She hadn't stepped foot on the ice since she was ten years old, she was now seventeen years old. The ice brought back too many good and bad memories for the girl. She had learned to grow up without the ice, even if the ice used to be her life. Her best friend, now boyfriend, Adam Banks, still plays hockey and he's been wanting her to see one of his games, but she's too afraid to enter an arena.
Tapping her foot against the ground as she leaned against the wall and but her nail, she debated on walking inside the arena or not. She preferred to listen via her hand held radio and sit outside or in the car. Elle didn't know what to do, she was scared and it wasn't even a game going on. The practice had finished and everyone was getting ready to leave. She told Adam she would meet him after the practice inside the rink, but, she still hadn't left the hallway inside the school connecting the rink to the school.
"Hey, Elle, aren't you supposed to meet Adam in the rink?" Charlie asked, furrowing his brows, holding his bag off his shoulder.
"Um, yeah." She half nods. "I'm uh, think I'm gonna stand right here." She explained.
"Okay." He nods, patting her shoulder. "Hope to catch ya back out there."
"Bye, Charlie." She nods with a small smile.
When Adam hadn't come out, Elle walked inside the locker room for him, seeing a few of the boys. She hadn't been in there in years. For the first time in a long time, she saw half naked boys walking around in towels or shorts. It wasn't something she didn't expect, but she hadn't actually changed in the locker room with everyone like she used to.
The others greeted her kindly and said a few words and she replied, but she continued to look for Adam, who was skating around the ice still. He was determined that Elle come to the rink. He knew her fear of the ice, but he wanted to change things. He wanted to show her that one freak hockey incident couldn't stop her from seeing the ice or skating again. He missed having her play hockey with him. They'd been playing since Peewees, ever since he transferred teams. She was Fulton's little sister, she was an angel, she was a start, she was cute, soft, and quiet, but she could be something fierce, too.
"Guys?" Elle asked, walking out from the washroom and sink area. "Where's Adam?"
"He wanted to get a few more laps in." Russ spoke.
"Like how many?"
Averman shrugged, pulling his shirt on over his head. "Like a lot."
"You know him." Guy shrugged.
"Hockey, hockey, hockey!" Goldberg cheered, throwing a fist into the air with each word and she nodded with sigh.
Closing her eyes and standing by the door to leave into the hall for the rink, she took in a large deep breath. Forcing herself out the door and turning to the rink, she crossed her arms, rubbing her upper arms as she glanced around. She had never been inside that rink before, she had never played for the team, even if she'd been offered a slot. She hadn't played at the Games, too afraid to play, so she watched and helped train the others, anywhere off the ice.
When Elle was ten years old, she had been playing with her friends, the Ducks, on the pond during the winter. She was told to wear her gear and had refused to because she'd been so eager to play. Fulton was told to watch her and make sure she didn't get hurt or come home sick. However, that day, she had gone too far with learning a new move and she'd fallen, slitting the back of her head open on the ice. She couldn't remember much from that day or for a while, she'd gotten stitches and had fallen into a short coma.
She can still feel the scar and she can still envision that happening to her again. Of course, Fulton blamed himself for days and the Ducks had to go without their friend and teammate. Adam smiled when he saw her from the corner of his eye. He waited for her to approach the ice and she did, slowly and cautiously, her eyes half open. He wanted to laugh, but he couldn't after all she'd gone through.
"You made it." He smiled.
"Sorta." She breathed heavily and came to a halt at the edge of the ice, leaning against the boards to look at her.
"I'm proud." He nods. "Wait til you make it out here."
She shook her head. "I can't." She sighed, closing her eyes and finding his hand to hold. He brought his hand out from his glove and met hers, holding it tightly.
"Open your eyes, Elle, I wouldn't let anything happen, you know that." He told her, rubbing her hand.
"I know," She let a tear slip. "I don't wanna get hurt again."
"It's been seven years. Maybe it's time you try. I'll help you and I promise I wouldn't let you go. I can even grab one of those pushy things that the little kids use."
She half laughed, but stopped, still in a worry. "I'm okay."
He wiped her tear and leaned in, placing a kiss to her cheek. "Trust me." He pulled her slowly towards the ice, opening the door for her.
"I-I can't." She looked him in the eye. "I can't do it." She stopped, leaning her head against him. She wanted to do it for him, because she knew he found it hard not being with her on the ice. His life revolved around the ice, that was who he and his family were. She was the same way, but as things changed, she learned to live off the ice like regular people who didn't play hockey, skate, or did figure skating.
"It's fine." he told her. "You'll get there one day. For now, let's go." He stepped off the ice, shutting the gate and walked beside her, still having an arm wrapped around her waist. He stood a lot taller than she did, but she was happy to have someone understandable and patient like him, she was lucky in so many ways.