The "Axel Wall" wasn't just a metaphor. To Jen, it felt like a literal mountain she had to climb while wearing lead boots.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgfeWxh4R6
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Because the rink was expensive and ice time was limited, John moved their training to the school’s old gymnasium after hours. The smell of floor wax and stale basketball sweat replaced the crisp ozone of the rink.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSdw2YIYGTa
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"If you can't rotate on land, you'll never do it on the ice," John explained. He was holding a "spinner"—a small, curved piece of plastic designed to simulate the friction of a blade. "An Axel is the only jump where you take off forward. It’s a leap of faith, Jen. You have to trust that your body will find the ground."51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTOMzGeB5bT
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"I trust my body to find the ground," Jen joked weakly, wiping sweat from her forehead. "Usually with my knees first."51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAnKLJ0auXQ
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John didn't laugh this time. He stepped closer, reaching out to adjust her posture. His hands moved to her waist, guiding her hips to align with her shoulders. The gym was silent except for the distant sound of a janitor’s mop in the hallway. Being this close to him, without the barrier of thick winter jackets and scarves, made Jen’s heart skip a beat.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFAjlNW3AM
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"Close your eyes," John whispered.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9tq8GZ0A8
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Jen obeyed. She could feel the warmth radiating from him, the scent of peppermint faint on his breath.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqlEIG3BlBS
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"Feel your center of gravity," he said. "The world is spinning, Jen. The ice is moving. But inside, you have to be a pillar of steel. On my count, I want you to jump and try for a single rotation. I’ve got you."51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmPg5sMyZw
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"One... two... three!"51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRBaiGTFFzj
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Jen launched herself. For a split second, she felt the exhilarating sensation of weightlessness—until her sneakers hit the hardwood at the wrong angle. She stumbled, her weight throwing her backward.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrb3Bpd6C27
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John’s arms were there instantly. He caught her, pulling her flush against his chest to stop her momentum. Jen’s breath hitched. Her hands were resting on his forearms, feeling the hard, lean muscle built from years of skating.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwt0E7Nu0KV
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They stayed like that for a beat too long. John didn't let go immediately. He looked down at her, his dark eyes searching hers with an intensity that made Jen feel like she was under a spotlight.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiUWhstsO4S
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"Why are you doing this, John?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. "Sasha was right. You’re a Junior National star. You should be practicing your own Quads, not catching a girl who can't even land a dry-land jump."51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcoEq0a0prH
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John let out a long, shaky breath and leaned his forehead against hers. "Because when I was at the top, I was miserable. I had all the medals, but I felt like a machine. Watching you... seeing the way your face lights up when you land a simple crossover... it reminds me why I loved skating in the first place."51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDvvVIVSPo
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He stepped back, though his hands lingered on her arms. "You’re not a 'charity case,' Jen. You’re my reason for coming back to the ice."51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50B04f0gzS
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Later that evening, they sat on the bleachers, sharing a bottle of water. The moon shone through the high gym windows, casting long, silver rectangles across the floor.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1QDaJ9AdL
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"My dad used to tell me that skating is like a conversation with the ice," John said, staring at the empty gym. "But after we moved, I stopped talking. I just performed. I was depressed, Jen. I’d sit in the locker room after winning a gold medal and feel... nothing. Just cold."51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMmkMAfsa8B
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Jen reached out, tentatively placing her hand over his. "Is that why you came back?"51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9IHt7ss2Qk
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"I came back because I realized I left my heart in that sandbox in our old neighborhood," he said, turning his hand over to interlace his fingers with hers. "I needed to see if you were still here. And seeing you skate today... seeing you pass those tests... it’s the first time I’ve felt warm in five years."51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡweNTumZmyy
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Jen felt a surge of "Medalist" fire in her chest—not for the sport, but for him. She realized then that she didn't just want the gold medal for herself. She wanted to win so she could stand beside him. She wanted to be a partner he could be proud of, not just a student he had to protect.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuF2nDDrHR
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"Teach me the Axel," Jen said, her voice full of newfound steel. "I don't care how many times I fall. I'll do it a thousand times if I have to."51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6srbxYXkn3
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John smiled, and this time, it reached his eyes. "Then let's get back to work. We have three hours until the janitor locks up."51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHEEfzKXLr8
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The rest of the night was a cycle of jumping and falling. By the time Jen’s mom pulled up in the parking lot to pick her up, Jen’s legs felt like jelly.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2mbiLf4TXF
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As she walked to the car, she saw Sasha Miller’s sleek sports car driving past. Sasha slowed down, her window tinting low enough for Jen to see her icy stare. Sasha didn't say anything, but she revved the engine before speeding off.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG3jKFkc4I9
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The message was clear: The gym is one thing. The ice is another.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzSgGaYlSZg
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Jen got into her mom’s car, her hand still tingling from where John had held it.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBSSNp26wc
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"You look exhausted, honey," her mom said, reaching over to squeeze her hand. "Was it a hard practice?"51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡivWJkIW7UP
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"The hardest," Jen said, looking out the window at the moon. "But Mom? I think I'm finally starting to fly."51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6MRMHkeAKJ
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