Chapter 17

 

Blake

 

“Do you always hang in the shadows? This is getting really creepy.” Becca asked, her boots clicking on the cement steps.

“If you’re going to try and hit me again, at least let me know where, so I can be prepared. I’m supposed to meet with a protein bar company and would prefer not to have a black and blue face,” I said, holding up my hands.

Becca shook her head, walking toward the alcove and the wall I was leaning against. “No hitting this time. Just talking. You know something you should be doing with my sister instead of just trying to make a show for the media.”

“This isn’t a show. This is what I do. I know your sister is reserved and all, but sometimes you gotta make a statement,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. I expected her to hit me again anyway without warning and I probably deserved it. But I couldn’t stay away. I had to watch Kelly. I loved seeing her so entranced with skating. Hell, it had only been a week, but I was starting to love everything the girl did. I would have told her that too if she ever talked to me that is.

“Statements aren’t always going to get you the girl. Especially one like my sister. It couldn’t hurt you to maybe try and talk to her. Go to our room or something. I don’t know. I can message you when she goes to the coffee shop or something. I don’t know. I’m not good at this shit.”

I groaned. “What do you want me to say, Becca? That I’m going to pull some move like those guys in the movies? Maybe I could be like that long-haired guy from that teen movie who buys the girl a guitar. Though, I don’t see your sister as the band type. Maybe I could just get her some new skates. How much do those things cost anyway?”

“Or…you could try talking to her. You know like a real person. Face to face. No jokes. No gimmicks. Just you and my sister,” Becca offered.

“Yeah, the key is finding her and getting her to talk to me,” I muttered, stuffing my hands in my pockets.

“You know, we’re supposed to go to dinner tonight with my parents after this performance. If you happened to show up, I’m sure Mom would invite you to join us,” Becca offered.

I raised an eyebrow. “Why are you helping me? I thought you hated me after everything with your sister.”

She sighed. “Because it sucks when you like someone and then you mess up in a big way and don’t know how to fix it.”

“Speaking from personal experience?” I asked.

“I don’t think that’s any of your business, Dreads.”

I shook my head. “Hey, just offering. Since you’re helping me out, maybe I can help you.”

Becca blew out a big breath, and her shoulders sagged as if she had given up. “Okay. It’s a guy I really shouldn’t be with, because of how close he is with my..er… family. If things messed up between us, it could go really bad. I thought we were just going to be a hookup for The Games, but…wait, why am I telling you all of these details?”

“This guy wouldn’t happen to be your sister’s skating partner, would he?” I raised my eyebrows, already knowing the answer.

“If I said ‘no’ would you even believe me?”

I laughed, finally letting the weight off my shoulders since the beginning of our conversation. “I think the guy’s pretty into you as well. You should just tell him, ‘ey, I like you.' And see where it goes.”

“First off, I’m not saying ‘ey’ because that’s really Canadian sounding. And two, that’s easier said than done. What if things go bad? Even though this is probably Kelly’s last Olympics, I’m sure I’ll see him again, and it’ll be super awkward. Not that it isn’t awkward enough that Kelly walked in on us…”

I shook my head, trying to get the visual of Logan’s pasty naked ass out of my head. “Should I even ask what happened with that?”

“I know Kelly wouldn’t have walked in on us if you didn’t pull that dick move with her finding out she was a bet, so she left your little date or whatever it was early,” Becca growled.

I put my hands up. “Okay, fair enough.” I sighed, taking a step forward. “Look, Becca, I know you’ve gotta hate me and you know I like your sister, something I messed up. But I can tell you from experience, if you do really like Logan, tell him. If everything goes wrong, at least you have this time together.”

Becca raised an eyebrow. “Are you giving this advice to me or yourself?”

I shrugged. “Maybe both.”

The crowd roared with applause behind us, and Becca looked up at the stands, letting out a deep breath. “I’d better go. Hopefully, I get to watch my sister get a medal.”

I nodded. “Yeah. Hopefully, it’s gold.”

