To Dream or Not to Dream

Mediocre

Author's Note:   I usually do not write, but am a constant reader in the fan fiction world.  This is my first story...please be gentle.  Let me know how it is...

(In the process of re-writing)

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2016-Suburb in the USA-10:22 pm

Isabella glided over the ice of the empty arena with music blaring through her headphones.  It was just another day of the week, and like most nights she found herself here.

It was here on the ice that she found some contentment and also here that she often pondered over her life- tonight was no exception.

She was frustrated. 

She was tired. 

And she was feeling down on herself.

There were not many things Isabella could say she excelled at.  In her own eyes, she was a quiet girl that was mediocre at just about everything. 

She was not extremely intelligent.  She was not a beauty queen.  She was not extremely wealthy nor poor.  She had never been told she was extremely witty or amusing.

Isabella was mediocre at life.

At best.

And therefore, she did not dare to dream farther than what a standard life would entitle.  Never stepping out of her comfort zone, Isabella epitomized the average, following the expected path for a typical girl in the United States.

Following high school, she had a college experience, making some friends and losing touch with them just as quickly. Post-graduation, she stepped into the working world, securing a 'safe job.' Pretty soon, she should be looking for a partner for marriage- at least, that is what she felt was expected of her.

Isabella sighed as her toe pick dug into the ice unintentionally.  The motion caused her to fall forward, ice meeting her knees.  She plucked the buds from her ears with an annoyed sigh.  She also was apparently not even very good at standing.

It had been years since she started skating here, at her local ice arena, which was down the road from her house.  When she had been a child, her parents made a deal with the owner to let her skate once all of the other occupants had gone home for the day. Since then, she had come almost every night, taking advantage of the empty space and the lack of prying eyes.

Well, all but one pair of prying eyes- the one's of the owner's grandson, Jacob- who was also her best friend.

Since childhood, they had spent many nights playing on the ice, challenging each other to various acrobats that often lead to bruised knees and treacherous falls. Isabella wouldn't say that either of them were very talented, but they definitely liked to push the boundaries of physics.

Isabella's eyes darted around when she recognized his familiar laugh echoing off the boards of the rink that was typically used for hockey- Jacob's sport of choice.

"Did you seriously just fall just standing?" Jacob heckled her from across the ice, gliding over to her on his own skates.

Isabella pushed herself up from the ice, giving the boy a glare. "I was busy thinking," she defended.

Jacob tapped her on the top of her head with his phone.  "That is never safe."

Isabella pouted, her arms crossing over her chest.

Through her playful nature, Jacob couldn't help but to notice the lingering frown etched on her features.  That, and he had been watching her from the sidelines.  Tonight she looked depressed, and unfortunately it was not a solitary occurrence.  It was what prompted his next words, wanting to direct her attention to something he knew she loved.

"You know, it's been a while since you showed me your jumps," Jacob spoke, wiggling his eyebrows.  "I want to see one."

"I'm tired tonight.  I don't feel like falling again," she muttered, trying to skate away from him.

"You won't fall." He caught her by the sleeve, tugging like a child.  "Just one."

"Not tonight, Jacob," Isabella sighed.

"Just one for your bestest friend in the world."

Isabella rolled her eyes. As tired as she was, she knew his antics would be endless and likely not worth a fight- which was precisely why she usually gave into his whims.  Simply put, it was the easier option for her.  She had lost one too many battles when it came to Jacob's persistence.

Without another word, Isabella glided away from him on the ice.

Although her back was to him, Jacob watched with a triumphant smile.  He knew he had won.

And he was in for a treat.

Isabella may not have been the most graceful on the ice, but she was fluid, and there was something enticing about how she moved.  And her jumps... well, her jumps would make even the professionals envious.

It was a shame that even he, her best friend since childhood, rarely got to see them.

Which is why as soon as she picked up speed, he took his phone out to record her. 

His breath stalled as he watched her body weigh on the backside edge of her blade, as her other foot's toe pick propelled her into the air with a movement he knew was not as easy as she made it look. 

Then, she spun- one rotation, two rotations, three rotations... four, before landing as if gravity did not exist.

Indeed, it was a shame that he was the only soul to have witnessed that.

Jacob smiled broadly as she skated back to where he was standing, his phone still out in front of him.

"Were you recording me?" Isabella questioned, noticing his phone in hand.

"Of course not," the mischievous look on his face amplified his voice, which sounded anything but innocent.

"Then show me your phone, Jacob." She moved to yank the device from his hands.

Immediately, he turned, skating away from her as his laughter echoed off the walls.

Isabella shouted at his back, despising these antics of his.

And Jacob smiled wide, loving to antagonize her.

"I'm going to post it all over the internet!" He joked, knowing the reaction his words would cause.

Her response did not disappoint and it took little effort to goad her into chasing him on the ice. Every time she got remotely close, he would hold the phone just out of her reach.

Within minutes her laughter was mingling with his own.

"It will be all over tik-tok by tomorrow," he teased, although he had to admit, the idea really wasn't a bad one.  "You ready to be famous, Bella?"

"You better not!" Isabella squealed.

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Isabella was about to learn that sometimes the safety of mediocrity was crippling and that finding the strength to dream could lead you to unimaginable places.