Chapter 1~ Queens Live on, Scar
~SCARLETT JACOB~
09-03-20~*My icing queen, Scar, you're forever a
Queen. Queens live on.
xoxo~ A.D*
~
“Drink up, drink up, drink up!” The cheers were loud, reverberating through the hall and bouncing on the wall, and that was all the motivation Aaron needed. He started with the first shot, nonstop until all 20 glasses were down before he jumped up straight.
The cheerful roars of his buddies filled the room once more, they patted his back, giving him cheers and props.
As much as I hated him drinking like that, it was his birthday and I hated the thought of having to be the one to ruin his fun for him. Like they say, you don’t turn 20 twice. Even if we had the grand finale for the Annual world figure skate championships on Monday that we’d be attending for the very first time, he wanted to have fun for a day and I didn’t want to take that from him. So, I decided I’d be the sober one for the two of us.
My eyes flew open and my body jolted from the couch.
When did I doze off? I couldn’t remember.
My eyes instantly raked around the room. Bodies of drunk teenagers collided in sync with the sensual and hypnotic music blasting in the room. My head felt a little funny, but I was okay, I think.
I pushed my body to a stand, staggering once before finding my footing. I started searching for Aaron, but he was nowhere to be seen.
My heart picked pace as I pulled my phone out of my back pocket and dialed his number. It rang for a while before being answered.
“Aaron! I swear to God! Where are you?” My heart was hammering against my chest as I asked. My chest felt heavy and I had a really sickening feeling in my gut.
He was speaking but I couldn’t hear him, his voice was lazy and incomprehensible. I tried to focus on what I could hear, I zoned out the music in the background and tried to listen.
I heard a car start and my heart dropped.
“OH no!” And I practically flew out the door within the next second. My eyes zeroed in on Taylor’s car which was already disappearing down the road and I didn’t need to second guess to know that the boy that I loved in the shadows was in that car.
A sad sob escaped my trembling lips and my eyes blurred with unshed tears as a thought rang in my head, ‘Taylor is drunk.’
~
The sound of my annoying alarm clock buzzed in the room, pulling me out of the world’s most wonderful sleep of my life. I wanted to cry. I tried to ignore it but it wouldn’t stop. Losing my patience, I knocked it off with my sweet childhood friend, Girly the doll then let my head fall back on the captivating arms of my pillow. Just then, my mom’s voice filled the room.
I loved my mom to death but at that moment, I hated her.
“Scar! Time to get up, lollipop. It’s going to be a great day today.” I groaned into my pillow. It’s always a good day for my mom.
“5 minutes, Mom,” I requested, keeping my eyes shut because this sleep was wonderful.
“No, no, not happening,” without warning she pulled off my comforter from my body, and a cold rush through as though seeking revenge, a shudder rippled from my lips.
“Mom!” I glared at her and she only flicked her lashes like she was oblivious of what she just did.
" you’re finally going back to the Academy today and Jenna tells me, the kids are excited to have you there. Aren’t you excited?” Her voice was filled with so much enthusiasm. It was basically drooling through her singsong voice.
A cold feeling wrapped around my body in a tight hug and shivers blasted through my pores as I thought about today.
I was going back to work today, only this time, I wasn’t going to be on the ice doing the skating, I was going to be teaching kids how to. A feeling of somberness instantly filled my chest but a slap on my back pulled me out of the dark and hollow pit of oblivious misery I was falling into, I jumped.
My mom yelled as she exited the door, “We’ll be leaving in 15, I’m passing by the academy so I’ll drop you off on my way.” And the loud bang of the door shutting behind her echoes in the room.
I take a few minutes to gather my thoughts. I can do this. It had been 3 years and I was only 23, I was still young and I had a whole life ahead of me. Plus, even if I couldn’t dance, I could still mold young kids to do it.
Right?
Aaron would be happy. So, I will be happy. I was happy.
I hopped into the shower and finished in record time, just as Mom’s patience was on the brink of running out and I quickly grabbed the ready-made lunch box she’d packed for me. I loved my mom to death.
I then grabbed some toast and sprinted out of the house like my ass was on fire.
“Ready,” I said, panting as I hopped onto the passenger seat. My mom looked at me and a gracious teary smile pulled on her face.
“OH God! Mom, please don’t start crying,” I really wished she could stop doing that because then she’d make me cry too and I feared I’d cry for every bit of painful moment of my life and I didn’t want that.
