Page 11 of Side By Side
“Cat, shut up! There’s no one here to judge your coaching ability, so can you just back off and let me do this, maybe?”
“Chandler, you have to be able to skate this.”
“I will. I’m tired. I didn’t want to come here.”
“Back to the start.”
“Fine,” she replied.
She went through the routine and almost made it out without a mistake until she hit a piece of ice that had likely been there from the rink not being cleaned before she’d arrived, and so she skittered along the ice, landing on her side more than her ass.
“What the fuck?!” Catalina yelled. “What happened?!”
“Nothing. I’m fine.” Chandler got up.
“Are you sure? Sit down.” Catalina hurried over to her.
“I’m fine.” She stood up on her skates.
“This is why I wanted the damn ice clean, Chandler.”
“Well, it wasn’t. And we’re in some small town’s local ice skating rink. What did you think would happen when you booked practice time right after it closed?”
“That you needed practice time alone because you can’t skate solo anymore.”
“That’s not fair,” Chandler pointed out.
“Isn’t it?”
“That was a long time ago, and it was in front of the whole damn world.”
“But you wanted pairs after that, and now you don’t even like to warm up alone, Chandler. What skater doesn’t like to be out here alone?”
“You know, just because you couldn’t make the team doesn’t mean you have to be a bitch to me, okay?”
“I’m not being a bitch. I’m trying to help you compete. You want to make the Olympic Team, and it’s my job to get you there. I might not have gotten there myself, but I never wanted it like you do. Or, at least, like you seemed to. I’m not sure anymore.”
“I need a break,” Chandler stated and skated away from her sister.
“A break?! We just got started,” Cat yelled after her.
“I’m getting a drink. Just chill.”
Chandler wasn’t sure what possessed her to walk on her skates toward the concession stand where Belle, who didn’t even recognize her, was working, but she walked right up to the counter, leaned on it, and watched as Belle turned around in surprise.
“Is there a problem?” Belle asked.
“Can I get a bottle of water, please?”
“We’re closed. I’m cleaning up.”
“Shit,” Chandler said. “It’s fine. I have a water bottle in my bag. I don’t even know what I came over here.”
Belle leaned a broom against the back wall of the concession stand and said, “I’ll get you one.” She walked over to a refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water. “On the house.”
“You don’t have to do that. Will you get in trouble or something?”
“Not likely. My dad’s the owner. Well, he’s the primary owner. I’m technically on the paperwork, too, but it’s his, really.” Belle set the bottle of water on the counter. “I have candy and chips. Everything else requires cooking.”