Test The Limits

First Step

When they got there, Mark felt a sense of unease at how empty the rink was. The lights were on, but all the seats were empty.

"I'm glad you could come."

Everyone whirled around to see three people standing behind them.

"Why do you want us here?" Felix asked.

"You're all three very famous online, it would increase the dying interest of ice skating." The lady in the middle shrugged.

"But how-"

"I'm coach Murphy." The man on the end interrupted Signe. He had a thick Irish accent and light orange hair with a well kept beard, his forest green eyes gentle but stern.

"I'm coach Taylor." The man on the left introduced himself with a wave. He had dark brown hair and hazel eyes that seemed to scrutinize Felix.

"And I'm coach Smith." The lady interjected. She had long black hair tied up in a bun and kind sapphire blue eyes.

"You two are with me." Smith motioned for Mark and Amy to follow her.

"Both of us?" Amy's eyes widened in surprise.

"Every skater needs a partner, now come on!" Smith urged the two. Mark and Amy exchanged uneasy glances who're following her. Felix and Marzia went with Taylor while Jack and Signe went with Murphy.

"We'll be in the smaller practice room until you learn how to skate." Smith informed Mark and Amy.

"These are your skates." Smith handed them a pair of white skates.

"How do we even lace these up?" Amy pulled the boots on, Mark holding her hand to keep her from falling.

"We're practically experts since we did this once." Mark rolled his eyes, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"We aren't even on the ice yet." Mark teased her as she almost fell on the ground again.

"Shut up." Amy retorted jokingly as she finished lacing them up.

It didn't take long for Mark and Amy to get the feel of skating again, although they did spend about fifteen minutes taking them off and putting them back on. Smith insisted that it was important, but Mark wasn't so sure.

As soon as Mark stepped into the rink, he slipped and fell flat on his back, taking Amy down with him.

They both laughed as they used the wall to help them stand back up again.

"When is the competition?" Amy looked over at their coach.

"March twenty-ninth." Smith stated nonchalantly.

"That's only twenty-three days away!" Mark exclaimed.

"Which is why you should stop joking around and get to training." Smith reminded them tersely. Amy reassuringly squeezed Mark's hand before they got back to work.

Meanwhile, Jack and Signe were having slightly better luck since they've ice skated before plenty of times.

"I'm impressed, ye two are doin' well for your first time on ice." Murphy watched the two skate around the rink.

"We've ice skated before a couple of times." Jack shrugged.

However, Felix and Marzia hadn't.

They were struggling with just tying the laces of the skates correctly much to coach Taylor's dismay.

"No, like this!" Taylor huffed impatiently, once again showing Felix how to properly tie them while Marzia tried but failed to not laugh at him.

"This is stupid." Felix muttered bitterly under his breath as he tied up his black skates.

"Skate five laps then you're done for today." Taylor waved at them dismissively.

"Today? You really think I'm coming back?" Felix scoffed.

"I know you are if you want to stay off the streets." Taylor smirked as he left.

The three couples met up after Felix and Marzia had finished their laps, tired and worried. Jack and Signe seemed to be the only confident ones about the whole ordeal.

"How are we supposed to learn how to do tricks and stuff in less than a month?" Mark ran a hand through his black hair in exasperation.

"Signe and I are boss at this!" Jack bragged, earning a light slap on the arm from Signe.

"It's weird that we're competing against each other too." Felix remarked.

"I actually didn't think about that." Marzia frowned.

"We should probably head back home, its getting pretty late." Signe checked the time on her phone. It was ten thirty-six, meaning that they had spent nearly two hours there.

The others agreed and were soon piled back into Felix's car, each person wondering what the next twenty-three days would bring.