Post by veronasage on Mar 22, 2006 19:53:26 GMT -5
Authors Note: Okay here's chapter 4. I don't know how many times I can possibly thank those of you have left feedback. This chapter is for you!! Hope you like it!
Chapter 4
Both Danni and I trained in silence at the gym for the rest of the day. We went about our own business and never spoke. My coach came out to the gym too, though he didn’t speak to me. I could understand why, it wasn’t really my place to get mad at him. He was simply concerned with my well-being. I was lifting weights facing one of the many mirrors surrounding the gym when in the reflection I saw my coach watch Danni pulling leg weights. The next thing I knew I saw him approach her. I suddenly felt a wave of panic, I really didn’t want him to kick her out again. I dropped my weights and continued to look in the reflection of the mirror to see what was going on. I could tell my coach was asking a question when Danni grabbed her duffle bag and shuffled through it. Danni had pulled out a membership identification to the training center, the ID that I had only given her the day before. She handed it to my coach as he scrutinized every inch of it to see if it was for real. The look of defeat came over his face and he handed it back to her. My coach merely nodded his head and started walking away. I let out a breath of relief that I didn’t know that I was holding until that moment. Danni put the ID back into her bag and looked at me through the reflection, she smiled and gave me a thumbs up, I smiled back and continued with my lifting happy that my coach didn’t question me.
Back in the room we both landed on the couch exhausted.
“Good thing you gave me that ID. I swear your coach would’ve kicked me right back out.” I opened my eyes and looked at her.
“What did you say?” She put her hands over eyes and laughed.
“As soon as he walked up to me I asked him if he had decided on wanting to train me.” My jaw dropped in disbelief.
“You said that?”
“Yea. Really bold I know.”
“What did he say?”
“He said no. He then started interrogating me, trying to figure out why I was training there and if I had a membership. As soon as he looked it over I swear he grunted at me.” I laughed. “And as he walked away I just said see you later coach.” I laughed even harder.
“Well… I have to congratulate you on your persistent arrogance.” She then proceeded to pull the bandana around my head off only to throw it back in my face, doing all of this with a smile.
“Arrogance Apolo it is not, look at it more like, determination. Maybe if he hears it enough he just might start to believe it you know.”
“Interesting theory.” The room became silent again. It was about three minutes into the silence when Danni brought me back out of my reverie.
“Apolo about this morning…” I sighed running my hands through my hair and continuing to fidget with them in my lap. “I’m sorry about what I said about Allison. I really had no right to bring her up like that. I mean, I really don’t know anything about your personal life and I don’t have to know.”
“Don’t feel bad about that. It’s nothing big, she and I aren’t really anything anyways.” The silence once again. Should I ask her? Was it really worth a shot? “About us…”
“There is no us.” Well that answer came out right away. Don’t make this anymore of an awkward relationship than it already is.
“Right, took the words right out of my mouth.” That’s a blatant lie Apolo and you know it.
“Now I know there seems to be a mutual attraction between us but…” She was attracted to me. So it just wasn’t me?
“You’re attracted to me?” I looked in her eyes only to find confusion. It looked as if she was having a hard time making up her mind. What are you thinking?
“Well yea…” she paused still uncertain but seeming like she had come to a decision. “what girl wouldn’t be, you’re Apolo Ohno.” Wow, wow…did she just say that?
She doesn’t mean that, you know she doesn’t mean that. You’ve met shallow people before Apolo and she is not like them. You saw her uncertainty, she’s lying, she’s denying her feelings just as much you are trying to deny yours. But even so, the comment still hurt.
“Right…” I looked away completely ashamed of myself.
“Apolo, please don’t take this the wrong way. You’re a great guy but I only met you the other day.” Could you just please put me out of my misery. “Right now, at this point in both of our careers, skating has to be first. I mean my career is one thing but I definitely don’t want to ruin your chances in Torino.” That was the worst excuse I’ve ever heard, MY chances in Torino? Give me a break. I nodded my head trying to make this conversation end sooner. “Apolo…I…”
“No. No, no I understand.” What she said was completely right, in a logical sense, but why did it feel completely wrong. “You’re absolutely right.” Suck it up Apolo. “Skating first.” She gave me a slight smile that didn’t really reach her eyes.
