Ella's POV- February 2020
"Somethings been on your mind since we got here, Ella. Talk to me"
I bit my lip unsure of how I was going to tell Enzo this.
"Promise not to freak out," I told him as he handed me my robe.
"That depends"
He was so going to freak out.
"Theo is thinking about coming out of retirement," I disclosed.
His eyes immediately darted to the floor.
"Oh"
"When he dropped me off at the airport, he brought up the idea of us being pairs partners again" I explained.
He nodded his head still not looking at me.
"And I turned him down," I told him.
Theo did not take it well.
"Because you're my partner" I stated.
His eyes darted to me and he began to shake his head.
"Ella, no"
Wait, what?
"You can start at the senior level with him"
"Enzo, we've talked about this. I don't care that we have to go through regionals to get invited to Nationals" I replied.
If we did good enough we could receive our first international invite at the senior level.
"Ella, it's okay"
I frowned.
"You're not getting rid of me, Enzo," I said.
I wiggled my eyebrows earning a choked sobbed laugh from him.
"We're in it until the end" I informed him.
His mouth quirked up a bit.
"Or at least until we retire to focus on our other careers" I added.
He chuckled.
"Theo made his decision, and now he has to accept it" I stated.
I stepped forward and took his hands.
"Okay?" I asked.
He nodded.
"Okay"
"You're never getting rid of me" I informed him as I let go of one of his hands.
He chuckled as I attempted to laugh like a villain.
"Let's go change before we relapse," I told him as I shivered.
We were both sick with the flu a couple of weeks ago and had currently just taken an ice bath.
"Are you going to shower or just change?"
"Shower, I stink" I stated.
He smiled.
"Okay good, Gavin doesn't need to smell that"
I gasped and pretended to swat him.
"Rude" I noted.
He chuckled.
"I'll meet you outside"
"Take your time" I joked.
He laughed and walked away from me. Thirty minutes later, I exited the locker room with my duffle bag on my shoulder.
"Hey"
I looked up and smiled when I saw my sister making her way over. By the looks of it, she had come here straight from work. At the moment, she was sporting black pants and a blue half zip-up fitted sweater.
"Hey, Jos" I greeted.
Instead of hugging, we took a seat.
"Today was so long"
I nodded agreeing with her.
"I missed you"
I leaned my head on her shoulder.
"I missed you too" I answered.
She leaned her head against my head.
"I'm starving"
"Enzo is almost ready" I assured her.
He had texted me a couple of minutes ago saying he was a bit behind since his coach had called before he hopped into the shower. Our coaches were not present at today's practice, but there was a camera broadcasting our routine to them live.
"How's Asher?" I wondered.
"Working"
"Is he coming to visit you?" I wondered.
"Not for another two weeks"
Gavin was actually picking him up from the airport right now, but she didn't know that.
"Are you staying with me or Gavin?"
She shifted so I looked at her.
"Gavin" I replied.
She smiled.
"Do our parents know you're staying with him?"
Kinda hard to lie to them when they knew Asher was planning on surprising her.
"Have you?"
She wiggled her eyebrows.
"No" I answered.
"Really?"
She seemed surprised by my answer.
"It almost happened, but Theo ruined the moment" I revealed.
She laughed as I sat up.
"How far did you get?"
Gavin was struggling with my bra clasps.
"How old were you when you lost your virginity?" I wondered.
"I was 21"
Really?
"There was no time for boys, I barely had time to eat when I was in college"
She was a competitive swimmer.
"If I wasn't in class, I was either practicing or competing"
She shrugged.
"I know Nora was 19"
I nodded.
"Theo lost his virginity to Karen, so he was 18"
I knew that.
"So did Theo take the hint?"
"No" I answered.
She laughed.
"So I take it you've dealt with a clingy Theo?"
I nodded.
"Something on your mind?"
Was I an open book today?
"Theo wants to skate again" I revealed.
She raised an eyebrow.
"With you?"
I nodded as she sat up.
"What did you say to him?"
"I said no" I answered.
She smiled.
"That's great news because I've grown used to this stud"
She stood up and opened her arms.
"Lorenzo! I've missed you"
He set his duffle bag on the ground in order to hug her.
"You look great!"
His face flushed up as she kissed his cheek.
"This is all your diet plan"
She smiled and rubbed his bicep.
"Hungry?"
He nodded and patted his thigh when a phone chimed.
"It's me," I told him as I pulled my phone out of my jacket.
It was a text from Gavin.
"Gavin?"
"Yeah, he just woke up from his nap" I responded to Josie.
He and Asher had just picked up Chris.
"If I weren't starving, I'd be in bed"
Same.
"What are we eating?"