Becca smirked. “Not likely, but I’ll message you where we’re going after this. If she doesn’t get a medal, either you’re going to cheer her up, or I’m going to have hurt you again.”

I smiled in spite of her words. “Sounds like a plan.”

 

***

 

Becca messaged me the address of a restaurant downtown Pyeongchang, not far from the bar we went to the first night before the Opening Ceremony.

The guys and I had been living off microwave burritos and Mcdonalds, so I couldn’t turn down a chance for local food, and to get to talk to Kelly. Though I had no idea what the hell I was going to say to her. Especially not in front of her parents.

The restaurant was almost completely covered with snow and packed with more Americans than the place had probably ever seen. That was the only way I found the place, because there wasn’t much for lights or signs, not that I could read Korean, but the line out the door said it must have been popular.

There was one particular table, crowded in the back, past the smell of sizzling food, that everyone was clamoring to see the girls at that table. Just like everyone else, I was drawn to the blonde in the corner. The one with the megawatt smile that’s sparkle matched the silver medal hanging around her neck. A medal that would have been gold if it wasn’t for me distracting her. Not that the girl wasn’t a distraction to me, but that distraction motivated me. Made me want to push for better. If that’s all I ever got from her, I should have been happy and so should have my parents. But I didn’t just want her to push me for that one week. I wanted her to push me forever. As stupid as it sounded since I barely knew the girl, I wanted to have her for as long as she’d let me. Maybe it would only be during The Games or a few months after. Or maybe it really would be forever.

My parents had always ground it into me that I had to be the best and work my ass off to get it. But when they pushed, it always made me just want to do the opposite. They had me in fancy ski lessons, and I immediately dropped out when I was in middle school and picked up a board, never stopping. Mom and Dad tried to pretend I never started. I had to save up my own money from tips in at the lodge restaurant to buy my own board and taught myself by watching videos online. When I got the attention of some bigger skiers and snowboarders on the slopes, Mom and Dad finally accepted it as a career then got me a coach to start training me for the Olympics. It took me another thirteen years to make The Games, and each time I didn’t qualify, my parents just pushed harder. It wasn’t until I went away to train on my own for a few months that I was finally able to make it. I had to be my own motivation.

But with Kelly, everything was different. She made me want to be better. Didn’t push, just gave me the inner jolt I needed to board the best I ever had. If only I could go back and not make that bet. Then again, if I didn’t agree to it, then I wouldn’t have ever met the golden girl.

“Blake, fancy seeing you here,” Logan said, standing up and yelling over the crowd. Thank God, he changed out of that stupid puffy shirt and vest that made him look like a gay pirate and wore a black sweater and jeans.

I glanced between him and the smiling Becca in her white beanie with wild blonde curls flying out from under it. Then I felt the heat of everyone’s eyes on me. Everyone but Kelly who kept her head down, signing a napkin for someone.

Becca and Kelly’s mom, Diane, stood up. I loved her bright, warm smile. It was nicer than any expression I’d ever gotten from my parents. “Blake! I feel like it’s been forever since we’ve seen you! I hope you weren’t expecting cheese curds since Becca ate them all.”

“Damn right I did,” Becca said, putting her fist in the air.

Diane took the few steps toward me and enveloped me in a big hug. Her giant American flag sweater smelled like Korean food and a lot of floral perfume. It smelled like a warm and inviting home. Something I’d been missing out on and didn’t know it until I met this American family.

“Hey, Diane, sorry, been busy,” I said with a small smile as she let go of me.

“Well join us for dinner! There’s always room for one more!” She put her hand on my arm, smiling brightly.

“I’m sure he’s busy and has to get back to the slopes, Mom,” Kelly said, piping up as she signed one more autograph then the crowd slowly scurried away as if they didn’t want to feel her wrath.

She looked so small in the corner of the table in her light blue sweater and blonde hair over her shoulder. Small but fierce. She could give a look that could melt the ice. Or my heart.

