Pucking Fantastic

Chapter 41: Do It Again

Last Chapter!!!! Dang! Thanks so much for reading this story! I hope you have enjoyed it! Also, enjoy this upbeat Brazilian song. Keep any eye out for the <>

I looked around the rink as I tied my skates. Since spring break started, no one wanted to wake up at 6 AM to get to the rink. This whole week had been empty and it looked like today I would have the whole place to myself again.

"El, did you already warm-up?" Kris asked as she stood over me.

I jumped slightly, I didn't hear her walk up to me. She was such a ninja sometimes. She looked sour. I needed to brace myself for her mood today. I nodded. "Already done," I said to her as I got my skates out of my bag.

"Good. Be on the rink in 10. I'll be waiting for you," she said as she started to walk away.

I shook my head as she walked off. I wonder what made her morning hell. Breaking me from my thoughts was the sound of my name. "El!" Cami said excitedly as she walked into the rink. I looked up at her and smiled. Her skin had a pre-summer glow to it. She just got back from her tropical vacation on some southern island.

A week without her was way too long. "Cami! Oh goodness, I missed you," I said to her.

"Same!" she said as she ran up to me. She hugged me tightly and as she pulled out of the hug with a smile. "But dang girl, you know what you need to miss more than me? A tan. You look so pasty." Cami said with a chuckle as she sat down next to me.

I looked at my white rink tan and chuckled. She did have a point. I was pasty. But it was hard to find time to go out and sunbathe. I was hoping once summer came I would get more of a tan.

"Aren't you going to brazil soon to visit your grandmother?"

I nodded. "Next month."

"There! You'll get a tan then!" She said with excitement. "And while you are there, bring me back a new pair of shoes will you? We all know Brazilian shoes are the best."

I chuckled at her. "Yeah, I'll look for you. But why don't you ask Jaimie to get you some?" I asked, knowing that she had Jaimie wrapped around her pinky finger. I never thought I would see my brother bend over backwards for anyone, but Cami was living proof of that.

I would admit, it was kind of weird walking in to see them kissing on the couch. But I was happy for them because they were happy. They were good for each other and anyone could see that. They brought out the best in each other.

"You know, that's a great idea."

"Are you ready for a grueling practice? I saw Kris, I think she's in a mood," I warned her as I laced my skates. I knew Cami didn't get along with Kris as well as I did, but they still made magic happen. I think switching coaches was the best thing for Cami in her skating career. It takes a lot of guts to switch a coach, feelings always get hurt and links get severed. Cami knew that but yet she went forward with it, she was fearless.

She frowned. "Noooooo! Just what I needed. Pucking fantastic," she said with sarcasm as she got out her jump rope to warm up. Suddenly her chipper mood was ruined.

"You signed up for this when you changed coaches last December," I said, reminding her that she was the cause of this stress.

She nodded. "You're right, El. But there's nothing I can do about it now," she sealed her own fate. But I think she still stood by the idea that this was the best option for her to do. "Anyhow, I'll see you out there?"

I nodded back at her. "See you there," I said as I stood up from the bench to get onto the ice.

I looked out into the smooth ice and smiled. I liked it when I was the first one to get on. The ice looked so perfect, like glass. It had only been a month since I was cleared to skate and I trying to get back to where I once was with skating. I knew I still had a lot to cover and make up, but the challenge didn't discourage me. It just gave me more drive. I was willing to sacrifice almost anything to get to this coming Nationals. Even if that meant I had to spend long hours at the rink.