Melting the Ice

3; nepenthe

"nepenthe"

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(noun) A word with Greek origins, nepenthe is defined as a medicine for sorrow. It makes you forget your grief and suffering. It is literally an anti-depressant, "a drug of forgetfulness," which was mentioned in Greek literature and Greek mythology.  

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After my shift at the restaurant and after visiting my Mum for a few minutes, I go to the ice hall again. I love skating when I'm alone. Because then, I skate with love, I do it as a reminder of how much I actually love doing this and how much I want to succeed and become a successful skater. 

I practice my moves, but I also just skate around for fun. To forget about the cruel world. To escape from everything, especially from my mind and to forget about my problems. Because on the ice, my problems vanish. They do not exist. It's just me and the skates sliding against the ice, creating the sound that I love to listen to. 

Thankfully, tonight goes without any interruptions from unexpectant visitors.

I can't say the same for the next night.

I'm at the same place at the same hour, practising my moves. I'm exhausted from today, I'm tired, but I'm pushing myself to make my moves on the ice perfect. I want to win that competition. I need to win.

"I don't think this is a coincidence anymore."

I almost fall flat on my face when I hear that, now almost familiar, voice again. I hold on to the side, catching myself after I almost tripped. 

I look at Zach Crawford, standing on his skates by the entrance with a pose that screams 'I own the world, submit to me!' 

"Careful. I'm going to believe you're starting to stalk me," I say flatly and then push myself off the side, skating forward to the middle, before skating backwards, away from Zach's piercing stare.

"And if I actually am?" he challenges me.

I huff and look at him with my eyebrows raised. "Then I'd have to tell you that you have some problems you should sort out on your own." 

Zach states forward, his movements graceful, his body completely in sync. I skate backwards again, skating close to the side, not knowing what his intention is. I'm not planning to leave today that fast. I was the first one here and I'm still not done. He can wait if he wants his turn to practice. 

"You should be careful with the words that come out of your mouth, flower," Zach says with a dark undertone in his voice that actually sends shivers down my body.

Even his voice is attractive, a deep, raspy and pure manly. And something I definitely should not analyse too much. Because then, I could maybe even start to like it. And think about it. And that's not something I need or want in my life. 

Especially Zach Crawford, who's got everything beneath his feet, who gets everything he wants. No. That's not a man I should be thinking about. Ever. No matter the reason. 

"Is that a threat I hear?" I ask, trying to read his face. He's got an attractive face. And body. With his messy light brown hair that falls over his eyes so he has to remove it - I find that really sexy, by the way - and really, really dark brown eyes, it seems the world is kneeling in front of him just because of how good looking he is.