And I hadn’t seen her cry openly. Not since Daddy’s funeral.
She sniffled and shook her head before turning back to the wheel and starting the car. She pulled out of the driveway. A comfortable silence slipped into the car accompanied by sweet country melodies I remembered all too well from my childhood at the ranch. They were Dad’s favorite jam.
In less than 30 minutes, Mom pulled into the parking space of GLIDER SKATES Dance Academy.
“Here we are,” she said, turning her glistening eyes to me. My mom was gorgeous. Even at 56, you could still tell that she was an ice diva during her youthful days. She still had soft skin, she always said she looked more like my sister than my mom, no doubt there really. And when she walked, she walked with poise, like somebody who took walking classes in her early days, she walked blissfully.
“Here we are,” the words came out weaker than I’d hoped they would and I forced a smile instead, the most earnest one I can master. Her hands reached to mine and took them, her eyes softening, “I’m very glad you accepted that offer, Scar. I’m glad you’re giving this a chance. A lot of things have happened to you in the past 3 years,” she paused, probably to gather herself and act like the strong woman she was. Even if she was hurting as much as I was.
A lot of things happened to both of us in the last 3 years.
We both lost the love of our lives and she’d been holding the falling ceiling for the both of us.
I returned a smile and held tight onto her hands and reassured her, “I’m glad I did too. I will be fine, Mom,I promise. I’m going to give this my very best.”
She nodded, smiling. “I know.”
She kissed my cheek,” I love you, lollipop. ”
“I love you mom.”
“And you look very pretty.”After exchanging a few more words, I walked to the front doors of the academy and stole a glance at myself on the mirrored sliding door.
Mom was right.
I did look good. My platinum blonde hair was pulled into a neat bun and I had a white bow tied around it, it cascaded down to my midback. I wore some peach ankle-length tights under a black short dress that clung to my trunk like a second skin and flared at my waist, stopping a good distance above my thigh and I finished off with my flat shoes.
I dressed like a ballerina.
The doors opened upon sensing my motion and the fresh chilly airconditioned air slapped my face. My eyes fluttered shut for a moment before opening.I walked to the reception where a middle-aged lady was smiling at me behind the desk.
“Welcome to GLIDER SKATES Dance Academy, my name is Michelle McCain, how may I be of assistance today,” Her voice was firm but sweet, and gentle, I smiled.
“I’m here to see Miguel, I am-” she jumped, ” Oh! you must be Scarlett Jacob. We’ve been expecting you, welcome. The kids here are excited to meet you.” Her voice is filled with as much enthusiasm as her face. I’m confused, I didn’t know I was that popular.
She probably noticed the confusion on my face because she added,” You’re Iike legendary in this place. Our students are made to watch videos of your reigning days.You and Aaron were like the star of figure skating before...” She paused and all of a sudden looked to regret bringing up the conversation.
Aaron!
A tug pulls at my lips. Aaron.
Aaron.
She said Aaron, she said his name.Suddenly a pang of pain took a good grip in my chest, probably crawling onto my face in the process because she looked apologetic.
I offered her a tight smile and forced a,“Thank you. It’s my pleasure to be here, ” past my dry throat.
It had been 3 years Scar!
A biting voice echoed in my head. I couldn’t be like this forever.
This wasn’t living. I couldn’t allow myself to fall apart every single time his name was brought up. For how long would I be like this?
5 years?
10?
Forever?
“Mr Declan will see you now, Scarlett. Just the first door on your left down the hall.” She said as she put down the phone. I hadn’t noticed her making the call but I was grateful to get away from there as soon as possible.
“Thank you.” She offered a sincere and apologetic smile and nodded, which I returned and then walked away as fast as my trembling legs could carry me.
Hopefully, she wouldn’t notice the tremble.
I was here, I was here, I was a big girl.
Besides, this had been the plan all along.
I’d always told Aaron that when I finally left figure skating, I wanted to become an ice figure skate trainer. Train more kids to be like me.
Just that…
I just hadn’t thought it would be this soon.
But I was here now.
That’s it. And I was going to suck it up and do this.
My sweaty hand knocked once at Mr. Declan’s office door before it swung open.
“Oh,” I mutter as I meet a beaming man.
“Ms. Jabob, I’m glad you accepted our offer. We’re blessed to have such a young talent like you on our team. Our kids are even more excited. ” He said as he shook my hand and walked back to his seat.
