Olympian Obstacles .oo1

Cold sweat, hard wind, frosty ice...

-

Pounding chests never felt so exhilarating, picks dug into frozen water never felt so fast, being happy never felt so...so indescribable.

Every year, it was like this. Your own best friends deciding to take the time out of their rigorous schedule just to spend a day with you. Even though they were exposed numerous times on television, you knew all too well it was for the publicity.

...John Robert Celski's winning smile...

...Apolo Anton Ohno's endless optimism...

There was only one person who knew why he smiled, why he was never down, why they beat themselves up everyday to train.

-

"Twelve seconds, _____!" JR cheered. He smacked your hand as you zoomed past him on the ice rink. A quizzical eyebrow was raised to Apolo, clicking his tongue disapprovingly.

He tossed the stopwatch to you. Celski craned his neck over your shoulder  to see nothing surprising. The same digits were found on his watch. Finally, you asked, "So what?"

"Not your personal best, that's what," Ohno told you.

-

What goes up must come down, right? It was one of Newton's damn laws. Or one of those science freaks.

Couldn't they have made a warning, at least? Something that went, oh, hey, you're just human. I can break your heart, no doubt.

Suddenly, beating yourself up sounded wonderful.

-

"She only missed it by two hundredths!"

You fervently nodded to support John's statement. Still, Apolo wasn't convinced this lap on the ice was your best.

"Thank you, two hundredths of a second, for taking up a lifetime," you muttered under your breath. JR tried to stifle a laugh in agreement, but failed miserably.

Both of you immediately straightened up under Ohno's watchful stare. Then his attention was averted to you. "I've gotten to the Olympics, JR, too. When are you gonna get there, _____?"

You bit your lip and turned you eyes away from Apolo. It's true; the reason this day still happened was so that you'd get some personal training from the best.

-

It's not fair, actually. After you think about it, what did you do to deserve it?

Nothing, that's what.

-

"2014 isn't that far away."

Your face burned red. Apolo was actually right on that.

"C'mon, Apolo, you're not _____'s parents," Celski pleaded. "She can train for these trials, or not if she don't want to."

A split second passed on Ohno's expression, the one window that almost made him collapse. Just when he was about to speak (most likely to let you off the hook) you interrupted him.

"Don't sweat it, Celskeet," You passively assured. "I'll keep going. Then, we can all go to the Olympics together."

Digging your blades into the ground, you sped off, leaving Apolo and JR in conversation.

"Think she'll make the team?" Apolo asked the younger speed skater. JR thought for a while, waiting until you were out of earshot to answer.

"I don't see why not," He chuckled. Just as Celski was ready to back you up again, they both eyed you leaving the rink and answering your cell phone.

-

Sometimes...people are forced to take what they've got, you know? No choice, no time to think it over. They're just handed over, and they've gotta take it, cold turkey.

-

A wave of concern washed over them as they watched your eyes widen and your jaw drop. You stumbled to your right, then to your left, until you hit the wall and sank to your knees.

Apolo and JR slid across the frozen ice to the exit. You were breathing deeply with wet eyes.

An awkward silence fell upon them, everyone stuck in place. Your cell phone lay forgotten on the ground, whoever calling already hung up. Distressed breathing could be heard, and their hearts in their chests felt as if they were going to burst.

"He..." you croaked.

JR stumbled forward, taken by surprise in your tone of voice.

"My dad..." The sound of talk that flew in one of Apolo's ears and then out the other sent shivers down his back. "He's...dead."

-

There's always tomorrow, though.

There's always a second try.