“Right, and as for us…” I jumped in before she could finish.
“Friends. Platonic friends.”
“Read my mind.” Right…as if she’s really thinking that. She was about to give me a ‘friendly’ hug when I pulled out before she could get too close. A sharp pain went through my heart as I saw the pain of denial reflected in her eyes.
“Well… I’m going to go take a shower.” I lifted myself from the couch and slowly made my way to the bathroom. I stopped in the doorway when I turned to look back at the couch. She was still sitting there except now with her head in her hands. I didn’t know why she wanted it this way, but if that’s all she really wanted from me, I could try to at least give her that, even if it hurts me… “Hey…” She looked up, were those tears? No… of course not. I must be seeing things. “After we both wash up… maybe we can go grab a bite to eat with the other guys, after all, we are roommates now. How does that sound?” I tried my best to smile through the torrent of emotions that were surging through me.
She was quiet for a moment but soon replied, “I’d like that.”
~
Danni was wonderful. All the guys loved her. She fit right in with everybody. She just had this charming grace that seemed to pull everyone to her like gravity. She was definitely one in a million. I watched her as she laughed at some lame joke that Rusty had just told her.
“See, someone thinks my jokes are funny.” Rusty smiled in triumph.
“Rusty don’t kid yourself, she’s just being polite. Danni, you really don’t have to laugh at his jokes. We never do.” Rusty continued to glare at Shani for his comment.
“Aww, don’t be mean.” Rusty smile was back again as he looked at Danni. “But you have to admit Rusty, you should seriously work on it.” Rusty’s jaw dropped as the whole table burst into laughter.
“Oh man! Apolo where did you find this girl? I love her!” J.P. stated through his laughter. I simply shrugged my shoulders and looked across the table only to find her looking back. It only lasted a moment before she looked away. She was pulled into a heated debate with Rusty on why his jokes were funny.
“Earth to Apolo.” Shani shook my shoulder trying to get my attention.
“Yeah?” Shani looked at me and shook his head in disbelief.
“Man…”
“What?”
“She totally has you.”
“No she does not.” Please Apolo, now you’re just trying to lie to your best friend who knows you too well.
“Apolo, what do I always tell you, you are a horrible liar.” How does he always do that?
“Shani… I think we’ve been spending too much time with each other. You knowing me this well is kind of creeping me out.”
“So it’s true then. You are into her.” I rolled my eyes.
“Did I say that?”
“You didn’t have to. I can see it. You haven’t taken your eyes off of her this whole night.” I could feel Shani’s eyes burning into my skin. I sighed. I was just about to tell him to mind his own business when Danni’s phone started ringing. She stopped Rusty mid-sentence and looked at her phone. She stared at it intently. I could tell she wasn’t looking forward to picking up the call. I wondered who it was.
“Hello?” She then looked at me and I immediately grew concerned, instantly forgetting my conversation with Shani. Danni didn’t seem too pleased to be speaking to whoever she was speaking to. She then excused herself from the table leaving the guys and me to talk amongst ourselves. Shani was just about to continue on with our conversation when I stood up and followed Danni. I found her in the hallway leading to the restaurants restrooms, I stood at the edge not going in any further to give her some privacy but still being close enough to overhear, which didn’t help much when I realized she was speaking in a foreign language. I heard her sigh in frustration when she picked up the conversation in English.
“How many times do I have to tell you, it’s what you wanted me to do, not what I wanted… Oh my god does it really matter who I skate for?... Look I’m sorry you had to find out this way but this is the way it’s going to be… No I’m not going to tell you where I am. You really don’t get it do you… Please I know you know what I’m saying why do you always have to make it harder on me?... Look, I’m in control of my career now.” She hung up and stood against the wall with her eyes closed. “Are you going to come over here and comfort me or not Ohno?” I slowly moved from my position outside of the hallway and proceeded towards her.