“The pleasure is all mine, Mr Declan.” He sat down with a grunt. I took my seat opposite his and my eyes took a quick trip around his office.
The gray walls were adorned with pictures of figure skaters who were progenies of the academy. I recognized mine and Aaron’s picture and my eyes started blurring but I was quick to school my tears back into their sockets.
“The December of the Prima Balle Championships U15, you guys did a phenomenal job that night. I knew you’d win the moment you entered that rink.” He said, eyes turning to the picture I was looking at.
I smiled, remembering the night. I was just 15 and yet won one of the biggest awards in figure skating. It was the most magical night of my life and while I tell people that it was magical because of our win, I knew deep down that it was magical because it was the night I realized that I was head over hill in love with my childhood best friend and my forever figure skate partner, Aaron Davis.
***
The hall was filled to the brim with people. My parents and Aaron’s parents were seated in the front row, sobbing with tears of joy. The cheers of joy, a thundering roar in the room, and yet, yet still, with such heavy trophies in our small hands, the most glistening pieces of gold medals adorning our necks, my eyes could only see him.
My star boy.
My Aaron.
His hair had been cut short in a buzz-cut taper fade of some sort and he looked like a piece of precious sculpture. No gold could match him.
Maybe the glitter that had been sprinkled on the corner of my eyes had somehow gotten into my eyes because all I saw when I looked at Aaron was a glitter of stars.
He turned to look at me, he beamed, flashing his perfect shiny rabbit teeth. But what made me absolutely melt into a puddle was his mesmerizing green eyes that made me feel like a traveler because whenever they set on me, I was sent straight out of the Milky Lane.
I knew I sounded cheesy because I was only 15, but I was sure. Sure that Aaron was my star boy. My love.
He took my hand into his smooth ones and pulled me off the stage along with him. Without a word, he threw himself into me and caged me in his arms, tight and I just melted into him. Sucking in his signature cologne like I was memorizing it.
I was.
“I knew we could do it, I love you, Scar!” My heart somersaulted at his words. I knew he loved me, he always said it. He’d been saying that since we were in kindergarten.
While it was just innocuous for the better half of my life, I soon realized that those three little words from his mouth started to make my heart skip a beat.
They started to give me fuzzy feelings in my stomach. They started to make heat rush to my face in full force. They made my cheeks and my treacherous ears turn a brighter shade of a tomato.
I hugged him tighter.
“We did it.” I repeated his words, my head resting on his chest and counting every heartbeat of his, memorizing the rhythm of his heart. It was my favorite music.
“So, tell me what it is that you wanted to tell me. What made this night magical for you?”
He caught me off guard. I’d promised that I’d tell him the truth today.
I had planned to confess my feelings to him tonight. Tell him that he made the night magical. Tell him how much our dance meant to me, how much it spoke volumes of my undying love for him.
Tell him how every twirl, every spin , every slide, said a thousand words than my lips could convey. Every risky move we made. Tell him how I never thought twice before deciding to go along with a risky move, simply because I knew he wouldn’t let me fall,let me get hurt.
I was supposed to tell him.
I should have told him.
I-
A crush is followed by a loud thud on the ground, it usurped me out of my daydream.
“Shit!” I curse as I skate into the rink towards one of my students who’d fell onto the ice.
“Kelly, are you okay?” I say as I kneel beside her body. She raises her head, throwing me back when she smiles. That’s when the rest of the class giggles along with her.
“Got you!” She says, laughing.
“Sike!” The rest of the class joins her. It takes me a moment to recover before I join in, laughing along with them.
“You! Come here,” I warn as I chase her down the rink. She’s fast. They’re pretty fast. And fun too, because they just pranked me, these little gummy bears.
It had been two weeks since I started working at the academy and while the first few days weren’t easy.
Okay that’s a lie.
Nothing about it was easy.
But I survived. I was surviving. And apparently thriving because the kids seemed to really like me. And I liked them. They were goofy, naughty and they made me laugh a lot most of the time so I didn’t gloat or feel sad and I loved them for that.
Obviously, they didn’t know about my history, my secret crush on my childhood best friend and dance partner but they knew he died.
Everybody knew Aaron died.
They just didn’t know they were making me smile so I didn’t feel sad when standing in the rink and teaching them to dance while wishing I was on the other side of the grass, swaying and twirling at the hands of my best friend.
They were talented too. They were fierce and determined and while I’d only been here a few days, I had already spotted the two duo I thought could be the next Aaron and me
