On top of the world

We meet again

"AHHHHHH CAMP STARTS TODAY!!!" Katya and I screamed.

"SHUT UP!" Yuri screamed back. He's been watching too much Smosh lately. Masha was also whining a little, saying that she wanted to go back to bed.

Mom and Katya's mom will take turns with carpooling. Masha and Yuri were riding along with us because after Mom drops us off, they will go to a nearby park with a playground. The first week, Mom will take us to the rink Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. That left Tuesday and Thursday left for Katya's mom. They will switch days every week. 

"Yuri, don't be rude," Mom admonished him. "It's a bit early in the morning, so both Yuri and Masha may appear to be a bit cranky. Apologies on their behalf," she said to Katya. "That doesn't mean I don't still expect decent behavior out of you two!" 

"Sorry, mama," they both apologized. "And sorry Lyuba and Katya."

********

"Alena?!"

"Lyubov!" The young girl who I just met last summer ran up to me. "What are you doing here?"

"Camp!" I grinned. "You too?"

"Yes! We haven't chatted on WhatsApp for a while."

"Ah, so sorry. I've been busy with school and training." I felt guilty about that.

"It's ok! It's the same with me as well." We stayed silent for a beat and then giggled at each other. Who knew such introverted girls could get along so well after such a long time of not seeing each other?

"By the way, this is my friend, Katya." I gestured to the older girl. "Katya, this is Alena. I met her back in Boston almost a year ago when she was visiting the US during her summer break."

"Nice to meet you," they both said to each other. Katya also knew Russian.

We began to warm up with jump ropes, off-ice jumps, and stretches. After 15 minutes, we laced up our skates and got on the ice to warm up with skating skills. We had a half hour before the group lesson, and then we could do individual training before lunch. Later, in the afternoon, we will receive private lessons from Brian. We also had an off-ice conditioning class every Tuesday and ballet or hip hop training every Thursday. It was going to be a long, intensive, fun month!

Then I saw seaweed snack guy come out of a locker room--wait, seaweed snack guy?! What is he doing here?

I foolishly stopped in the middle of the ice and gaped at him, causing Katya to almost run me over. 

He couldn't be...

Could he...?

"YUZURU?!?!" Katya was now too starstruck to get upset at me for getting in her way.

Fears confirmed.

Earth, please swallow me now.

How could I not recognize him the other day? Was it because I don't follow him as religiously as Katya does? That could be why. Does he even have social media? I hadn't seen Alena in person for a whole year, but at least she updates her instagram every once in a while.

The commotion caught Alena's attention as well, and she looked concerned at our near collision, our slackened jaws, and the skater who just got onto the ice.

Then we heard a slamming door. A small Asian teen, followed by a taller handsome man, ran to the locker room Yuzuru had come out of dragging bags behind them. About 10 minutes later, they too came out onto the ice with us and started warming up.