Gold Medal Winter

by Donna Freitas

  “I just do. Be calm. You’re too nervous.” She looks at the clock again. “And we’re definitely going to make it for the ice dancing.”

  Coach is right, but just barely. After what seems like forever, we are through security and running across the Olympic Village toward the figure skating arena. We get through security there much more quickly because of our badges, but they still won’t let us anywhere near Tawny before she gets on the ice. Security is super strict about who gets backstage. No one other than the coaches and skaters on deck can get anywhere near the Kiss and Cry.

  Coach and I practically fly to the place in the stands reserved for skaters who want to watch their teammates. When we reach our seats, Tawny and her partner are about to go out on the ice.

  “Go Tawny!” I scream at the top of my lungs, and clap like a maniac.

  “You really like her,” Coach Chen states as they take their pose.

  My eyes are glued to Tawny and Malcolm. They make a beautiful couple, even if Tawny isn’t interested in him romantically. “She’s been so nice to me. And she’s so poised and smart. If anyone deserves gold, it’s Tawny.”

  “You deserve it too.”

  “Not like her. She’s been through a lot. Tragic loss. Tragic scandal. This is her chance at a comeback!”

  Their music starts and I almost can’t watch. I alternate between covering my eyes and peeking through my fingers.

  Coach Chen reaches over and gently pulls my hands away. “She’s doing great, Espi. They are both doing great.”

  I swallow. My stomach has so many butterflies for her, there’s practically a butterfly convention in there.

  “Look at that footwork,” Coach Chen says with appreciation, before she realizes I’m not actually looking so I can’t see what she’s admiring. “Esperanza, watch!”

  I take a deep breath, return my attention to the ice, and force it to stay there. Within thirty seconds they finish, their final pose beautiful and romantic — two figure skaters wrapped in an embrace, their arms and legs making gorgeous lines.

  Coach Chen and I jump up, screaming and clapping. “Woo-hoo,” I yell. “Do you think they did it?”

  “It’s going to be close, but they certainly have a shot. The judges loved that Russian pair that went before them, from the looks of their scores. You never know, though.”

  “Tawny!” I shout as she skates toward the Kiss and Cry. “Tawny!”

  She looks up and all around to see who is screaming her name. When our eyes meet, she smiles and waves.

  I wave back like a crazy stalker fan, which makes her laugh. At least she’s happy. “She seems confident.”

  “Tawny’s a professional,” Coach Chen says. “She has lots of experience. She’s going to hold it together for the Kiss and Cry and for the press afterward, no matter what.”

  “That’s no easy thing.”

  “No, it’s not.”

  The two of us quiet down to wait for their scores. They flash up onto the board.

  “She did it!” I scream, and even Coach is caught up in the moment. “They won the gold!” We jump up and down, and when Tawny turns our way to wave before heading off to talk to the press, I shout, “Tawny! Tawny!”

  So maybe I am a crazy stalker fan. There are worse things.

  I can’t stop beaming. I’m so happy for her.

  Coach Chen walks me back to the residence hall shortly afterward. Snow falls gently through the darkness, and the world seems beautiful and perfect.

  “Bax will be here tomorrow to see you skate,” Coach Chen says.

  I nod. “I can’t wait to see him. It’s weird to go so long without hanging out with him.”

  She laughs. “Tell me about it. He’s excited to see you too. He wants to watch you win gold.”

  “At least someone won gold for US figure skating tonight,” I say.

  “Well, let’s win another.”

  “Okay,” I say, smiling. I can’t stop thinking about Tawny and her amazing comeback. “Let’s,” I add, and then we hug and say good night.

  Danny Morrison is standing outside my residence hall in the snow. He has a Team USA winter hat on his head, but he’s in his usual jeans and black leather jacket, even though it’s freezing out.

  “Hi,” I say. “This is a surprise.”

  He looks around nervously, avoiding my eyes. “Is it?”

  I decide to get right to the point. “You haven’t spoken to me in, like, a week.”

  “I know. I’m sorry.”

  “Really?”

  He nods. “I’m not good at this.”

