empires rise and fall. it has always been the most significant rule in life, what goes up must come down. victoire just didn’t expect it to be now, when everything seems to be going well for her with two olympic medals at just twenty two. the rink feels like a foreign place now, even with lingering memories of the times she glided onto the ice with her heart beating hard against her chest. everything feels cold, much colder than they’ve ever been, and she could feel it running up her spine. this rink had never been hers, even if she likes to think that it had been hers once, but it seems to be screaming to her now -- screaming that it will never be hers anymore.
this is grief, she thinks. because a piece of her died anyway, died the moment she lands her quad on her back instead of her right foot. however, her metaphorical death in that moment does not equate to acceptance. standing just outside the rink is already too much for her, she wants to take one of those stupid rental skates and glide on the ice once more, but she can’t anymore. instead, victoire already wants to leave.
she almost says no, almost. but everyone here, including those stupid little kids in their rental skates would know that she’s lying if she says no. “ i do not, “ not even in a million years. “ i just wish it didn’t have to be over so soon. “ because not only did she stop skating, she left every single person who had a hand in that life. stopped talking to them, deleted all her contacts and got herself a new number. she did it all so willingly, even if some of them are very important to her. “ but what can we do ? that’s life. “ \ @chamberbled. continued from here.