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It was the day Mika was set to meet up with Evgenia. The older girl had made the trip the night before down from Canada and told Mika she would meet her at the park outside of campus at ten thirty.
The younger girl had stopped and got them both coffee, completely forgetting to let Lottie know she was going to meet up with a friend, but hopefully she wouldn't be gone too long to where it would be cause for concern.
"Mika, nice to see you again." Evgenia smiled seeing the girl walking closer to her, before holding out a cup of coffee towards her. "Aw thank you, you didn't have to."
"I figured coffee was fitting for our talk, but you're welcome Ev." Mika smiled taking a sip of her own coffee.
The two walked silently for a bit before Evgenia spoke up. "How's your knee? Surgery go okay?" She hoped it had, not wanting to see Eteri ruin yet another young skater before they hit their prime.
"It's good, they fixed it. Told me it wasn't as bad as they initially thought it was but I'm too scared to get back on the ice again." Mika said softly as she stuck her free hand in her hoodie pocket.
Evgenia could only give the girl a sad smile. She knew what that felt like after she had found out she could only do two small jumps now because of her back injury.
"You know I know how you're feeling, to be cast aside for the next shiny new toy when you're broken and need fixing, the ones who you trusted the most abandoning you instead of being there to help you back up." The older girl spoke, as she looked at the sky for a moment, it was a sunny morning in august, the air was cool but not cold, Mika could see the Soph house from the park and wondered what the boys were doing.
"I remember." Mika nodded, she remembers how Evgenia and Alina went up against eachother back in 2018 and how she got beat by, the then fifteen year old, Alina. She went from being Eteri's star child to second place in a matter of minutes just like Yulia had when Evgenia came along.
But she had seen it with Alina too.
Alina had been replaced by herself, Sasha, and Aliona.
Just like how now she was being replaced by Kamila and Sasha.
Mika sighed. "It's been really hard for me to accept being replaced by someone who is better in every aspect. It's like my confidence took a huge hit, and I can't seem to shake off this feeling of inadequacy. All because my knee gave out."
"I understand how you feel. It's never easy to see someone excel in something you were once passionate about. That's how I felt when Alina beat me for gold. But instead of dwelling on feeling replaced, think about it as an opportunity to grow and improve. Remember, there will always be someone better, but that doesn't define your worth or potential." Evgenia said looking over at the shorter girl with a soft look.
Mika nodded as she ran her hand through her hair before tucking a few pieces behind her ear as she took another drink of her coffee. "It's also been tough to even think about skating again after my knee injury. I used to love it so much, but now I'm scared to even step back onto the ice."
"It must have been incredibly traumatic, both physically and emotionally. But remember, skating is a passion of yours, and you shouldn't let one setback define your entire journey." The older girl spoke as she slipped her hands into her jacket pockets.
"I know, but I can't help but worry about getting injured again. The fear is just holding me back from even trying." Mika didn't know why it had her in such a suffocating hold, skating was her one true lifeline.
"Mika it's completely normal to feel scared after such a significant injury. But you have to remember that you've worked so hard to get to where you were before. You are the reigning world champion and three time russian national champion. Don't let that hard work go to waste. Take small steps to rebuild your confidence and trust in your body again it's what I had to do." Evgenia paused as she turned to look at her.
"That sounds like a good plan. But what if my fear doesn't go away? What if I can't shake this feeling of vulnerability and I get on the ice and end up failing again?" The younger girl couldn't help but ramble before Evgenia stopped her.
"It's important to remember that fear is a natural response, especially after a traumatic experience. Try not to fight it but rather acknowledge it and work through it. Consider seeking support from a sports psychologist or counselor who can help you manage your anxiety and build mental resilience." The older girl offered, she had done the same after leaving Eteri and it helped immensely.
"I never thought about seeking professional help for the mental aspect of my recovery. I'll definitely look into that. It's nice to know that there are resources available to help me through this instead of just going through it by myself or ignoring it." Mika nodded along as she thought it over.
"Absolutely. Remember, skating is not just about physical strength; it's also about mental fortitude. Stay connected with your love for the sport and find inspiration from other skaters who have overcome similar challenges. Take it day by day, and eventually, that fear will start to fade away." Evgenia had learned a thing or two since she left Eteri and started training under Brian, she felt less pressured, more free to be happy.
"Thank you for your support and encouragement it really means a lot, I looked up to you when I was growing up, still do. I'm determined to get back out there and reclaim my passion for figure skating. It won't be easy, but I won't let this injury define me or hold me back any longer." Mika said determinedly as she thought about how right the older girl was, she needed to take the next step.