  My eyebrows go up. “Good at what?”

  “This being in the public eye thing.”

  I laugh a little. “Me neither. Is anybody?”

  Danny stares at me full on. “Hunter Wills seems all right at it.”

  “Oh, him. Maybe.”

  “Are you with this Wills guy or not?”

  “No,” I answer quickly. Maybe too quickly. “I promise I’m not.”

  “But you were with him in Vienna, right? You were supposed to come see my dad and me, but you went to see him instead. Some of the guys on the team showed me all the gossip about you, which is how I found out. I normally stay away from that stuff.”

  I let myself focus on the snowflakes falling through the sky, hoping that Danny won’t see the guilt on my face. “Yes,” I admit. “We weren’t with each other, though. Not in the way you’re thinking — or that the press is always implying. Hunter and I have never been together like that.”

  “No?”

  I shake my head. “I don’t really trust him.”

  “Interesting,” he says.

  “So you guys are still in it for the gold,” I say, shifting the topic.

  “Yup. Two more games and we could win it all.”

  “That would be amazing.”

  “You’ve still got the possibility of gold ahead of you too,” Danny says. “No matter what happened in that other event.”

  I shrug. “A girl can hope. I’m glad I at least get a second chance.”

  Danny takes a step closer. Looks at me hard with those expressive blue eyes. “You’re going to do great tomorrow, Espi.”

  “That’s the plan,” I say, suddenly shy. But I don’t take a step back. “I hope it works out.”

  “It will.”

  “You sound so sure.”

  He takes another step closer. “That’s because I am. And I’ll be there to see it all happen.”

  “You will?”

  He nods. “I wouldn’t miss it. My game will be over before you skate.”

  “I’m going for the quad sal.”

  Danny’s eyes get wide. “You should. It’s an amazing trick you’ve got up your sleeve.”

  I smile at him. I can’t help it. “I’m glad you’ll be there. Whether I land it or not.” The snow is falling harder now. “I should get some sleep,” I say reluctantly. “Tomorrow is a big day. For both of us.”

  Danny hesitates. “There’s something else I wanted say before good night.”

  “Oh?” I study his face. Snowflakes glide toward the earth between us. “What’s that?”

  Slowly, and ever so gently, Danny leans toward me and kisses me on the lips. His hair falls forward and brushes against my cheek. It’s soft and cold in the icy air. Then he pulls away.

  I’m giddy with surprise. My cheeks flush. “I thought it was something you wanted to say.”

  “A kiss says something, doesn’t it?” His eyes are big and intense and all for me. “Probably more than words would.”

  “Probably you’re right,” I say. Then very quickly and before I can lose my nerve, I lean forward and kiss Danny back. “Good night, hockey phenom,” I say. “See you tomorrow at the rink.”

  “Definitely, Spiñorita,” he says with a big grin on his face.

  Then I go inside.

  I think my smile just might be permanent.

  I open my eyes to find Meredith staring at me. She’s watching me from her be
d, her head still on the pillow, her red curls bright and sprawling against the white sheets.

  “Good morning, Espi.”

  I blink. Then I sit up. “You’re talking to me now?”

  She sighs. “I have to talk to someone.”

  “About what?”

  “Just in general, I guess. I’m feeling kind of lonely.”

  “Oh. What about Stacie? Why don’t you talk to her?”

  “Stacie’s got other friends she likes better. Go take a look in the lounge.”

  Now I’m curious. I get up and throw on a sweatshirt over my tank top, put my hair in a ponytail, and peek my head outside the room.

  I’m definitely unprepared for what I see.

  Jennifer Madison and Stacie are sitting on the couch whispering to each other and giggling. Stacie is still in her pajamas. The left leg of Jennifer’s jeans has a knee brace over it. They stop talking and turn my way.

  “Well, look who’s joined us!” Stacie says.

  “It’s America’s Hope for Gold!” Jennifer’s tone is so sarcastic that if she and Stacie had a mean girl contest, I’m not sure which one of them would win.

  Stacie gets a smirk on her face. “More like America’s Natural Disaster on Ice.”

