The Present

| A love that I thought was endless |

She sat on the bench that was placed beside the ice rink, her favourite place for these last few years, putting her shoes on the rack, she went to grab her skates she put on her bag earlier.

She tangled all those knots, tightening it with all her strength, brushing the dust off her skates, a while had passed since she last wore it, school had been taking her time away from her hobby for the last few weeks.

Even the edge of her toes already touching the front part of her skates, but still, she forced herself to fit inside these pair of skates, that’s how much she loved her skates.

Standing above the ground, she stabilised her body with the help of her Mom, she smiled, mentioning a “thanks” with her expression.

She simplifies her happiness by skating on top of this ice with a thin blade under her feet that is slicing delicately while she roamed around the ice rink.

Her Mom holding her hand, gently letting go of her hand as she spins her body beautifully, a wide smile that shows the joy of being in love with her passion, nothing she ever wanted other than this.

She freely danced happily with the biggest smile glued onto her lips, it’s been 2 years that she first learned to ice-skate, and she’d never been this happy.

Seeing her expression, her Mom can’t help but to be happy for her to finally found her passion, she’ll do anything for just the tip of her smile.

The first feeling when she successfully did all the tricks she was taught before, it was satisfaction, and she still had it ’till now, her mind was curious, will this feeling end someday?.

As if there was no traffic light, she’ll keep speeding forward, ’till she reached her life-long dreams, with patience and hard work, she’s sure that she’ll get to it soon enough.

“It is what it feels like to fall in love with your dream?” A question placed on the back of her head that pops up every time she steps her feet inside this icy cold rink.

It’s more than happiness for her, it’s her whole life, she would voluntarily spend all her life living with her passion, which is ice skating.

She fiddled with her fingers, nervously waiting for her turn, seeing the audiences stare towards the skater is making her terrified, shutting her eyes closed, she bits her lower lip.

“God, I wish I could do this.”

“Contestant 7!” The MC spoke, getting her attention, she stood up, getting to the entrance of the rink, breathing in, she steps inside.

As the music played all over the rink, she felt herself drowned to the sound of every tune of the music.

She gracefully slides herself to the middle, flowing delicately taking the attention from all the judges.

Her arms swaying delicately, following the rhythm of the song as the light from upon, glows above her, she moved so easily yet so beautiful.

By a simple spin, she’s already greeted with excitement by the audiences, her heart growing more and more by the desire of showing the best of her.

She danced with all her heart, that even this huge ice rink doesn’t feel empty anymore.

Without any worries on her back, she jumps, landing with a nice and perfect spin as the crowds claps loudly with amazement.

One of her legs was raised, while she nervously did a flip which for the first time she did after failing many uncountable times.

And at that time, her feet landed perfectly on top of the slippery ice, it felt magical, and just a few more moves, it’ll reach towards the end.

Her smile getting bigger once again, ’till she finally reach the end of her performance, she gave them a slight bow for respect, her eyes tearing up, she felt an intense wave of happiness rushed through her.

The claps, she’s living for that.

She didn’t want this to ever end, she wanted to continue even if her story was over, it will never be enough for her.

Nothing will end, she tried to convince herself, but on the edge of her mind, she’ll know it will end very soon.

If she could, she would never want this feeling to ever stop, her anxiety left ever since she finished her last spin, the place that’s been holding her dream since she was little

She danced as if it was the end of her dream, what if it really is?

“I’m so proud of you, honey!” Her Mom smiles with proudness as she ran to hug her daughter.

There was her Dad standing, not knowing what to do, well, he’s not a person that can show his emotions freely with hugs, but he’d still congratulates his daughter, too.

“Congrats, Selene,” He smiled thinly, giving the bouquet he bought back at the florist just before he arrived.

His words may not be that touching, but it won’t ever change how proud he is when he saw her daughter looking so happy ever since the day she learned to the world of ice-skating.

“Thank you, Mom, Dad,” She smiled genuinely in reply.

Her Mom brought along an old camera which she used to bring everywhere in her teenage-days, yesterday, she suggested to take a picture to remember this day.

The old camera of hers still works, but so, some of the buttons are not working, and so, in a hurry, her Mom brought it to a service place just 2 days before her performance, spending her every penny to fix it, just for her daughter.

Her first performance, a day which she had been preparing for so long, and it’ll end today, she didn’t want to miss this chance to capture one of the happiest moment of her family.

A photograph that will hang on to her memory.

She grabbed onto the bouquet of flowers, taking a quick picture with both of her parents, she would say that today is the best day of her life, just doing things she loves and with the person she loved the most.

It doesn’t even matter if she didn’t win, as long as she can keep on living with the same happiness she felt today. The Present.