comments, it really means a lot! Without further ado, here's the next chapter :) Oh! And many of you didn't know who Chaz is, he plays Ally's dad so here is the picture of him ------>

Chapter 32

I twisted again, feeling the ice beneath my skates shift with my weight. It moved with me and gave me a supportive push when I leaped and entered a triple axel. Landing was the best part, feeling the rush of air push through my curls and weave around my body.

“You’re getting better,” Miss Holdana’s voice reached my ears and I grinned, skating over to the side to see her.

She looked a lot older, her wrinkles seemed to be ganging up on her smile lines, just making her skin tired. Her wispy grey hair was thinning and her form was seemed hunched. Despite all of this, her eyes were still alight with that fighting flame that never seemed to leave her.

“Thanks,” I pulled my leg up to the side of the rink to stretch out my calf muscles.

“So, what happened with your sister?” I asked, bringing my leg down from the side. She looked thoughtful for a moment before answering.

“It’s never worth keeping a grudge, honey,” she answered and something behind her eyes flashed as she spoke. I sighed, I didn’t hold a grudge against my dad, I was scared of him. There was a difference.

“Where is she now?” I asked and she smiled, continuing to watch me as I untied my laces.

“She’s above the coffee shop, I think that she’ll be living with me permanently,” she replied with a smile.

“When can I do another shift?” I pretty much begged whilst I shoved my skates in my bag. Miss Holdana chuckled softly, passing me a pair of spare socks.

“You can do a shift this tomorrow if you feel ready for it,” she offered.

“Thank you! Shall I start at three?” I asked.

“Sure,” she replied with a warm smile before I helped her up the steps and out of the rink.

On the ride back to the coffee shop, she told me about her sister and how they’d been spending everyday together, making up for lost time.

I wondered if I would regret putting my dad away. Sure he beat me around a bit, but it was attention. He knew I was there, even if he did hate my very existence. What if a few years down the line, when he did get out of jail, he would never speak to me again? I wasn’t sure that I could prepare myself for that. I only spent a short ten years with my mum and if that taught me anything, it was that you should never take someone for granted.

I kept my hands firm on the wheel and my eyes trained on the road. I always teased Cooper about being so careful when driving, but I was actually quite relieved that he paid so much attention to the road.

“How are you, dear?” Miss Holdana’s hesitant voice came from the passenger seat. I’d known that she’d been waiting to ask me those very words since Cooper had dropped me off that morning. She thought wiser and let me forget about it for a few hours. I couldn’t really blame her for asking, she was only worried and since she was like my second mother, she deserved to know.

“I’m good. The court case is in a couple months,” I glanced over at her, only to find that her eyes were studying my face. The flame behind her eyes was gone, replaced by a soft expression that made her face look sweeter and younger, any sign of tiredness seemed to disappear.

“I am here if you need me, sweetie,” she replied and gave my forehead a shaky kiss before disappearing out of the car and into the shop. I took the keys out of the ignition and strolled inside the shop, putting them on the counter.