I looked up, meeting Kelly’s eyes. There was a hint of sadness, but something else to them: hope. At least that’s what I wanted it to be. “I don’t have any more competitions, so I’m pretty free, if you don’t mind me joining,” I said cautiously with a shrug.

Kelly pursed her lips. “Not at all.”

I walked with Diane the few steps to the empty seat at the table and Kelly’s dad, Dwayne, stood up, giving me a handshake that would knock the snot off a moose. He was Country big, towering over me in size and weight with a long gray beard that fell to the middle of his plaid shirt which stretched across his stomach like it was about to burst. “Glad to see you, Blake. That was one hell of a performance you had.”

“You saw my slalom?” I asked, taking a seat.

Dwayne laughed, sitting next to me. “Well, when Becca said she had tickets to see something else, I couldn’t turn it down. We only got to watch it from the stands and not in the athlete section, but it was still one hell of a show. No offense, Kelly, Skating’s nice and all, but it’s nice to get out in the snow. You know as long as I’m not driving in it. Or have to be up milking the cows.”

“I’m guessing there are some Korean cows if you’re getting homesick. Who watches them while you’re gone anyway?” I asked.

Dwyane laughed a deep belly laugh, slapping me on the back which almost knocked my teeth out. “You’re funny kid.”

“Okay?” I asked, not sure how else to respond.

“They have people that work for them to help take care of the cows,” Kelly muttered.

Dwayne smiled like a proud Papa. “Yep. That would have never been possible if Kelly, here, wouldn’t have become our little golden girl. Hell, if neither one of my girls were Olympic superstars, they’d probably still be my only workers. Never thought I’d be watching them in The Games, or eating food at a hole in the wall in Korea. What do you suppose bulgolgi is anyway? Some kind of fish?” he asked, staring at the menu.

“It says right underneath it, Dad, the one you’re looking at is squid and pork belly,” Becca said, leaning over him and pointing at the menu.

“Why in the hell would anyone want to eat squid and pork? If you’re gonna have pork it better be a pork chop, fried with gravy,” Dwayne said with a gruff ‘hrmph.' “Have you eaten any of this shit?” he asked, pointing the menu in my direction.

I shook my head. “Can’t say that I’ve gotten a chance to eat much of the local food, sir. It’s usually McDonald's or microwaving something in my cabin. The only time I’ve really had anything decent was with your daughter, but she hasn’t let me take her out in a while.”

I took a chance and looked up, smiling at Kelly. Instead of her fake smile, she smirked, squinting her eyes.

Diane blinked, looking at her daughter who was sitting next to her. “Well, now that competitions are over and you just have exhibitions, Kelly, maybe you two could get together again. At least before going back to the states. Blake, how far are you from Lake Placid?” Diane turned toward me.

“I’d have to Google it, but it’s not a long plane ride, I know,” I said, keeping my eyes on Kelly.

She didn’t even look at me and put her napkin on the table, standing up and pushing out her chair. “I need to use the restroom. Excuse me.”

Kelly didn’t wait for a response as she made her way toward the back of the restaurant.

“What the hell was that about? Is she on her period or did you do something really bad to piss her off?” Dwayne asked, watching her walk away.

“Maybe I should go talk to her,” Becca offered, but before she could stand, I pushed my chair back, the wooden legs screeching against the linoleum floor.

“Don’t worry. I’ll go see if she’s okay,” I said, not waiting for anyone to say something before I left the table and headed in the direction of the two small restrooms.

I guessed that they were one stalls since the restaurant couldn’t have been bigger than the tiny cabin I was staying in, so I wouldn’t have to worry about anyone else walking in. I just prayed Kelly was actually in there and didn’t run away, or lock the door.

With luck, I jiggled the handle, and the door opened easily to a small, white tiled room with a toilet and sink directly in front of me, so close that I practically hit my knee on the toilet when I walked in. Standing in front of the small mirror was Kelly, who as soon as she saw my reflection whirled around, her eyes wide. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

I closed the door and locked it before turning toward her, and taking the two steps across the floor until I was right in front of her. I put my hands on her cheeks and pulled her lips to mine. I missed her taste. Her touch. I didn’t realize how much until I felt her mouth against mine.