  I try to think of a comeback, but I can’t. Joya would come up with something witty and biting to say back in a second, but I don’t have her dramatic talents. I stumble a couple of steps closer to them instead of backing out of the room like I should. I open my mouth. Then shut it again.

  Nothing.

  Finally I find some words, but they aren’t the ones I want. “What are you doing here?” I ask Jennifer.

  Her eyes narrow. “What? I’m not allowed to watch the Olympics?”

  “No. I mean, yes, of course you are. I just didn’t know you’d be here.”

  She smiles, but not in a friendly way. “My boyfriend needs my support,” she says, drawing out boy and friend long and loud.

  “Boyfriend?” I ask before I can stop myself.

  Her eyelashes flutter innocently. “You know him, don’t you? Hunter Wills.”

  “Yes,” I say stupidly.

  Stacie eyes me. “You know you were just a game to Hunter. He’s been with Jennifer this whole time. He just wanted to psych you out, inexperienced innocent little girl that you are. Mess up your precious quad sal.”

  Jennifer laughs. “You made it too easy for him!” She holds up her pinkie. “You just let him wrap you right around his little finger. Oh, Hunter! You’re so amazing!” She puts on a high, false voice that is supposed to sound like mine but doesn’t. Not at all. “Oh, Hunter! You understand me like no one else! Oh, Hunter! Watch me jump and help me win!”

  I try to make like Gore-Tex and let their comments roll off of me, but I can’t. Tears sting my eyes. Even though I was on cloud nine last night after my romantic moment with Danny, it’s awful to think that the entire time Hunter was acting like he was interested, he was really lying to me and laughing behind my back with Jennifer and Stacie. “But why would he do that? Why would he lie? How do you even know what’s between Hunter and me?”

  This question sends Jennifer and Stacie into a fit of giggles. “Do you really have to ask? Why, Esperanza,” she says, exaggerating each syllable of my name in a mock Spanish accent. “You stole what was mine! You stole my spot on the Olympic team!”

  “But I didn’t. You got injured,” I say.

  She’s not listening. “You didn’t think I was going to let you get away with it, did you? It was so satisfying to see you choke the other night.” She turns to Stacie for confirmation. “Wasn’t it, sweetie?”

  “Oh yeah,” Stacie says. “I was glad to help the cause.” Then she covers her mouth and her eyes get wide. “Oops!”

  It takes a moment, but then my brain starts to put two and two together. “You can’t mean that you threw your program for the Team Event,” I say, my eyes on Stacie. “You did not actually do that at the Olympics!”

  Jennifer’s laughter is loud. “It’s not that big a deal. Everyone has other chances to medal. But we didn’t want you to go home with gold, coasting on the backs of all the other people who have been working so hard to get here — including Meredith, who didn’t even get to skate!”

  Stacie pinches Jennifer’s arm.

  “Ouch! Why did you do that?”

  But Stacie only shushes her.

  I look from one to the other. “That’s crazy,” I say. “And horrible. I might not be one of your figure skating buddies, but I’ve worked hard to get here too. And I think all our coaches might be very interested in what you just said.”

  “Please don’t tell,” Stacie whispers, her voice suddenly full of fear.

  “Right. Of course I’d never do that. Because you’ve been oh so nice to me, I should definitely keep your dark, nasty secrets from the rest of the team.”

  “Esperanza, wait —” Stacie is saying.

  “Also, just to remind you, the Olympics aren’t over yet,” I interrupt, and storm back into my room. I glare at Meredith, who is sitting on her bed with a shocked expression on her face. “Thanks for the warning before I went out there,” I snap at her. “It’s great to know that you were so mad you didn’t get picked as alternate for the Team Event, you were willing to help them try to sabotage the gold for everybody else, especially me. And I stupidly thought you and I were going to be friends!”

  “But we are! And I didn’t … I’d never … I had no idea what they were up to! I swear!”

  “Save it for someone who cares,” I say, and slam the bathroom door, locking myself inside. Meredith is still trying to talk to me, but I turn on the shower and get under the hot water. I close my eyes and wish it could wash away all the mixed-up feelings surging through me. Once again, I’m pulled right back into just the kind of drama Coach wants me to stay away from.

