Loving Me Back

Chapter 9- Competition Day

I wake up to my alarm going off. My competition is in about five hours. My stomach feels like it's in knots just thinking about it. I always wake up early on competition days because my mom makes me. She says she wants me to start the day awake from an early hour. I don't really understand but I just go along with it.

I check my phone to see a text from Alexa on my figure skating team.

"Competition day"

I reply and then head downstairs.

After a couple hours, I begin to get ready for the competition. I always have to be there an hour before the competition actually starts.

"You excited?" My mom asks as my whole family is all currently in the car.

"Nervous." I reply as I pause the music currently playing from my airpods. I always listen to music before competitions so I can get fully pumped up.

"You will do great." My little brother Eli, says.

"Aww thanks Eli." I reply.

After I put my skates on, I walk out of the changing room to see Leo and Aaron.

"Hey." They both greet.

"Hey." I reply.

"You nervous?" Aaron asks me.

"Yeah. A lot." I always get nervous before competitions. I get so nervous to the point where I can't eat anything at least five hours before because I will throw up. It's happened. Several times.

"Well I'm sure you'll do great." Leo replies.

"Ella c'mon, let's go." Coach says.

"Well I gotta go."

"You got this Ella!!" Leo and Aaron exclaim.

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"Now, skating for Revolution Skating Company we have Ella Mae Lambert!" The announcer states. This is when the nerves kick in the worst. The crowd begins to cheer a little. You got this, I tell myself as I get onto the ice.

I start in my beginning pose, waiting for the music. Once the music starts I begin moving. I am able to do all the jumps and turns leading up to the double axel pretty well. Most of the nerves have dissolved by now. My mind is focused on one thing and one thing only, the double axel. I jump up and get the first spin down, however I'm not quick enough to do the second spin and before I know it, I make hard contact with the floor and I fall right on my leg.

I open my eyes to a bright light. I look around me to see my mom, dad, Aaron and Leo. My leg is in throbbing pain.

"Ella." Aaron says once he notices I'm up. This causes my mom and Leo to look up too.

"Honey, are you okay?" My mom asks. I don't really remember what happened after I made contact with the ground.

"My leg hurts so bad." I complain.

"I know I know, the doctors will be in in a second."

We finally ended up leaving the hospital way later in the day. Turns out I passed out because of how hard I hit the floor. The doctor says it was my body's way of protecting me from the pain. I got an X-Ray and guess who has a broken leg?? Me. I have to wear a cast for 4 and a half weeks. The doctor said it wasn't too bad of a break. But it just seemed worse because it was on ice.

"Knock knock." I hear Katie say from the other side of my bedroom door. I've been laying in my bed since I got home tonight. There's not really anything else for me to do.

"Hey."

"Hey girl. I'm sorry about what happened. How's your leg doing?" She asks.

"Fine I guess, it just really hurts."