Pairs spin… Hmm at what stage? Maybe after my solo Storm inspired dance break. Pull waltz jump, yeah, that will work.

I realize I’m mumbling out loud to myself and probably one step away from spinning while I’m walking, but I don’t care.

“Hey, dork! Watch where you’re going. You should try looking up next time. You’re so strange.” A snobby snap is what I hear, immediately recognizing the voice it’s coming from.

A barrel of laughter hits my ears, wrenching me out of the choreographed ice movie cycling through my head.

Mercury Parker. The poster child for evil in the form of a long-legged, Pantene commercial monster, right along with her two minions—Taylor and Payne.

Everytime I see them, I want to excuse them from my frame of reference.

“Shut up, Mercury. Find a hole to crawl into,” I bite back.

I’m not one to bow down to bullies, but it’s tiresome to deal with the little mosquito gang all the time.

My fingers wrap around my bag a little tighter, and I give Mercury my best sharp glare.

It’s tempting to join her in the gutter, but I bite my tongue, deciding that if I get into a hallway war with her, I’ll lose the magic of the ice routine I’m building in my head.

Why can’t they accept me like they do everybody else?

The good news is not everybody is laughing, just her pitiful friends. Some of the other kids walking past are giving her the stink eye on my behalf.

Silently, I thank them.

She’s not as popular as she wishes to be, but students suckhole up to her because of her father.

Cowards…

“What are you going to do? Tell the principal?” Mercury throws it in my face, her arctic blue eyes flashing with challenge.

I wish, I wish, that her father—Gunthe--wasn’t the head honcho of the school.

Even if I do want to report her, it would most likely fall on deaf ears. Or there would be some kind of special ‘loophole’ to paint her as the victim.

“Mercury, just go to class, or the mall, whatever you do.” I wave her off with an annoyed grumble.

I’m lucky enough that Padmire is rounding the corner in a red-and-black flannel, pushing his glasses up on his nose.

Dunta-du-dah! I play his hero swan song in my head. I’m glad I get to see a friendly face, otherwise I would be doomed.

He sees the sour look on my grill, and his eye catches onto the hideous three standing with their hands dug into their hips.

“Go to the mall? What are you even talking about? It’s you who's always cutting class with your stupid figure skating. Careful, I wouldn’t want you to fall over and break a leg.”

“Jealous much? You heard what the good lady said. Keep it pushing, Mercury.” Padmire flips his hand like I did at Mercury, while Taylor and Payne stick their tongues out.

“There’s nothing to be jealous of, and you wouldn’t know about a mall because all you do is skate. Who wants to do that?”

A huge smile sweeps over my face. “Have you ever been ice skating, Mercury? Maybe I can teach you.” I bat my eyelashes at her, thinking about how many times her bony, white ass would bruise once I got her on the ice.

Padmire puts a fisted hand to his mouth snickering. “Hello!”

“Shut up, Paddy wagon. I can skate if I want to. Who cares! You’re not going to make it anyway. They’re not going to let your kind in.”

All three of them spin on their heels and walk in unified sync.

Now I’m BIG mad. My fingers curl, itching to run after her and yank her brunette ponytail so hard she falls, but I compose myself like my father taught me, despite the sting in my soul.

My kind? How dare she! See, now my ice creation bubble’s burst, and I can’t get it back.

“Never let them see you sweat, baby. Don’t worry about a thing, because that old saying still rings true. Folks just don’t know. What goes around, comes right back around. Mmm, hmm, right on back.”

That’s one piece of advice Anton--my adoptive father--gave me when I came home from being bullied. I wish he were here beside me. He’d know the right words to say, but I’m glad Padmire’s my substitute.

I hug Padmire. “Going for the grunge look today?” I ask, trying to divert my attention to him. “Thanks for saving me from them.”

“You’re welcome.” Padmire pulls up part of his flannel top, staring at it as if for the first time. “I may or may not need to wash more clothes.”

“You look great, suits you.” I look down at my watch. “I gotta roll, I’ve got math class, and Mr. Harvey already has me on the tardy list.”

“Me too. I’m sliding this way. See you later, right?” Padmire asks, but I don’t know when I’m going to be able to see anybody.

I never know. Training comes first, and there’s this yucky guilt that sticks like mud to my insides when I think of neglecting my friends.

“I think so. I got practice, but text me.”

“Alright, sure thing.” Padmire hitches his backpack up on his shoulder. “And hey…”

“Yeah?”

“What do you want for your birthday? Please don’t let it involve Marvel Comics or figurines, girlfriend.”

“What, why not?”

“For one, you have enough already. A whole two shelves dedicated, and don’t you want something else for a change?” He groans, slumping his shoulders.

“I have no idea what I want, but when I do, I’ll let you in on it.”

