by Magan Vernon
Alexis nodded, pursing her lips together in a tight smile. “I see.”
I sucked in a breath as the first guy took his place on the ramp. But instead of watching him jump and flip and whatever else he did, I looked past him, hoping for a glimpse of a red coat and dreadlocks. Because the truth was, I may have said it was nothing and tried to get over the guy, but he was way more than nothing. He was the one person to have me focusing on something other than the ice in years. Even if it ended up being nothing, in the end, Blake Tremblay made me feel alive, and that was worth something. I just didn’t know what, yet.
Chapter 15
Blake
There were a few other countries going before me, and I stood on the side with the other awaiting athletes, my Beats on, the loud music drowning out everything else. One of the things I loved about snowboarding was that I was allowed to have my music during competition. It helped reduce the crowd noise, and I could focus on the beat of the music and the board, nothing else. Nothing else except Kelly Johnson who wouldn’t leave my mind.
I should have listened to Becca and done something, but like the hoser I was, I just left after her performance. I didn’t even wait for the results. I took a photo outside of the arena and tagged it as #Klake with nothing else. That, of course, led to a lot of questions in the comments, but I couldn’t even begin to explain it. I just hoped the one person I wanted to see it would, but every time I checked my phone, there weren’t any notifications from Kelly.
With not much going on for sleep on my parents pull out couch, I left early that next morning and headed to the slopes to get some practice in. I was definitely ready for the slalom. I was doing pretty good after qualifying rounds to get myself in a medal position. It was just between the cocky American and me for gold. My first and last gold I’d ever get in The Games.
Sure, I could have tried again for 2022, but by then I’d be even older and practically a grandpa in the sport. I already felt like that running around with the kids I was at least ten years older than.
“You ready for this, man?” My coach, Ricky, asked. He was only a few years older than me and should have been an Olympic gold medalist himself but was injured the first time he tried out for The Games and never fully recovered, so he started coaching. I’d been with him for five years now and never looked back. The tall, balding guy with a facial tattoo and nose piercing was like my better half. Well, in the least sexual way possible. He made me a better and more focused boarder. My parents weren’t sure about the guy at first when he showed up at their ski resort, but after they saw him on the board and what he taught me after one practice, they were settled on going with him instead of the other coaches that tried to get me to The Games. When I qualified, I swore my mom almost kissed Ricky, right in the big tribal tattoo on his cheek.
“Ready as ever, man,” I said.
I was about to put my mask down and get into the zone, then I glanced at the big screen and had to do a double take. There were cameras and screens all over the mountain so spectators could watch us up close and see our little interviews and what not. But some American news reporter was interviewing people in the crowd, and the blue-eyed beauty lit up the big screen behind me. I was mesmerized and couldn’t look away. There was no way in hell I thought Kelly would show up at my event. Maybe she did see the hashtag. Maybe there was a chance I could get her back after my monumental screw-up.
The American reporter pulled his red ski cap down and held the microphone up to his pale face. “And down here on the sidelines we have athletes supporting athletes. Sisters Becca and Kelly Johnson came out to cheer on, well is it Team USA or is Team Klake?” The reporter laughed at his own joke and shoved the microphone practically in Kelly’s teeth.
I waited with baited breath, staring at the girl on the screen. I had no idea where she was in the crowd, but all that mattered was that she was there. Maybe there was hope for us after all.
“I’m just here supporting all of the athletes. Taking a little break before freeskate,” she said with the smile I learned was her performance one. Not that smile that I was falling for that brought out the tiny lines around her eyes. No, this one was the fake smile she put on for an audience.
“Blake? You ready?” Ricky yelled, cupping his hand on my shoulder.
I finally turned away from the screen. I wasn’t going to let Kelly be a distraction. That was never what I meant for her to be. She was going to be the one that pushed me to be greater. This wasn’t about sponsorships or about how badly I wanted that gold around my neck. This was about how much I loved the sport. The smell of the powder and the rush I got from being in the air. The same rush I felt in my stomach when I was with Kelly.
This win wasn’t going to be for a bet. This win was for her.
***
The announcer called out in a few different languages, and I put my mask down and adjusted my hat and scarf. I’d done this a million times in practice and for the first time in The Games the other day. But this would be me final Olympic event ever. If I messed up, that was it. I’d just be known as the guy who had a fling with a figure skater at The Games and fucked up. Hell, people probably wouldn’t even remember I was the son of Olympians unless they looked at me as their failure son.
The start button dinged, and I sucked in a breath before making my way down the slalom. I hit every single jump, twist, and let the air take hold. I was on fire. Faster and hitting every point better than ever before. I was in my element on the board. I may have fucked up everywhere else in my life, but in this slalom, I was king. There was no way I was going to walk away without some kind of medal around my neck.
When my board hit the powder, and I came to a final stop, I whipped off my mask and hat, tossing my dreadlocks in the wind. I had to wait for my final score, and usually, I did a little dance for the cameras. But not today. The crowd cheered, and I looked out, spotting her almost instantly.
Instead of going to wait for my results, I unhooked my boots, grabbed my board and darted for the fence. There may have been hundreds of people there, but I spotted the top of her bright blue cap in the crowd of athletes who were all patting my back and cheering as I leaned against the fence.
