Second Chance :: Nathan Chen

Chapter 7

Song: Strong by One Direction 

Kierra's POV

I stare at myself in the mirror. My chocolate brown eyes have been enhanced by winged eyeliner, mascara, and brown eyeshadow. My hair is in my signature half up half down and I'm dressed in a flowy purple costume that straps across my neck. Sequins are ombréd from the bottom up as well as a dark purple to dark pink ombré.

For a second when I look back in the mirror I see me, at my very first ice skating competition when I was 8, the day I realized I wanted to be an ice skater.

"Kierra?" Maia asks from the door.

"Yeah," I ask spinning around.

"Woah, you look beautiful," Maia replies.

"Thanks," I say smiling as I grab my bag and make sure everything is in there.

"Ready to go?" Maia questions.

I nod my head nervously as I slip on my shoes and take one final glance at myself in the mirror.

Practice goes decent, I land my triple axle and step out of my quad, but other than that I'm pretty much solid.

"You got this," Emily says as I walk around the ramp underneath the rink to keep my body warm.

"Next up from the United States of America is Kierra Yu," The announcer says as the words echo out across the gymnasium.

I skate into the center of the rink striking my beginning pose.

I start with a step sequence, preparing for my triple axel, double toe loop combination.

"Here to talk to the dick who ruined your life?" 

Nathan's voice rings throughout my head. 

My mind flashes back to our argument after his program. I shake my head, desperately trying to focus on my program. 

My blade suddenly dips into a nick into the ice as I wind up for my jump. 

I fly through the air, the three and a half rotations so awkward. 

I plummet from the sky instantly, my right hip crunching sickeningly. 

I somehow manage to lain shakily, pain flying up from my hip. For a second I can't breathe, but I continue skating, no matter the pain. 

The triple axle has always been my most consistent jump.

Setting up for my second jump combination, a quad lutz, a spurt of pain erupts from my hip. I know that I can't pull a quad, it's just not possible. 

People have told me doing a quad is so risky. 

I'm 16. 

My bones and body are nowhere strong enough or ready for the impact of a quad. Sure, males might be able to, but not young females. 

Taking off I decide, that I have to pull a double lutz. 

Landing just a double almost makes me fall over in pain. 

Forcing a smile on my face I continue with my program. 

By the time I skate off the ice tears are welling in my eyes. I carefully place my blade covers onto my skates and walk over to the Kiss and Cry area.

"Kierra Yu from the United States of America has earned a 52.67 in the ladies short program."

I sit there a little shocked. A 52.67 is the worst short program score I have ever gotten.