Padmire smiles warmly at me. “Don’t let them get to you. They’re just jealous atoms with no molecular structures.”

I bust out laughing, the sting of the three Pantene commercial candidates dissolving.

“Padmire. Get out of here, boi!”

“You know it’s true. Bye, skating princess, check you later.”

I smile, getting back to floating on the ice with Reggie. I’ve got the flutters, and I want so badly for us to make it. We’re like survivors, Reggie and I.

Pulling out my phone, I text Reggie.

ME: Do you think you would wear a Wolverine costume? I don’t know how you can pull off the claws though. You’d have to change your hair too.

REGGIE: I think I can pull it off. Slick it back or something.

ME: I’ve got some ideas about our routine. I’m so pumped!

REGGIE: So do I. I saw this cool move where the guy puts the girl on his shoulders. You’re light enough.

ME: Who did that? Send me the link! I wanna see it.

REGGIE: Sure. Give me a sec.

I’m dancing on the spot, but I have to get to class. I’m going to be later than late.

Reggie sends through a Youtube video, and it stops me in my tracks. I can’t not watch it. The girl is so brave and has such trust in her partner, it’s incredible.

It’s hard for me to think of climbing on top of Reggie’s shoulders. I mean they’re broad and angular enough, but pairs—man, I’m going to have to step my blade game up in so many ways.

ME: Shut up! This is epic. I can’t believe this. Think we can do it?

REGGIE: We can do it. You’re so light, I can just about fit you in my pocket.

ME: Doubtful, but hey, that would be a good ice party trick. I gotta go!

REGGIE: Cool. See you at training. Don’t let those bullies get you down. We got Olympic gold to go get.

ME: I won’t. Thanks for the back-up.

REGGIE: It’s what we do in a wolf pack! Smiley emoji.

I slide my phone back in my bag, confident we can make it, but for some reason, my birthday pops up in my mind.

My parents with their stern faces. Why would they say my life is going to change at seventeen? It’s changing enough already. I sigh deeply, a vague panic cropping up, but I press it down with a determined swallow.

Nothing is going to stop me from going to the Winter Olympics. I have to make it.

Drifting in another world, I drop my bag off to my locker and book it to class. I hate being late!

“Ms. Walker, you are running late once again.” Mr. Harvey’s overbite gets the better of him as he grinds his teeth. I sneak in sheepishly.

“Sorry, sorry! My bad.”

I get through the class by dreaming up more choreographed routines in my head and pretending to write notes. The crazy thing is I actually do pretty well in his class.

His teachings must sink in my brain via osmosis somehow. By the time I get out of his class, a sense of dread fills me. Almost like I’ve lost something…

Oh. No. No. No. My skates. My locker! A flashback of me leaving my locker door open makes me snap my fingers in irritation.

“Crap!” I break out into a run, bumping students along the way. I’m wheezing by the time I get to my locker. Please let them still be here. Please.

The door is crooked like somebody’s bent it, and I take two guesses as to who.

Dammit! I dare to look inside, wishing I didn’t because my textbooks are still in there with a note.

Play with fire, you get burned.

Of course, who would steal those? My beautiful white skates, they’ve disappeared.

I spin around, searching high and low. I step up on my tippy toes, checking the top of the lockers, around the lockers, and now I’ve got this burn scorching in my chest. I know exactly who’s taken my skates, but right now I’m panicking.

That’s when it happens, I turn around to see my white skates in the trash across the hall. I fish them out, wilted lettuce leaves and all, stuck to the blade protector, and my nose picks up some funky smell.

Defeated, with students giggling at me, I have to cop their stares.

“Stinky stinky! Grossness,” one girl says with her friend.

“You’re gross, shut up!” I clap back, pouting and stalking back to my locker with my skates in tow.

Mercury and her sabotage gang need a lesson handed to them, but I don’t have the time or heart to play get back games.

I need moral support, stat, so I text my crew.

ME: Mercury and her crew trashed my skates. I accidently left my locker open. Boo!

AVA: What a bitch! How do you know it was her?

ME: She left me a sweet note in my locker. Had to be from her.

TERRI: She sucks! I hate them all.

AVA: Babe! I have an idea. I’ve got drama class in a minute, and I’ve got dibs on her locker. Shaving cream’s involved.

I clap a hand over my mouth, doing a little dance. My girls are the best, I’m so grateful to have them.

ME: Yes, girl! Send me a picture when you do the deed.

TERRI: Shave her locker down. Send me pics too. Taking your skates is too far!

AVA: Done and done, nobody messes with my girl's skates.

ME: You’re the best, Ava! Love you. xoxo

AVA: Love you right back. I can’t wait for this. Drama, drama, drama baby!

TERRI: Wait 'til we tell Padmire! He’s going to be so excited.

ME: Him and me both. I gotta go see if I can salvage what’s left of my skates. Bye y’all.