“Hey, Kelly! You see that?” I yelled, pointing behind me at one of the giant screens.
Becca looked at me, her eyes somewhere between narrowed and raised with question. Then Kelly’s eyes slowly went toward me but then darted at the girl on her other side. I followed her gaze and recognized the brunette standing next to her with a smug smirk.
Oh. Shit. What the hell was Alexis doing? I should have known not to trust that bitch as far as I could jump her. Did she know about the bet? Did Liam and Erik tell her everything? What the hell was she telling my girl?
I shook the thoughts out of my head about Alexis and turned to Kelly, waiting for her to say something. Anything. When she didn’t respond, I blew her a kiss and put my fist in the air and yelled, “that one was for you, babe. Klake forever, whether you like it or not.”
That caused the crowd to erupt in even more applause and chant “Klake.” Like Dad said, I had to put it all out there. I hoped it would be enough to at least get a real smile out of the girl or something that told me I still had a chance.
I thought I’d get a better reaction out of Kelly. If nothing else a blush of her cheeks and a smile and for Alexis to know we were over. I may have fucked up my chance at a sponsorship, but if this run was really something, I’d walk away with a good chunk of change and something for my future with a gold on my resume.
Instead of Kelly even smiling, what I got was her looking away and tugging on her sister’s coat before she turned and walked away from the slopes. The cheers got louder, but she didn’t turn around. She didn’t walk back.
“Blake, how does it feel just hitting a world record score and having your girlfriend here to watch it?” A reporter asked, tapping my shoulder.
I turned around and looked at the screen, my eyes practically bugging out of their
sockets. There was only one guy going after me, and he was barely in medal position. I was going to make gold for sure. I should have been thrilled. I should have been like King Kong and banging on my chest. But instead, I felt like the biggest fraud in The Games. The guy who made a bet to sit here in this very position. The guy who made the wrong bet with the wrong girl. A medal wasn’t going to celebrate with me at night, and neither was Kelly.
I offered a small smile to the guy and let out a breath. “It feels, well it doesn’t feel real, man.”
“Will you be celebrating tonight with the other half of Klake? It looks like you might have embarrassed Kelly Johnson who one of my colleagues is trying to catch up with.”
I shrugged. “Well, hopefully, the girl can forgive me. She’s the better half of Klake, you know?”
The reporter laughed, patting my shoulder. “Well, that medal around your neck should help.”
A sour feeling sat in my stomach. This bet all started out with a wager over medals. Now I’d have my gold. The American messing up on his first ollie solidified that one. Instead of being over the moon, I felt like the biggest hoser.
Standing on the podium, I watched as the Canadian flag waved in the breeze, our anthem playing. I had so many emotions running through me. The gold meant a lot of things could happen for me. I didn’t need to worry about being nice to Alexis for some shampoo sponsorship. At this rate, someone else would want me. I’d move out of my parent's house, maybe even take up coaching. Who the hell knows.
When I got off the podium, I was greeted by Liam who was still wearing his gold he won earlier in the day. “I guess I should give this one to you, ey?” he said with a smirk, fingering the heavy metal piece.
“Keep it,” I muttered, pushing past him.
“Hey, don’t be like that, man. It was all in fun,” Liam called after me.
“Blake! Congrats! A gold medalist and world record holder!” Mom crushed me in her arms before I could even step another foot outside of the arena.
“Thanks,” I muttered half-heartedly.
When Mom let go, Dad embraced me, patting my back. I thought he was going to let go, but then he whispered, “Remember what I said last night? Now’s your chance to get the medal and the girl.”
I sighed. “I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
Dad pulled back and raised an eyebrow. “That doesn’t sound like the mantra of an Olympic gold medalist.”
“Yeah, but somehow I don’t think that’s going to impress her. I don’t know if you saw Kelly on the big screen…”
“Oh, I saw her,” Mom cut me off, stepping forward. “We all did. Look, I’ll admit that we’ve both pushed you. We’ve wanted you to go for sponsorships and everything we achieved in our lives. We thought if you got everything we did, you’d be happy. But the only time I’ve truly seen you happy in these games is when you were down in the crowd with her. So, I’m telling you, Blake, you’re a Tremblay. You’ve got your gold; now it’s time to go for it all. You put your heart and soul on that board tonight. Now put it out there for her.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Not what I was expecting you to say.”
Mom laughed. “Stop being a hoser and go get your girl.”
I hugged Mom and Dad again. “Thanks, guys. I’ll catch up with you later. Victory dinner or breakfast?”
Mom sucked in a deep breath and exhaled as she let go of me before patting my shoulders. “Our couch is open to you for as long as you like. And breakfast or dinner is always welcome for you.”
I smiled and shook dad’s hand before running toward the many cabs surrounding the arena to head to the village.
I had to make this right. I might have been a newly minted gold medalist, and as Dad said, I should go for the gold and the girl. But I was still an asshole. An asshole that had to make it up to his better half.
