Potential To Be Strong

Chapter 2: School

"Yuzuru, can you please let go for one second?" I plead to my clingy boyfriend as we're seating in the eating area of the arena and he decided I didn't need a chair. He made me sit on his lap. "You're embarrassing me in front of the other skaters."

Seated in front of us are Shoma, Javier, Miki, Johnny Weir, and Evgeni Plushenko. They are all snickering at us as Yuzuru is holding me captive in his lap. I've suddenly turned into Pooh-San and Yuzuru can't seem to let me go. There is an open chair next to Yuzuru, but I've been abstained from sitting in it.

"Why should I let you go? I want you right here." Yuzuru whines, tightening his grip around my waist.

"We should also be speaking in English as not everyone around the table can speak Japanese," I tell him as I look over at the others at the table. They all have smirks on their faces. We should be eating lunch now, but I guess it's dinner and a show for them.

"But it's so attractive when you speak in my native tongue."

Yuzuru then places a very public kiss on the side of my neck and everyone goes crazy over it. Johnny, Evgeni, and Miki howl in laughter. Javier is laughing and clapping. And poor Shoma is blushing at the sight of us. I cover my face in embarrassment. I can't believe Yuzuru would do that in front of some of the most respected skaters in the world.

"Now Yuzuru, we shouldn't be all over our girlfriends in front of everyone," Javier chastises while still laughing.

"And here I though the Japanese were more reserved but we have Yuzuru all over his girlfriend," Johnny teases. "Be careful, young one. We wouldn't want the media seeing this."

"Trust me, Johnny. I don't want them to see this either," I agree as I finally free myself from Yuzuru's grasp and sit down in the empty chair. I earn a huge pout the man-child.

"Young love is so beautiful," Evgeni Plushenko comments at he smiles at us. "Like spring birds."

"What a beautiful sentiment," Javier agrees smirking at us. I roll my eyes at him. He just loves poking fun at us whenever he can.

I look over at Yuzuru and I see him just poking at his food. I sigh knowing exactly what he wants. I lean over and kiss his cheek and it results in him eating his food happily. I roll my eyes at him as well. Everyone else at the table just laughs. Then I get up. Yuzuru looks up from his food and at me.

"Where are you going?" Yuzuru asks in a confused tone.

"Well I have an oral exam that opens up in half an hour so I need to go back to the hotel and prepare for it," I explain as I gather up my things into my bag.

"Will you be done in time for the start of the second practice?"

"We'll have to see. If not, I'll be there by the middle."

Yuzuru pouts again, but nods his head in understanding. He knows how important it is for me to pass all of my assignments. After a few more exams, I'll be done for the semester and I'll be able to take a break for a few weeks before going back. I kiss Yuzuru on the cheek and bid everyone else a goodbye. I head back to the hotel everyone is staying at through a shuttle everyone takes between the venue and the hotel. I get back to Yuzuru and my hotel room, which he totally requested that we share, and pulled out everything necessary for the exam.

I had bought special equipment just so I can take oral exams online and to make sure that none of my audio is never unheard in the exam. If something is not coherent or audible, I could get point deducted from my exam. I haven't failed an exam yet while I've been traveling south and I don't want to start now.

Back at the venue, everyone at the tables sets their attention on Yuzuru.

"Marie is very dedicated to her job, Yuzuru," Johnny points out. "But she's also very dedicated to her education."

"Yes, she does everything to make sure this guy doesn't run himself in walls and still manages to pass her classes while on the road," Javier chimes in.

"It's too bad that she doesn't get to experience the whole college life," Miki comments as well. "We were talking about it earlier and she said she wishes she could be present at her college. She must not even know what her school looks like."

Yuzuru looks at everyone as he has never thought about this sort of things before. Sure, he's talked about school with Marie before, but it's not as often. In fact, it's rare that they do talk about it. Marie is able to maintain her studies while travel with him that it never seemed to bother her or him. He knows it's very important to her, but it's never been an issue.

"Yuzuru, don't you go to a university?" Evgeni asks the silent boy.

"Yes," Yuzuru answers shortly. "But I take online classes."

"So does Marie, but it must be hard to be a foreign language student and never talk to anyone else. I would imagine you need to talk to others for this," Javier observes.

Yuzuru sits there silently as all of his friends just talk around him. He has never really thought about what Marie had to go through with her schooling. He's doing school just like her, but it is true, she needs to be able to communicate with other people. That's what her major is about. And because she follows him around the globe, she doesn't get to have that opportunity. He doesn't want to take that away from her. She supports him so much, why shouldn't he be returning the favor?