A Crack in the Ice

Chapter 2

For about two hours or so, Sarah practiced on perfecting her Agape, and then we took a half hour lunch break.
"So, Sarah," I said as I gave her the bag her lunch was in, "Do you have any suspicions as to who any of your rivals will be this season?"
"Actually...yes," she said as she pulled her sandwich out of the bag.
"Really? Who is it?" I asked.
"I'd...rather not talk about her," she mumbled before taking a bite.
"...is she American?" I asked, taking a bite of my own.
She nodded. "...she is. The only reason you haven't met her yet is because she took an off season last year...because she broke her leg days before her first competition, the Cup of China."
"I see...well, can you at least tell me how you know her?"
She slightly hesitated. "I...she's my cousin.
I bit my tongue. "You...have a cousin that lives in America?"
She nodded once more. "Yeah. Her name is Lilith. She's on par with my ability."
"So...chances are you'll probably run into her, right?" I asked, not wanting to pry too deep.
Sarah nodded as she finished her sandwich. "Yeah. I mean, I'm surprised she hadn't tried to contact me yet..."
"Hm? What are we talking about over here?" Lilia asked as she walked over to us.
"Oh, hey Lilia," Sarah slightly mumbled before putting some grapes in her mouth.
"Sarah, what's on your mind?" she asked as she sat down next to her.
"...it's about my cousin," Sarah mumbled.
"You have a cousin?" Lilia asked, clearly surprised.
Sarah nodded. "Yeah. Her name is Lilith. Lilith Hope Calian."
"...that's actually a nice sounding name," I added in.
Sarah then shot me a look. "...are you saying that you like my cousin, even though you've never met her?"
I then shook my head. "N-no! Of course not Sarah! Wh-why would I do such a thing...?"
She was silent for a moment, and then let out a sigh. "I'm sorry, Yurio...it's just...we weren't exactly on good terms the last time we were together," she mumbled.
"When was that?" I asked.
"...remember last year when I went to America for about a week in April?"
I nodded. "Of course I do."
"Was that when you last saw her?" Lilia asked.
Sarah nodded. "Exactly. She was getting ready to try and get back on the ice, and her coach, who happens to be her brother, was out of town for a thing, and I went to help her."
"...I vaguely remember you saying something like that," I said with a slight nod.
"Anyways," she mumbled, "Things didn't exactly go so great...and I haven't really talked to her since..."
Lilia then got up. "Alright, alright, enough about your cousin. We need to work on your Free Skate. It's September 25th, and assignments come out tomorrow."
Sarah nodded, quickly finishing the rest of her lunch. "Right."

===

I watched as Sarah went from her spread eagle to Y spin skate hold. It was pretty good, but it still needed work. "Getting better!" I called out from the side of the rink.
She nodded, going into her next to last skate around. She then did her sequence where she went low to the ice, and then come back up, all in time to the lyrics.
"Man, her free skate is getting really good," Yuri suddenly said from behind me.
I turned my head, and he was there, his skates in one hand. "Oh, hey Yuri. What are you doing here?"
He sighed as he sat down on a bench to put his skates on. "Sarah texted me saying she wanted my help for some of her program.
"...I see," I said as I turned my attention back to Sarah as she went in for her final element, her layback spin into a triumphant pose. "Why didn't she ask me...?" I mumbled.
Sarah then skated over to me. "How did I do?" she asked.
"Pretty good, I guess," I said, shrugging my shoulders.
Sarah sighed, resting an arm on the side of the rink. "Yurio...what's wrong?"
I took a deep breath. "...why didn't you ask me for help...? Why did you go straight to Yuri...?"
"Oh...that," she said, awkwardly scratching her head. "You see, I need help with my spread eagle, and I know that Yuri has a bit more experience with it than you do. But don't worry, you'll get your turn on the ice when I go to work on my quad toe loop."
"...fair enough," I mumbled under my breath. "Just...don't try to do anything funny with her, Yuri."
Yuri slightly chuckled, and got onto the ice. "Don't worry Yurio. I wouldn't try to. I don't think Viktor would approve if I did."
"Still putting it out there," I said with a sigh as I sat on one of the benches so I could watch the two.

"You're going a bit too wide," Yuri sighed as Sarah came out of her spread eagle. "Especially for going right into a Y-spin."
Sarah grumbled. "Ugh...I assume you want me to do it one more time?"
Yuri nodded. "Right. And after that I'll let you take a break."
Sarah nodded, and turned her attention to me, as I was now leaning on the edge of the rink. "How do you thinkI'm doing, Yurio?"
I smiled. "I think you're coming along just fine, little princess," I said with a smile.
Sarah blushed. "Y-Yurio! I've told you not to call me that in public!"
I slightly chuckled. "Sorry. I just wanted to have a bit of fun."
"Whatever," she mumbled before going to do her spread eagle Y-spin combo.
It was actually pretty flawless. I mean, I never really added spread eagles to my programs, but from what I know about them, it looked pretty good.
"Seems as if Sarah's getting better at her spread eagle," a voice suddenly said from behind me.
I turned around, and saw Lilia. "Yeah. She is."
"Though I didn't thinm that she'd ask Yuri for help with it," she said with a sigh.
"Why's that?" I asked.
"Well, to be honest," Lilia said as she stood next to me as Sarah did another rep, "I thought she'd ask you, as you are her boyfriend after all."
"Well, she said she asked Yuri because he's had more experience with it than I do, which is technically true."
"...she has a point," Lilia said after thinking for a moment.
"Say, when do assignments come out?" I asked as Sarah and Yuri skated over to us.
"They come out next Saturday," she said.
Sarah sighed as she stepped out of the rink. "So assignments are coming out tomorrow?"
"Well, seeing that today is September 25th, yes," said Lilia.
"Great," she mumbled. "I just hope I don't come across Lilith....except in the Grand Prix Final..."
"Hey, I know you'll do fine no matter what," I said as I reassuringly rubbed her shoulder.
Lilia nodded. "Exactly."
"Heu, I was thinking maybe we could head out for dinner once we're done here," Yuri said.
"...sounds like a good idea," Sarah said with a smile.
"Then let's do it. But first," I said, letting go of her. "Let's work on your quad toe loop a bit first."
Sarah nodded. "Right."