Chapter 16
Kelly
I don’t know why I thought I’d be fine watching Blake. I should have just called another Uber and left Becca instead of watching him. At least my parents didn’t come. Then there would have been more questions, though I was sure some reporter or blogger would be up my ass soon.
Of course, Blake had to come out and make a scene. And of course, I still kept staring at him. The guy wasn’t just amazing when it came to the bedroom or the van as it be, but when he was on the board, it was like magic.
I’d done my fair share of jumps and spins in the air, so I knew the feeling of the wind whipping through my face and nothing holding me up but the air around me. I couldn’t see Blake’s face beneath his mask, but I could feel it. I could feel the rush as if it was me up there, gliding through the air alongside him.
When he came down and unmasked, it was as if I unmasked myself. I couldn’t help staring at his smiling face. The face of someone who knew they were about to get on the podium. A rush I’d felt so many times and could never get enough of. But instead of basking in that glory, he searched the crowd to find me. Me. The girl who was just a bet. Or so I thought.
If that’s all I was, why was he still trying?
I couldn’t think about that. I had to work. My freeskate performance was tonight. This time I couldn’t mess up, I couldn’t be focused on a boy instead of getting in medal position. And that was what I was going to do.
***
Logan met me at the arena instead of coming to the room. Since neither he nor Becca were talking about what happened, that came with Logan avoiding our room or the general vicinity of my sister.
He was waiting for me by the locker rooms in his blue track suit and hair standing up all over the place like he just got out of bed or had been running his hands through it a million times. For a second I imagined instead of Logan waiting for me, it was Blake. That he would take me into his arms and not let me go until I spoke to him. That I would get wrapped up in his manly scent with a hint of cool mint and he’d kiss me. Telling me that it was all just a bad dream. That he approached me because he felt the electric connection I did the moment I saw him as well. But this wasn’t a fairytale, and things like that didn’t happen in reality.
Of course, none of my Blake dreams were real, and that was evident by the frown on Logan’s face when I approached him. “Geez, don’t look so happy to see me.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re the one with bedhead. Don’t tell me you were in bed with another hockey player, Becca will probably beat you. And I know you can lift me, but I’ve seen her workouts, and I think she could bench both of us together.”
Logan smirked, shaking his head. “No other girl. Just took a little nap while you were busy being on the big screen watching snowboarding. Didn’t happen to see a big bruise on him, did ya? I heard Becca socked him the other night.”
I raised an eyebrow. When would that have happened? He probably deserved it, and a small part of me smiled thinking about my little sister giving the guy a hit for me, as petty as it was. He deserved it a tiny bit for making me hurt. “Where did you hear that?”
“You’re not the only one who sleeps in a bed next to your sister. Well, I mean, we aren’t sleeping…”
“Gross!” I wrinkled my nose, raising my hand to cut him off before he could finish that sentence. Though part of me was happy that even though he was avoiding my room and they were avoiding talking about each other, they were still seeing each other. If there was hope for the two of them to stay together, maybe there was hope for my love life.
“Anyway… She told me that during our short program she found Blake hanging out in the stands and had a few words and maybe a few jabs,” Logan said, running his fingers through his already tousled hair which just messed it up even more.
“Why didn’t Becca tell me?” I asked out loud, even though it was more to myself. I don’t know if it would have made a difference if it were her or Logan who told me she hit him, but why didn’t she tell me? Did they have an entire exchange about me? What did he say to her?
“I guess she probably tried to. She’s better at just
hitting things instead of actually talking about them. She’s more of a doer, no pun intended,” he muttered that last part.
“Gross!” I half-shrieked, trying to get the image of my half-naked partner and sister together out of my head, but that was going to be burned in my memory forever.
Before I could walk away toward my dressing room, Logan put his hands on my shoulders. “Look, Kel, I should have maybe pushed you harder instead of being so nonchalant after we did so bad in qualifying. I thought maybe if I went easy on you, you’d go easier on yourself. But you know what? Fuck all that. Instead of being upset or angry, let’s put it all out on the ice. Let’s skate our hearts out tonight. Let’s get out all of our frustrations, our joys, just everything. Let’s show it in this program. We may be out of the gold right now, but fuck it, if this is our last Games, let’s give it all we got. No mistakes. No distractions. Just you and me, doing what we’re the best at.”
I wanted to ask what he had to be upset about, besides my performance. I didn’t know if he and Becca were having problems, but I didn’t want to think about that. We were there for The Games. We’d been together and training for almost ten years. This was our last chance to get on the medal stand in the Olympic Games, and we were going to do it. Sisters or boyfriends or bets or whatever be damned
I nodded and smiled. “All right, Logan, let’s do this.”
***
After getting my hair and makeup done, Coach and Logan met me outside the dressing room, ready for our final performance.
This was the last time I’d don a blue dress with thousands of Swarovski crystals that glimmered in the lights of the arena. The last time Logan would wear his puffy shirt and vest, grinning from ear to ear as we glided across the ice together. This had been our life for so long. Our look. Our moves. It was all we ever wanted in life, and we’d made it to these games so many times. But now that it was our last time out there skating for competition, I felt tears prick my eyes. If I didn’t have the ice and I didn’t have Blake, what did I have?