"Sushi," I told Enzo.
When we got to the restaurant, we were quickly seated because Gavin (and company) had arrived before us. The sight of Josie completely losing her cool when she saw Asher was quite precious.
"Nice to see you too, Els"
I smiled as I looked at Gavin.
"These are for you"
It was a beautiful bouquet of pink and red flowers.
"Thank you" I replied.
He smiled and kissed my forehead, cheek before finally giving me a quick peck.
"I missed you"
I hugged his waist as I looked up at him.
"Missed you too" I answered.
I kissed his jaw before stepping back. He handed me the bouquet, which I pressed up against my chest.
"You cut your hair," I noticed as we took a seat.
The smile on his face stayed as I cupped his cheek.
"I did"
He leaned his face against my cheek. We looked away when we heard the waitress introduce herself. After dinner, Gavin dropped Chris and Enzo off at their hotel (to give the love birds some space).
"Practice went well today?"
Today was the first time Enzo and I practiced lifts and throws.
"Yeah, I was only dropped twice," I said.
He glanced at me, away from the road.
"On the ice?"
I shook my head.
"No, we were on the ice for like 45 minutes," I told him.
His brows furrowed.
"What did you do with during the other 3 hours?"
"Stretched, worked out, and added the lifts and throw jumps into the choreography that Enzo and I have been learning separately" I replied.
He hummed.
"That makes much more sense"
"What?" I wondered.
"That you learn your routine off the ice"
"I'd be much more bruised up if it happened like that" I noted.
He chuckled as he slowed down the car to a stop. As he waited for the light to turn green, he looked at me.
"Just be careful?"
When we got to the hotel, Gavin asked for an extra key so I could go in and out of the room as I pleased. Once we were in the elevator, he cleared his throat.
"So there's this team bonding event on Sunday"
I looked at him.
"And I'd really like it if you came"
I failed to hide the fact that I did not want to go.
"Please? It will mean a lot to me"
"What time is it at?" I wondered.
"In the afternoon"
Darn, I had early practice Sunday.
"I know you don't have practice"
I bit my lip.
"Guess I have no other choice" I stated.
He smiled and stepped closer to wrap his arms around me.
"I'll make it up to you, I promise"
I hummed as he nuzzled his nose against my cheek.
"It's fine" I assured him.
He kissed my cheek and then grabbed my hand as the elevator door opened.
"How's your brother?"
I sighed as I watched him unlock the door.
"He wants to skate again" I mentioned.
Or so he claimed.
"With you?"
I nodded and stepped into his room.
"You already have a partner"
He placed my suitcase and duffle-bag on the floor by the TV stand.
"Is it horrible that I don't believe him?" I wondered.
He shook his head and took a seat on the bed.
"It's understandable"
I sat down next to him.
"I told him no" I revealed.
"Really?"
"You're not the first to make that face" I noted.
He chuckled as he reached for my hand.
"Who'd you tell?"
"Enzo and Josie" I answered as I held one of his hands with both my hands.
"You told Enzo?"
"Yeah, and he thought I was ending our partnership" I stated.
He frowned.
"Ella, what Enzo needs is a lot of assurance"
Oh, don't I know that.
"He feels guilty that we're starting the season at the Novice level," I said.
"I don't know much about skating, but I do know that he and Theo are at the same level"
Enzo had spent those two years he had partnerless working his butt off, and it showed.
"Remind him that, Ella"
I nodded and smiled as he lied down.
"Tired?" I asked.
"Yeah, I'm beat"
He closed his eyes.
"Today was a long day"
Tell me about it.
"We can watch a movie if you want?"
"Would we even watch the movie?" I wondered.
He hummed.
"I can't even keep my eyes open"
I nudged him before getting up.
"I'm going to unpack," I told him.
"Wait"
I laughed as he puckered his lips.
"Fine" I agreed.
He was tired, but he certainly kissed back.
"I thought you were tired" I joked as I nudged him.
"I always have the energy to kiss my girl"
I kissed his cheek before getting off of him to unpack. Once I unpacked all my stuff, I placed my suitcase in the closet before going to go change to my PJs. Gavin was softly snoring in his sleep as I approached him.
"Hey" I gently said.
He stirred and hummed.
"I bet you'd sleep better under the blankets" I stated.
He slowly pulled himself up and slipped off his hoodie and shirt off.
"It's okay if I sleep in just my boxers?"
"It's fine" I replied as I went back to the bathroom.
While he got into bed, I braided my hair and went through my nighttime skincare routine. After that, I set my alarm and put my phone to charge. Gavin was somehow still awake when I climbed into bed. I scooted closer to him and wrapped my arm around his torso as he hooked his leg on my waist.