Kiss My Ice

2|6

"I see." Dylan was tall, broad shoulders with what I'd guess was a lot more muscle hiding under his hoodie than it looked. He looked like a poster boy for what a young quarterback looked like. With his short brown hair spiked lightly in the front and a slight five o'clock shade covering his jawline, I could definitely see him as a hotshot young footballer. "So you're a football star."

"Football star?" Dylan grinned. "That's a big assumption to think that I am good."

I raised my eyebrows challengingly. "Aren't you? I mean if your dad is as hard on you as you say he is then I have to assume that it's because you are good. In order for him to live vicariously through you, you would have to be good."

His lips twitched in amusement. "My dad is an ex-NFL player. He would be hard on me regardless."

It was clear that Dylan had to have been a good player. He radiated that same level of confidence that I found so annoying in Aiden. A true trademark of a good athlete.

I smirked. "Do you have a future in the NFL?"

"I never said I was good at football."

A girly laugh erupted from behind me, and a second later Kelsey was at my side shaking her head. "Aren't you a little comedian." Kelsey turned towards me. "Dylan won the state championship with his team three times in high school and is now the starting QB for Florida State."

Hmm. Dylan really was more of an exceptional player than I thought. That's really impressive.

"Huh," I mumbled, playing it off as though I wasn't impressed. "I guess I was wrong then. You must have been a terrible QB if you didn't win state all four years."

Kelsey giggled at my teasing while Dylan furrowed his brows, mouth slightly agape as he processed my jab. I grinned. What a fragile ego.

"Was it at least your freshman year that you lost?"

"Nope," Kelsey answered quickly for him. "It was his junior year. Actually, it was Luke who bested him."

Interesting. Both Luke and Dylan were football stars. Aiden must have missed the memo that he was supposed to play football, not hockey.

"We still made it to state," Dylan mumbled, earning a laugh from both Kelsey and I at his bitterness.

"I should probably get changed and ready for my practice," I said with a small sigh. As much as I had enjoyed talking with Dylan and Kelsey, my practice with Tiffany started soon and I couldn't be late.

I turned to start on my way to the locker room, briefly pausing to glance back at Dylan. "Thanks for the apology."

Dylan nodded; his brown eyes held a soft apologetic gleam. "Anytime."

_-_-_

I felt at peace. Practice with Tiffany had gone amazing. Every jump she called for me to do I landed with ease. I was skating like my old self: distraction free. Even with all the drama in my life, I was able to push it all away and just skate.

I let my arms remained spread wide as I skated around the ice, feeling the crisp air brush against my face. The only noise was the sound of my own skates as they glided across the ice.

There was something special in the air at the rink tonight. I felt focused, eager. Like I was finally ready to try out my triple axel again.

After a few more laps around the ice, I took a deep breath. This was it. I was ready. I was going to attempt my triple axel for the first time in weeks. Gathering myself together, I prepared myself to take off. I glided effortlessly backward; my arms scissored. As my left foot came by my right, I pushed my toe pick into the ice.