My Girl (Jonathan Toews)

22

Alexis

It's the beginning of May and the National competition was finally here. All the best skaters in the US were gathered in Madison Square Garden to show off their skills and impress the Olympic committee. Rosters won't be finalized until next year but they pick the nine here and some alternates then hope everyone stays healthy and competitive until the Olympics. Then if anything changes they can fix it but they at least have a idea after today.

Back at home the Hawks have been breezing past the Wild in the first round, but I had to take a rain check on last nights game in order to be here tonight. Being a ice girl it wasn't that big of a deal that I was gone. But I'm here without Jon and let me tell you... it sucks. He's my rock and I hope things don't fall apart without him here. He hates that he couldn't be here for me. But they were traveling to Minnesota and I was here with my sister and Frank and no one else.

I wait around in the holding area as I walk back and fourth in the open space marking my routine and listening to some music. I was right in the middle of the order of the long program and I was pretty nervous. I used to work myself up so much that I would throw up every time before I competed, but thankfully I got that under control and now I kinda just feel like I'm gonna combust instead.

I feel a tap on my shoulder and I toss my headphones to the side to see who needed me. I turn around and I see Jonathan standing there with the biggest smile ever. He had on the shirt he got for his birthday and a pair of blue jeans that made his legs look really good. His hair was done all nice and he looked like he had just gotten here. Just in time.

"Jonny" I scream as I jump up into his arms. He easily catches me as I get lifted off the ground.

"Hi baby girl" he says softly as he holds me tight.

"What are you doing here" I question.

"Well I wasn't going to miss this, we've worked so hard to get you here" he claims and I smile.

"I'm so happy you're here" I admit. I needed him in the worst ways.

"I'm happy to be here. And I brought some backup too" he says as he moves to the side. I see his parents standing there with Kimberly in Bryan's arms and I smile big.

"Awww you guys are going to make me cry" I admit.

"Oh sweetie, don't cry" Andree coos as she pulls me into a hug. I smile big and squeeze her tight so she knows how much her being here means to me.

"I'm already crying" I admit as she rubs my back. I was so emotional on competition days.

"We just wanted to be here to support you. Not to make you cry" she says.

"Well you're doing both" I laugh.

Once I calm my emotions down and Jon and the rest of the crew go to find a seat as I get ready to perform. I had a lot riding on this, even though with my level of difficulty I could fall three times and still place. My routine was so hard that most people would laugh if you should ask them to do it and the others would flat out say no. But this... this was bigger than my score on the board.

This performance was about my resurgence in figure skating and into life too. Although the music can't have lyrics I picked this song because of the lyrics, because I can connect to them. It was about being so far down that I could no longer see the light. I was just like that, I was completely lost in the world until I was found. Until someone found me and helped me find myself again. And now I'm here ready to tell my story.

I skate out to the middle of the ice and stop. I take a second to look around because I never appreciated this part back when I should have. I listen to the cheers of the people who probably know who I used to be. And now was the time to show them that I am better than her.