Second Chance :: Nathan Chen

Chapter 1

Song: Brave by Sara Bareilles

Kierra's POV

Reaching back for my jump, I bite my lip nervously eyes darting wildly around the rink.

It's been 5 years since Paul died.

And the world moves on.

No matter how bad we want the good things to last forever they don't. We have to walk through the dark times to get to the other side.

Flying through the air, I count the three and a half revolutions of my triple axle.

The triple axle has always been my most consistent jump, which takes a lot of people by surprise. There are all sorts of amazing talented figure skaters who struggle with the triple axle.

"So Miss Kierra are you ready to defend your title?" My coach Emily asks her auburn hair tied up into a messy ponytail.

"Hopefully," I remark hiding the doubt behind my reply.

"And remember-" Emily begins.

"I know," I interrupt, weaving my fingers together nervously.

At 16 years of age, I'm finally old enough to move from the junior category to senior. Which for any skater, including me, is a big thing. And the fact that it's 2018 makes it an even bigger thing. Three females from the senior category will be chosen for the Olympic team.

Every woman wants to be one of the three, but there are only three spots.

The media has made a huge deal over it. 

And it is a huge deal. 

But they've already started naming possible teams, possible winners. And my name has come up a fair number of times. 

And that's what scares me. 

Before this, people have never paid any attention to me, I was just another young figure skater, who would get injured before I could ever reach success. 

But now that the Olympics have shown up, the world keeps on paying closer attention to every single move any figure skater (including me)  makes. 

"Okay," Emily states simply, smiling gently and nodding. 

I skate off to the entrance, tiptoeing gently to the bench, and undoing my laces.

"Hey," A sweet voice remarks sitting down next to me.

"Oh hey," I reply watching one of my greatest friends Levina Tompkins, begin untying her skates.

Standing at around 5'2" Levina is really small for her age, and started skating almost 2 years ago. Her shoulder hair length hair is chestnut brown, which frames her chubby cheeks, and huge eyes.

Levina and I met at the hospital. Her dad was in chemo when Paul was in chemo. We were so alike in so many ways, but then her dad made it, and Paul didn't. Life isn't fair, and we have to lose to grow stronger.

But Levina and I became really good friends.

That's the thing about the hospital. The most unlikely people become friends for life. We're there for each other through the toughest shit.

"So how was your day?" She asks slipping off her left skate.

"Okay," I reply. "Emily's just stressing over championships."

"Girl, she has a right to stress," Levina states. "This is a big thing for you, and for the United States."

"I know," remark. "But she's making me super nervous too. She knows that I don't work well under pressure. It's like she keeps on wanting me to prove myself."

"Kierra this isn't about proving yourself, this is about the 11 years you worked to get here. The years of investment, in all sorts of circumstances. This isn't just about you showing the world that you are the best, Emily is showing the world that she can raise a champion." Levina answers wisely.

"And what if I can't do it?" I ask fear clouding my mind. "What if I crack under the pressure?"

"Kierra you're invincible, the world knows that. You have the mindset, as long as you stay focused you have it," Levina lectures as she slips on her tennis shoes. 

"But the stakes have never been so high," I remind her. "I've never been put under so much pressure."

"Kierra, calm down," Levina murmurs placing her hand on my thigh. "Who won the Junior World Championships while having a 101-degree fever? Who totally improved her short program at the Junior United States Championships, and set a new world record?"

I stare at her in shock. 

"You do remember that was you, right?" Levina asks rolling her eyes. 

"Oh yeah, that was me," I laugh nervously. "But then it was just me and the ice, there were no expectations. I was just some other girl that no one wanted to pay attention to. And now, I'm like expected to win."

"Kierra you're still the same girl, whether the cameras are watching or not. You're the same old Kierra Yu who trains with me, and forgets what she's doing all the time."

"Thanks," I say slowly, letting the words roll over my tongue.

"But, please do win," Levina states laughing slightly. 

She waves goodbye as she walks away, swinging her Adidas gym bag over her right shoulder.

Staring across the ice, I feel a pang of hurt.

Once, it was Paul, here to cheer me up after every tough skate, there to make life so much better. He was there at every competition, with a huge smile.

And now he's not.

Losing him hurt.

He was the one person who I opened up to, and when I lost him, I built those walls back up. Because getting to know someone hurt too much. What's the point in loving if that person isn't going to be there in a couple of years?

Paul is one of those people who's really hard to forget, charismatic, exciting, handsome. He's someone who instantly grabs your attention.

And here I am more than 5 years later, unable to forget about him. Not just because he was my brother, but because he was that person that everyone loved. That person that I'm not.

I shake my head desperately trying to clear my thoughts.

The past stays in the past, buried beneath time, and tears.

Standing up elegantly I swing my heavy gym bag over my shoulder walking towards the entrance.

Paul, though he's never going to be in my life again, will always be in my heart.

Swinging open the door of the rink, I nod to the receptionist, making my way to the second set of doors.

I push open the door stepping out into the crowded parking lot.

This is my life, and I'm not going to let the past control it.