On top of the world

CCC

The days leading up to the Cricket Club Competition dragged, but the week flew by. Like I've mentioned before, time is weird.

Katya and I explained to Yuzuru, Javier, Nam, and Alena how much easier and cheaper it was to trade skating pins than it was to trade Disney pins. At the beginning of each season, we would buy some of our own synchro team's pins in bulk; then at each competition, we would simply trade our team's pins with other teams that we meet. It was fun!

But Disney pins were expensive and also were in different price ranges. And sometimes, cast members or other pin-trading guests in Disney parks had rare pins that weren't being distributed or manufactured anymore, and they would have a high asking price for those, requiring you to have to pull out more than one of your own Disney pins if you really wanted to get your hands on that limited edition pin. So Disney pin trading was a lot more complicated and expensive than skating or synchro pin trading.

"Also, because I'm still competing in the US--I might switch to competing for Ukraine if I can't get on the US team--I get these pins at every regional championship if I get a +2 or +3 GOE (grade of execution) on at least one element!" I proudly showed off how many of those pins I had earned. 

Javi, Yuzuru, and Nam had some sizeable pin collections from the international competitions they have been too, and Yuzuru had some Disney pins from Tokyo Disneyland. Alena decided she wanted to start her own pin collection right then and there, so we helped her begin by having each of us give her one of our own. I gave Alena one of my regionals pins. "Спасибо! Thank you," Alena said to all of us.

"пожалуйста!" everyone else replied. Katya and I had taught the boys how to say "You're welcome" in Russian.

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Finally, it was time for me to compete! Today's event was the short program. I was dressed in Holly Golightly's classic black dress with the pearls on the collar, and I had the French twist and bangs to complete the look.

Since I didn't have a coach with me, my dad put me on the ice. I made sure to take deep breaths to relax myself before I got into my starting position. I had my own personal cheering section in the audience, consisting of my family and my friends, old and new. They had made posters for me, and I heard Masha saying, "There's Lyubov! Lyubov!" I smiled and acknowledged them.

The first notes rang out, soft, but clear. I did connecting steps into a double Axel with a spiral on the landing. I immediately stepped into a layback spin. While skating, I was faintly aware that Masha was beginning to get louder and more excited, but I paid little heed. I did my circular step sequence while making sure the judges could see my bright smile as I maneuvered across the ice. After coming out of the step sequence, I transitioned into swift crossovers and executed a triple toe + triple toe combination. Then I flew to the other side of the rink and did a triple flip. Finally, I finished with my flying camel spin and my combination spin. 

As I struck my ending pose, I heaved a sigh of relief. I skated to the center of the ice and curtsied to the judges and the audience. My cheering section went wild for me, but I noticed my mom, Masha, and Yuzuru were missing.

Dad handed me my skate guards and water bottle as I exited the ice. "Good job," he said to me. I thanked him. He did a great job putting me on the ice for the first time!

I saw Mom pushing Masha in the stroller. "I had to pull Masha away from the boards because she was about to bang on them. She got very excited when she saw you skating," Mom explained to me. "She started screaming and kicking when I pulled her away, but your friend...Yuzuru, is it?" I nodded. "Yes, he helped me by singing her a lullaby, and that calmed her down. Now she's taking a nap." She gestured to the sleeping baby in the stroller. "Thank Yuzuru when you get a chance, will you?"