Time Heals

Chapter 40

Few weeks later...
Zara

Today I'd been asked by the skater channel on YouTube to do an interview about my skating career. It was not something I particularly wanted to do but Luke told me publicity was vital in becoming a possible candidate for bigger competitions. Personally I thought it was based on talent but apparently not.

The interview was supposed to be based on my love for skating and how I got into skating in the first place etc. It turned into a little more than that...

"We're on in five, four, three..." The camera guy counted us down, mouthing the last two numbers then pointing at the interviewer and I. We were sat on a couch which was decorated with hashtags and texting abbreviations like lol and OMG. I was now being recorded and I literally felt like running off and never coming back. The clothing I'd been dressed was a typical skater girl image but certainly not something I felt comfortable in. My bottom half consisted of white ripped skinny jeans that practically felt as though they'd fall apart any second. On my top half I wore a black t-shirt with the words Bitch don't kill my vibe written across it as well as a leather jacket. The snapback on my head placed the final touch, making me seem like I had a bad girl image. Not only did I feel uncomfortable dressed like this, it felt like I was being made to be someone I wasn't.

"Hello and welcome to this episode from your favourite YouTube channel where we cover everything to do with the awesome sport of Skateboarding! I'm Kev and today I'm joined on the sofa by a new face to the skating world." The interviewer was a young man who was dressed similarly to me, trying to make him come across cool and bad boy. "She's shocked us by becoming a familiar face on the winners podium and I'm sure you're all desperate to know more about our mystery skater girl. Welcome to the show Zara Briggs!"

"Uh hi." I said, unsure how to address an audience who wasn't even there.

"So Zara, how is it that someone as young and inexperienced as you has managed to be so successful in such a short space of time?" Kev questioned.

"I have a good coach." I smiled to which Kev nodded, addressing his notes briefly before probing for more.

"But how did you start out? What made you begin to skate?"

"Well I grew up with a skatepark not too far away. When I was younger I used to stand and watch for hours, mesmerized by the older kids doing tricks and stuff." I felt myself relaxing slightly because this question was easy to answer. "One day a guy noticed and asked if I wanted a go on his skateboard. He taught me a few things and from then on I was hooked."

"So you just naturally clicked with skateboarding?" Kev asked while changing his position on the sofa so he was more comfortable.

"Yeah I guess so." I answered, not sure how to add to that. "I've skated ever since."

"But the talent you have is special, surely you didn't teach all those tricks you can do to yourself?" Kev raised his eyebrow.

"Yeah I used to look up various tricks on the internet and teach myself." I shrugged and I could see he was genuinely impressed. "I mean, I've got a coach now but before then I taught myself."

"That's impressive." He smiled and then addressed the camera. "Now we all know Zara is being coached by ex champion Luke Turner. Zara would you like to tell us how that's going? Is there anything interesting about the ex champion you think fans might like to know?"

"He's an excellent coach. We get one well and he definitely helps me to improve." I said honestly, because in truth he was a very good coach. Maybe we didn't always see eye to eye but I appreciated how much he'd done for me. "Something interesting about him...well he's a secret Justin Bieber fan."