Stick To The Stuff You Know || Thayne Jasperson x Reader

5

I talked to Carleigh a little about figure skating, until she pulled out her phone and started typing away.

Just as I thought she didn't want to talk to me anymore and my hot chocolate almost got my full attention again, I heard voices from Carleigh's phone.

In the background I could hear people cheering and I heard someone say "This is her second Olympic performance. She wasn't chosen for the team event, so after the short program yesterday, this is her last time to shine. And after yesterday's short, I think the podium will be hard to get."

"Especially after that warm up she had today, I doubt she'll be able to perform at her best. This is 19 year old Y/N Rippon, skating to Lovers - Mei and Jin by Shigeru Umebayashi," a male voice said and a female voice continued "She loves his music." The male replying with a chuckle "Who doesn't? They're compositional masterpieces."

My eyes widen. Carleigh is watching my long program of last years Olympics. Of course she's also picked the interests of the others, so she handed her phone to Betsy, who sat in the middle of them all, so they could all watch.

I look down at my hot chocolate. Holy shit, my idol is watching my performance.

They remain silent for the whole following four minutes and 20 seconds, the only voices being the commentators as they announce my jumps and the audience as they cheer.

Inwardly I'm freaking out. Thayne's hand on my arm helped me relax a little when I realized he wasn't watching the video with them.

"What worries you?", Thayne asked quietly and I glanced over at the others, replying just as quiet "I don't know. I'm not that good at taking a lot of compliments at once. And that skate wasn't my best performance."

"You're worrying about the compliments?", Thayne asked with a soft chuckle and then squeezed my arm slightly "Believe me, I don't think you'll need to worry about that."

My head snapped up and I looked at him with wide eyes. Thayne immediately seemed to realize his mistake and he quickly added "No I don't mean it like that, they won't hate it! It's a really beautiful skate and they will definitely have no reason at all to hate it."

I let out a low sigh and then look at the others. The commentators are currently announcing my score and saying their thoughts.

"143.15 points for Y/N Rippon, putting her currently in first place! And an overall score of 216.74 points, a new seasons best for her," the male commentator said and the woman followed "This is amazing for her, especially to fight her way back up onto Olympic ice after her knee injury just last September."

"There's still three other skaters to go," "That is true, but I think that the podium isn't too far fetched anymore."

The video ends just a second after that comment and they all look up at me in astonishment. At least they haven't found the video of... "Oh look!"

Betsy immediately draws their attention again and I hear the commentator say "The figure skating score for Carolina Kostner from Italy."

Oh no they found it.

"142.61 points, putting her in second place for the free. And she's got an overall score of 216.73 points! Just 0.01 points behind Y/N Rippon, securing Rippon a spot on the podium!"

I know what comes next. I've seen this video way too many times.

I sit in the booth for team America together with the other figure skaters of our team and after they announced the score, my team starts cheering, while I just sit there and stare at the scores.

"No matter what comes next, Y/N Rippon definitely has her second Olympic medal secure," the commentator says.

It's barely audible in the video, but I still remember that moment as if it's been yesterday, when Ashley started shaking me into reality and yelling at me "You stay on the podium!"

I just sit there staring into nothing. That is literally my reaction to me being told I'm staying on the podium at the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi 2014. Anyone else would've freaked. But then there's me, looking like a ghost.

Realization that day had only hit me for real when later on I stood on the podium and was given my bronze medal.

But to me, that video of me reacting to my podium-stay is literally the worst video ever.

"You really couldn't believe it, huh?", Oak asked with an amused chuckle and I nodded, averting my gaze again.

"I doubt I'd have reacted anyway else," Phillipa said in return.

Holy moly she spoke.

"That's amazing though, having two Olympic medals. Do you plan to head to the 2018 olympics?", Phillipa asked and I looked back up at her.

HOLY MOLY SHE IS TALKING TO ME.

"If everything goes fine, I'll definitely have a spot secured for the olympics," I grin. They won't see what's coming until I've sped past them.

I'm going to write history with my quad salchow. Just you wait.