She groaned and pulled back, trying to put as much space as she could between us in the tiny bathroom. “You can’t just show up at dinner, which I’m sure Logan told you about, and then follow me to the bathroom like some kind of stalker.”

“First off, it was Becca that invited me and second off; I’m not a stalker. I just saw how upset you were when you left the table and volunteered to check on you,” I said, putting my hands on the sink, resting my palms as close as I could to her sides without touching her, even though I wanted to. I wanted to feel her so bad. It had only been a short while that I’d known her and that I’d been able to touch her, but I missed it. I missed everything about her.

Kelly glared, which should have hurt me, but instead, I couldn’t help but smile at how cute she looked when she was mad with her furrowed brow. “You should know why I’m upset.”

“I do. I completely understand. You should be enraged. Hitting me. Screaming at me. But instead, you’re giving me that look. That absolute look of hatred which guts me, Kelly.”

“I’m sure you’ll get over it. You have Alexis to keep you warm,” she muttered.

“Fuck Alexis. I mean, not literally. But you have to know she’s nothing to me.”

“Then why was she at your slalom? Why are you doing a sponsorship with her?”

I groaned and craned my neck before meeting Kelly’s eyes. “Want me to say ‘no’ to the sponsorship? Because I’ll do it. I was only going to take the damn deal so my parents would get off my back. Now that I have two medals around my neck I can get something better than a pain in the ass shampoo company who wanted to cut off my dreads anyway.”

“You were going to cut your dreads?” Kelly asked softly, her hand going up toward my hair that fell on my shoulder. The jolt of electricity between us went straight below my belt just thinking about the feeling of her running her fingers through my hair. Then it was as if she realized what she was doing and shook her head, putting her hand down when she was only millimeters away from touching me.

“I didn’t want to, mainly because I knew how much you liked them,” I whispered.

“You shouldn’t say no to something just because of me. I don’t want to be the one to ruin your career,” she said softly.

I moved my hands slowly up to her sides. Her body melting into my hands. “Kelly, you’ve done the exact opposite. You’ve inspired me to do better. To be better. Without you at these Games, I’d probably still be a punk ass snowboarder who people only believed finally got here because his parents paid off some officials. It may have been a bet that got me talking to you, but if I had to do it all over again, I’d still take that bet.”

Kelly narrowed her eyes, but before she could speak, I leaned in closer, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her warm body against mine. “You’re the best thing that’s come into my life. Ever. You challenge me to do better. You make me feel something I’ve never felt before. That stupid bet may have been the reason I started talking, but damn I’m glad I did. Because I’ve gotten to know the girl labeled the ice queen and found out she’s anything but. She’s the queen of the ice. The one who commands the snow and everything else around her. You’ve commanded my heart, Kelly.”

I put one hand on my chest between us. “You have to know that this started out as a bet, but it’s always been you. You’ve controlled this since the beginning, and in the end, I may have won a stupid bet, but I truly lost if I can’t have you.”

Kelly swallowed hard, tears brimming her eyes that she held back. “I don’t know what you want me to say, Blake. I’m hurt. I’m really fucking hurt.”

I licked my lips. “I know. And I wish I wasn’t the one to hurt you. If there were a way I could take away all the hurt, I would.”

She sucked in a deep breath. “I need time, Blake.”

“How much time?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know, but I need that time and space. I know you mean well, but the more you keep shoving it in my face, the harder it is for me. I just need to think, okay? Can you give me that?”

I sighed. “I don’t want to, Kelly. I don’t fucking want to because I’m afraid if I do, you’re just going to freeze me out forever, no pun intended.”

She blinked, a single tear falling down her cheek. “Then you’re just going to have to hope that you truly unfroze my heart.”