"You've got this! I believe in you. Take it one step at a time, and before you know it, you'll be back on the ice, doing what you love and proving Eteri that she shouldn't have dropped you." Evgenia said wrapping an arm around Mika with a grin.
They both had shared a moment of vulnerability. The sound of the leaves moving across the ground mirrored the spark in their eyes as they embarked on a heartfelt conversation about the possibility of returning to the ice after a long, arduous recovery from an injury.
With each word spoken, their emotions intertwined, weaving a tapestry of determination and resilience. The doubt and fear that once held them captive slowly dissipated, replaced by a renewed sense of hope and passion. As the leaves danced, their dreams reignited, fueling their shared desire to glide gracefully once again, defying the odds and embracing the beauty of figure skating with every leap, spin, and landing.
It was only a matter of time before the world saw Mika Zatsiev back on the ice where she shined like the bright star they all knew she was.
On the otherside of campus though-
"Hey, where's Meeks?" Ethan asked as he walked into the girls dorm with Mark in tow after their morning class, dropping his backpack next to his girlfiends bed as he noticed Mika's bed all made up and her nowhere to be found.
"I'm not sure, she was gone before I woke up this morning. Didn't ever say she was going anywhere today, I know she doesn't have class so I don't know where she's at." Lottie said tilting her head as she looked over at the girls bed wondering where she was too.
"Do you think she got lost? Should we go and gather the boys so we can look for her?" Mark asked now hyper aware that this clearly wasn't normal for the shorter brunette to just up and disappear like this.
"No Mark, we don't need to jump to conclusions that fast. I'm sure she probably just went out to grab breakfast or to hangout with Owen or Adam, she's warmed up to those two the most besides Eddy and I." Lottie said shaking her head dismissing the boys idea.
"We ran into Adam and Luca on the way here so she's not with him and Owen I'm pretty sure is with Bords in their Econ class." Ethan pointed out which caused Lottie to frown now, she had thought her roomie was with one of the two boys which she was clearly not. Maybe Mark's idea wasn't a totally insane idea.
"Let's give it an hour or so and see if she comes back, if not we can go ask Nolan what we should do. We don't wanna jump the gun on this." Lottie pointed out before making the two boys sit down so they could stop acting so suspicious if the girl was to walk in.
It was creeping up on an hour now and the three were getting antsy but when they heard the door open they all turned and saw Mika and Dylan standing in the doorway looking at them confused.
"What?" Dylan asked as he let Mika walk in first ahead of him. "Where have you been? I didn't know you were leaving." Lottie asked sitting up from where she was laying with Ethan.
"I had to meet up with an old skating friend to talk about some things is all, I didn't realize how late it would be or else I would've woke up and told you I'd be back." Mika rubbed her arm subconsciously feeling like she was in trouble. "Yeah and I ran into her on my way through campus, figured Eddy and mark would be here so I tagged along." Dylan shrugged.
"Dude we were about to gather the boys and send a search party for you had you just not walked through the door." Mark said wordily as he got up off the floor to hug the shorter girl.
Mika giggled as she let Mark pull her into a hug. "I didn't get kidnapped I just had to see a friend to talk some things over." She told the taller boy as she tried wiggling out of his hold which did nothing.
"Mark you're gonna squeeze her to death." Lottie chuckled as she watched the smaller girl try to get out of his hug.
"I just don't want her to disappear again." Mark pouted before letting Mika go. "So how about we all grab lunch? Or something. We've got a game tonight so we need to eat." He said patting his stomach.
"I mean I could eat." Dylan shrugged looking over at Ethan who agreed the two boys then turning towards Lottie and Mika. "How about you two?" Ethan asked as he got up to put his shoes back on.
"That sounds good to me, how about you Kiki?" Lottie asked the younger girl. "I'm okay with that." Mika nodded with a smile as she rocked on her feet.
"Sick! Let's go then come on!" Dylan said grabbing her arm and pulling her out of the room not waiting on the others. "Hey! Wait for me!" Mark called out as he jogged after the two who were already halfway down the hall.
"What are we gonna do with those three." Ethan joked as he let Lottie leave the room first before turning off the light and closing the door behind him. "There's no telling, it's like babysitting three kids." The massachusets girl said shaking her head as she felt her boyfriend wrap his arm over her shoulder as they calmly walked after the other three.
God lunch was about to be so chaotic.
Authors note:
Here we see the talk between Mika and Evgenia, I felt it was necessary for her to have someone to talk to that went through what she had, to give her the confidence she needs to get back on the ice. Let me know what you think!!