The Un-landed Everything

Chapter 19

I was a nervous wreck! I had exactly three hours, twenty one minutes, and fifty two seconds until I’m performing my short program. Although I was more nervous for my long program, in five hours, thirty seven minutes, and seven seconds. Coach and I officially decided to put my triple axel in my long program. It was a risk that I was willing to take. It could get me on the Olympic team.

~

“Hey coach,” I said walking into the locker rooms.

“Good, Carmenn you’re here.” Coach replied, “we really need to warm up.”

“Okay, when do I go on the ice?”

“2:56, exact.” Coach answered, “That’s in about two hours, so let’s get to work.”

I was shaking with fear. It’s winning or losing for me. Landing axel, could get me to the Olympics, falling on axel, my dreams are crushed. That’s how stressful skating is.

“Higher,” Coach shouted as she stretched me for my spiral.

“It burns,” I winced.

“If you want spirals like Michelle Kwan, let it burn.” Coach remarked strictly.

“But nobody can do spirals like Michelle Kwan,” I whined.

“Well, you will be the first to do so.”

I sometimes love, and hate how coach motivates me so hard. I hate how it’s painful, but I love how it helps.

“Okay, let’s see an off- ice triple axel.” Coach said, lowering my leg from the spiral position.

I leaped into the air. I hate off-ice, it’s never as fun, and I really hurts when you fall. My sneakers swiftly hit the ground, and I landed the jump perfectly.

“Good. I hope to see it that flawless on the ice today.” Coach nodded, “again.”

I leaped into the air again, this time gaining more height, and also landing flawlessly.

“Again.”

Flawless landing.

“Again.”

Flawless landing.

“Again.”

Flawless landing.

“Stop.”

“Phew, you really had me working,” I panted.

“That’s the whole point of figure skating.” Coach remarked, “Now get on those skates, let’s go show America, Carmenn DiGiovanninni.”

~

This was my moment my chance, I thought to myself as I skated out into my starting position.

Then my music began.

I skipped into my footwork gracefully, and then landed my triple flip strongly. So far, so good.

I powered into my flying camel, then falling into a beautiful back sit. So far, so good.

I then stroked into my triple Lutz, triple toe. I landed beautifully, and I heard the crowd gasp. So far, so good.

I finished off the rest of my program, with a double axel (saving the triple for my long program), a triple loop, a triple toe, my beautiful layback spin, a broken leg spin, and a few more footwork sequences.

Flawlessly.

I skated off the ice smiling bigger than ever. Rowan and I celebrated (jumping up and down), and I hugged coach, then I walked into the kiss n’ cry for my scores.

I closed my eyes and waited.

                Then they appeared.

“Carmenn! YOUR IN THIRD PLACE WITH 66.75!” Coach screamed.

“What!?” I snapped open my eyes, then stared at the score board. “OMG!” My jaw dropped.

66.75!