Forget me not

Chapter 7

Serena P.O.V

School just ended and I am beat! I wish I didn't have to do detention practice with Coach Haruna but she had me wait after school in her room until she was ready to go to practice. Great people will see me walking with Miss Haruna and think I am a total nerd.

I kind of wanted to ask her to let me get a drink but before I could she grabbed my arm and pulled me into the rink. I wasn't even changed yet! She sat down and started to grade papers meanwhile I went and changed into a practice dress. She wants me to get used to wearing my costume but it isn't done yet so I have to wear a plain one but in my opinion it is much more comfortable.

We worked toe loops and lutz it was grueling because I kept missing my landing. I think she could tell I was getting frustrated because she had me stop and practice figure 8's on one foot. I don't know why because they are so basic but it gave me time to cool my head.

"Serena now try lifting your back leg."

I lifted it and suddenly these figure 8's became a lot harder. I kept wobbling.

"Keep your arms straight and remember your pretty hands." I almost fell over but having my arms out helped the wobbles a lot although they didn't stop completely.

"Head up, stop looking at your feet."

"I can't stop, if I don't I will fall."

"And if you fall then start over."

"That's exactly what I don't want to do."

"And why not?"

"Uh, I don't know."

"I do, you don't want to do more work, or because you are trying to be perfect. Listen Serena, I don't know what happened that night but I know that you can do better now and I think you do too. And if that is what is happening than there isn't much I can do about it."

"There isn't" I said lacking hope for my future.

"All I can do is coach you. The rest is up to you." I looked up and stopped. She was walking away. "And remember this, mistakes are proof that you are trying. Not proofs of failure."

Suddenly it hit me, I wasn't perfect nor did I have to pretend like I was because of my score. I started doing the figure 8's again. I made sure to keep my head up no matter how hard it was. Normally I just stay in this position for a second before I move on but I guess perfecting it will make my deductions decrease.

"Good, Serena. I think this should be part of your warm ups. Now back to your lutz's and loops."

I felt cooler and more confident, not in my skating but in my future. The more I practice now and perfect what I have the higher my score will be. I was about to go for my triple when she stopped me.

"Start with the basics, they are the core of the jump. A single for now." I was mad at that. I could totally pull a triple if I wanted to. But I see where she is coming from so I regained my composure and did a single, without hesitation and with good execution. At least I thought I did.

"Fix your sloppy leg."

"But I did my landing perfectly."

"In the jump, mistakes are easier to see slowed down." I just hit me why I did the single. She had me stand on one leg with my arms to my chest and she fixed my leg position.

"Now try again." I feel like she is drilling me harder but It is less of yelling more of working my muscle memory. I did it and I kept the leg in the same place but I landed facing the other direction. I was very confused.

"Keeping your leg angular reduces the friction caused by air particles, making you spin faster without any more thrust by you. It feels good to have more speed, but remember you were doing a single and not a double with less rotations. Try again and control the speed and the power Serena." I did what she told me, I compensated for the speed by decreasing the power I put into the jump. And I landed perfectly with the single.

"Do that about 50 more times."

Practice just got over and I am so tired and starving! I walked in my door and my mom yelled at me for my math test and told me to go to the library again! With Melvin! So I might have lied and told her that we made plans for after school tomorrow. It may sound like a dumb thing to do but I am starving and I need food not books.