A Crack in the Ice

Chapter 4

I sighed, adjusting the backpack I was carrying. "Don't think I've ever been to America before," I mumbled under my breath.
"Oh, I'm sure you'll love it," Sarah said, joining me as we waited for Yuri and Viktor to finish coming through the security line.
"...I know this is a bit random, but you said you used to have a cat when you lived in America, right?"
She nodded. "Yeah. I actually had two. A calico named Wish, and an all black cat named Moon."
"...I assume they're...dead, right?" I asked.
Sarah sighed, and gently grabbed my hand. "...Wish is, but I got Moon about two years before I came to Russia, so as far as I know, she's living with Lilith, as she was when I went over there for a few weeks."
"Sarah! Yurio! We're ready to go!" Viktor called out to us.
I nodded and looked at Sarah. "Come on, let's go."
She nodded, keeping a somewhat firm grip on my hand, and we began to walk to the terminal that our flight was boarding at.

As we were waiting, Sarah pulled out a smaller black case that had two zippers and a red logo on it. "Wanna battle me?" she asked, pulling out her New3DS. "I know it's a really old game, but I really wanna play some Pokémon Moon..."
I slightly chuckled, pulling out my New3DS. "Sure. I don't mind playing some Sun."
With a nod, we had a few battles in the game, and Sarah won two of the three.
Once we were done, Sarah put her 3DS away, and leaned against me. "I love you, Yurio," she mumbled.
"I love you to," I said with a smile as I stroked her hair. I then quickly glanced at my watch. It was about 7:20 at night, and our flight would be boarding soon.
"Hey...I have an idea," Sarah said as she looked at me.
"Oh? What is it?" I asked.
"Well, we're going to have about a week been Skate America and the Cup of China, so I was thinking that maybe we could spend a bit of time in America."
"That sounds like a good idea, but wouldn't you have to get a rental car or whatever?"
"Actually, I never sold my house I own in Maryland, and as you know, I did send my car back there, so traveling wouldn't be a problem. I'd just have to ask Lilith to have Leo drive it up," she said.
I nodded. "Alright. Oh, speaking of which, we're arriving on the third around nine at night, and it takes about, what, two hours to get to the hotel? Who's going to drive us there?"
Sarah sighed. "Yurio, I've already told you that I was going to drive, remember?"
"Oh, that's right," I said, awkwardly scratching my head.
Before we had the chance to continue our conversation, a voice came on over the intercom, saying that it was time for us to board the plane, so with a smile, I took Sarah's hand, and we got on the plane.

===

I let out a sigh as I stood in the line with Sarah so we could have our passports checked. "This is taking forever," I grumbled. "Why do they need to check our passports again?"
"I don't question it," Sarah mumbled. "America has always been up-tight with secu-"
She was cut off as Yuri yelled something out. "What?! What do you mean I'm not allowed to enter the United States? I was a resident here for five years!"
"I'm sorry, but that's what my computer is saying," the airport personnel said. "Now, if would, please step to the side as we figure out what the situation is."
Yuri grumbled, and I watched as another person escorted him to a side room.
The personnel then looked at me. "You're next. Let me see your passport."
With a nod, I gave him my passport, and he scanned it, and then gave it back to me. "Here you are. I hope you enjoy your time here."
"Thank you," I said, letting go of Sarah.
Without needing to be asked, Sarah handed the man hers, and it got scanned.
"...the same error code? I swear, something has to be up with the system..."
"Is something wrong?" I asked.
The man sighed. "It's saying that she isn't allowed to enter as well."
"B-but I was born here!" Sarah whined.
"I'm sorry. I don't lie about what I see," he said.
With a grumble, Sarah went off to the room that Yuri was in.

I had been waiting for at least three or four hours, and I wanted to sleep. Badly. I had major jetlag, as my body was still thinking that the timing was the same as it was at home, where it would be about four or so in the morning, and not in Chicago, or Central Time, as it was really only nine at night.
"You've got to be kidding me. It was a glitch that made previous residents or citizens unable to enter the country," I heard Sarah grumble.
"Yeah. I can't believe it myself!" I heard Yuri exclaim.
I looked up, and Sarah and Yuri were walking over to the rest of us.
"They finally let you go...?" Viktor asked, picking his head up after having fallen asleep.
Yuri nodded as he sat next to him. "Yeah. It was just a really bad computer error that made it so that if someone previously lived here, it would show up as them not being able to come into the country."
"Well I'm glad it all got sorted out," Lilia sighed.
Sarah nodded as she sat next to me. "So, how you holding up?"
"...tired," I said, being completely honest.
"We should go and get a hotel room, then," she said.
"Sounds like a good idea," I mumbled.

===

The next day, around six in the evening, we were waiting at our terminal to board our American Airlines plane to Albany.
"YES! By Design! This is such a throwback!" A girl behind me suddenly screamed.
I turned around to look at her, and saw a female, who was wearing Skullcandy headphones, and had blue eyes and brown hair, roughly around my age, and a bit taller than me. "Could you please keep it down?" I asked.
She took her headphones off as she looked at me. "Keep it down? Oh, please. I make music for- Holy crap. Y-you're Yuri Plisetsky!" she said, covering her mouth, stifling what was probably a gasp.
"Um...that's me. And you are?"
"Oh! I'm rude. The name's Elyse. Elyse Hintz. But if you're here...then where's Sarah?" she asked, looking around.
"Um...look, I get that you're probably a really big fan and all, but we have a flight to catch to Albany."
"So do I, idiot!" Elyse said. "I mean, what kind of friend wouldn't see her friend when she's in the country?"
"Wait...you're her friend?" I asked.
She nodded. "Yep. We have been since around 2015."
"That's cool, I-"
"Attention passengers. We will now be boarding the plane. Please have your tickets ready."
Sarah then walked up behind me. "Sorry, Yurio. I was talking to Lilith. She said my car will be there when we land. She's also getting us a small U-Haul for the back of it, as my car doesn't have much sto- Elyse?! Why are you here?!" Sarah exclaimed, suddenly engulfing Elyse in a hug.
"I was going to see your performance at Lake Placid, dummy!" Elyse said with a slight laugh. "Now, why don't we get on this plane?"
I nodded. "Sounds like a plan."