Second Chance :: Nathan Chen

Chapter 30

Song: Let Her Go by Passenger 

Vincent's POV

I sit on the edge of my balcony staring down at the streets.

'You let her go.'

I let the love of my life slip through my fingers.

Kierra was the girl I cared so desperately about, and at the end of the day, I pretended like I didn't care about her.

I pull out my phone dialing Kierra's number.

She doesn't pick up.

Sighing I text her, waiting for the blue bar to load, indicating that it's sent.

My phone dings in an instant.

"Sorry but the number you are trying to reach no longer exists," I read out loud.

Kierra changed her number.

Desperately opening Instagram I try and find her account.

But @kierra.yu no longer exists.

'I might never see her again,' I think to myself.

We met through luck, and I might never get lucky again.

Kierra smiles gently at me as we walk down the Boardwalk. California has always been our home, the ocean, the beaches, the people.

I help her gently into the Ferris wheel, her hand never leaving mine.

I watch her brown eyes stare intently out the window, looking down on everyone else.

And then we're at the top.

Frozen there for a moment.

Kierra drags her eyes from the window, focusing on me.

My hands make it to her cheeks, her hands on my waist, and there at the top of the Ferris wheel, we kiss.

The smile that lights up my face says everything.

"Vincent you're supposed to be down at the rink!" Rafael yells from outside my room.

"Shoot," I scream gathering my stuff and sprinting out into the hallway.

Once, it would have been Kierra reminding me where I was supposed to go.

I sigh as Kierra skates next to me.

There are only 2 more weeks till world's, where Nathan will inevitably beat me because of his perfect jumps.

Kierra stares at me, a playful glint in her eyes.

"Jumping competition?" She asks.

"On all jumps?" I question.

"Sure," Kierra replies. "You can go first."

Skating away from her I land a perfect single axle.

Kierra rolls her eyes, she too landing a perfect single axle.

Kierra matches me jump for jump, each of hers technically perfect.

"Got anymore up your sleeve Zhou?" Kierra asks.

I smirk, setting up for my final jump, a jump that I have yet to show to Kierra, or anyone else.

My mind on the jump, I set up, thinking about the four rotations I have to do, and then I'm flying through the air, my leg extending into a perfect line as I land.

Kierra stares at me her mouth wide open.

"Was that a quad axel?" She asks.

I nod slowly.

"OH MY GOSH! Are you gonna pull one at world's?" Kierra asks.

I shrug.

"It's not worth anything if I fall," I state. "It's too risky, and I barely land it anyway."

"You should do it, I know you can."

I stare at the ice Kierra's words hanging in the back of my mind.

'I can do this.'

But I can't.

I shake my head trying to clear my thoughts as I begin doing my crossovers, preparing for my quad axel.

My blade hits a pothole in the ice as I take off, leaving me unbalanced. I still try to hit the quad axel, failing miserably.

I try over and over again, failing each other.

"Vincent you need to clear your mind," Rafael says over the barrier. "Whatever you're thinking about isn't right, don't overthink it."

I try again my mind still determinedly set on Kierra, but I can't land it.

Jump after jump, I fall.

Without the quad axel, I will never be able to get on the podium. Without the quad axel, I will never win.

Without the Quad Queen, I am nothing.

Triple axel, double toe loop.

My jump combination is firmly implanted in my mind as I set up, desperately looking for Kierra in the stands.

I see her, sitting next to Karen, her eyes intently fixed on mine, holding the necklace I gave her tightly between her palms.

Because I can do this for her, and for me.

Kierra mouths a couple of words, which I can't read, but I know that she's sending me her luck.

I land, sliding back on my blade, hearing the crowd roar, and Kierra is the one screaming the loudest of them all.

My name echoes through the rink as I step on the ice, the judges all staring intently at me.

Breathing deeply I make my way to my starting position, waiting for the music to start.

The first part of my routine is fairly simple, consisting of the majority of my dance elements, and two jump combinations.

I have 7 minutes to show the world that I'm the best.

To show the world that 4 years have made me better than ever, that 4 years have been enough for me to start over.

But 4 years haven't given me a chance to move on. 

4 years later I'm still hung up over the same girl. Brokenhearted because in 4 years her feelings haven't changed. 

Turning on my blade I do my twizzles, preparing for my last jump combination, the quad axel.

The riskiest jump of my entire routine.

Of my entire career.

A jump that could cost me more than I gain.

I stare into the arena, looking at the place where Adam and Kierra should have been sitting.

Adam is there, and next to him I glimpse Kierra.

She sitting there smiling at me, her eyes never leaving mine.

Without thinking I throw my quad axel and land it.

The smile that's been plastered on my face widens as I stare at Kierra.

Except it isn't Kierra.

It's a middle-aged woman.

I almost slip on my blade as I strike my final pose, my mind going a million miles an hour.

I don't care about my score anymore.

All I care about is finding Kierra.