  The question is, can I find my way out of it in time to skate tonight?

  “Why won’t you pick up?” I shout at my phone.

  Sadly, it doesn’t say anything in return.

  I can’t get in touch with my mother. It’s freaking me out.

  I’m crossing the Olympic Village, bag bouncing against my hip, my mind going everywhere at once. Mamá. Stacie. Jennifer. Meredith. Every once in a while it scrolls to Danny, which makes my heart flutter, but then inevitably it lands on Hunter Wills, which makes my skin burn. The idea that I’m the target of my figure skating teammates’ viciousness is humiliating.

  I have to stop letting the drama get the best of me.

  But how can I?

  It’s so huge, it’s practically the size of one of those Olympic domes!

  I don’t want to be Esperanza Flores, Queen of Drama, though. I want to go back to being America’s Hope for Gold. The Cinderella story of this year’s Olympic Games. The Spiñorita of everyone’s heart.

  I call my mother one more time and it rings straight to voice mail.

  “Ahhhhhhh!”

  “What has gotten into you?” Coach Chen says the moment she sees me. We fall in step on our way to the rink. “I left you last night and you were calm and happy. Now you’re a disaster.”

  “America’s Natural Disaster on Ice,” I say, remembering Stacie’s words.

  Coach studies me. “What happened?”

  “When I got up, I found Stacie Grant and Jennifer Madison in the lounge.”

  “And? So?”

  I can’t meet Coach’s eyes. “And they eloquently expressed how much I’m hated by everyone. What a failure I am. That I’m a laughingstock to the whole Olympic team.”

  Coach Chen squeezes my arm. “What those girls think doesn’t matter. And you are not a laughingstock.”

  “But I am, apparently. There’s something else I learned too. Something horrible and shocking and wrong about the Team Event and why we didn’t medal.” The words are spilling out of me before I can think.

  Coach looks alarmed. “What are you talking about, Esperanza?”

  “I’m talking ab
out —” I start, but stop midsentence.

  I’m about to say the word sabotage.

  I’m about to tell on Stacie. Confess to Coach what she did. How she’s conspired with Jennifer and Hunter this whole time and intentionally jeopardized the Team Event medal.

  But then I don’t.

  If I tell on Stacie, I’ll be stooping just as low as she has. Coach Chen would have to tell Coach East, who would have to tell the US Figure Skating officials, and they could decide to not let Stacie skate tonight. And if Stacie gets disqualified, I won’t get to compete against her for gold.

  Which would mean I won’t get to beat her fair and square.

  Which would also mean that if I actually do medal, she could always claim it was just because she didn’t skate. Just like Jennifer wants to claim that I don’t really deserve to be here. That I’m only here because of her injury. Which is partly true, but not entirely.

  Coach Chen is waiting for me to explain.

  “You know what? Nothing,” I say finally. “Nothing happened.”

  “Esperanza …” Coach is suspicious now. “If something is up, you need to tell me what it is.”

  I shake my head. “Nothing’s up. Really. There isn’t. I was just being melodramatic.”

  “Why don’t I believe you?”

  “I don’t know. But you should.”

  “Well, get your head in the game, then.”

  “Okay. I will.”

  Coach studies me, eyes narrowed. “I mean it, Espi.”

  I breathe deep. I nod. “I know you do.”

  “Tonight is the short program. You’ll do your triple axels. Tomorrow is your free skate. You’ll do your triple axels again and you’re going for the quad sal. Right?”

  I swallow. “Yes.”

  “You’ve got to let go of whatever is bothering you — whatever it is you won’t tell me.” A lightbulb goes on in Coach’s eyes. “Is this about Danny Morrison? Did something happen with him?”

  My cheeks flush. “Um.”

  “Something did happen!”

  The flush deepens. “Um.”

  Coach Chen puts her hand to her hip. “I’m going to kill that boy if he’s upset you.”

  “No, no,” I say quickly. “He didn’t upset me. I promise. He made me feel better.”