“Should I even ask who that was?” She opened her eyes and looked at me.
“My dad… He got a call from Korea today. He…”
“Apolo?” Danni and I turned to see who had just interrupted our conversation when I felt my mouth go dry.
“Allison?”
Authors Note: How was that? Is it getting better? Did I leave you in a tense situation?
Hahaha... Leave feedback if you want more... it would be greatly appreciated!
Chapter 4
Both Danni and I trained in silence at the gym for the rest of the day. We went about our own business and never spoke. My coach came out to the gym too, though he didn’t speak to me. I could understand why, it wasn’t really my place to get mad at him. He was simply concerned with my well-being. I was lifting weights facing one of the many mirrors surrounding the gym when in the reflection I saw my coach watch Danni pulling leg weights. The next thing I knew I saw him approach her. I suddenly felt a wave of panic, I really didn’t want him to kick her out again. I dropped my weights and continued to look in the reflection of the mirror to see what was going on. I could tell my coach was asking a question when Danni grabbed her duffle bag and shuffled through it. Danni had pulled out a membership identification to the training center, the ID that I had only given her the day before. She handed it to my coach as he scrutinized every inch of it to see if it was for real. The look of defeat came over his face and he handed it back to her. My coach merely nodded his head and started walking away. I let out a breath of relief that I didn’t know that I was holding until that moment. Danni put the ID back into her bag and looked at me through the reflection, she smiled and gave me a thumbs up, I smiled back and continued with my lifting happy that my coach didn’t question me.
Back in the room we both landed on the couch exhausted.
“Good thing you gave me that ID. I swear your coach would’ve kicked me right back out.” I opened my eyes and looked at her.
“What did you say?” She put her hands over eyes and laughed.
“As soon as he walked up to me I asked him if he had decided on wanting to train me.” My jaw dropped in disbelief.
“You said that?”
“Yea. Really bold I know.”
“What did he say?”
“He said no. He then started interrogating me, trying to figure out why I was training there and if I had a membership. As soon as he looked it over I swear he grunted at me.” I laughed. “And as he walked away I just said see you later coach.” I laughed even harder.
“Well… I have to congratulate you on your persistent arrogance.” She then proceeded to pull the bandana around my head off only to throw it back in my face, doing all of this with a smile.
“Arrogance Apolo it is not, look at it more like, determination. Maybe if he hears it enough he just might start to believe it you know.”
“Interesting theory.” The room became silent again. It was about three minutes into the silence when Danni brought me back out of my reverie.
“Apolo about this morning…” I sighed running my hands through my hair and continuing to fidget with them in my lap. “I’m sorry about what I said about Allison. I really had no right to bring her up like that. I mean, I really don’t know anything about your personal life and I don’t have to know.”
“Don’t feel bad about that. It’s nothing big, she and I aren’t really anything anyways.” The silence once again. Should I ask her? Was it really worth a shot? “About us…”
“There is no us.” Well that answer came out right away. Don’t make this anymore of an awkward relationship than it already is.
“Right, took the words right out of my mouth.” That’s a blatant lie Apolo and you know it.
“Now I know there seems to be a mutual attraction between us but…” She was attracted to me. So it just wasn’t me?
“You’re attracted to me?” I looked in her eyes only to find confusion. It looked as if she was having a hard time making up her mind. What are you thinking?
“Well yea…” she paused still uncertain but seeming like she had come to a decision. “what girl wouldn’t be, you’re Apolo Ohno.” Wow, wow…did she just say that?
She doesn’t mean that, you know she doesn’t mean that. You’ve met shallow people before Apolo and she is not like them. You saw her uncertainty, she’s lying, she’s denying her feelings just as much you are trying to deny yours. But even so, the comment still hurt.
“Right…” I looked away completely ashamed of myself.
“Apolo, please don’t take this the wrong way. You’re a great guy but I only met you the other day.” Could you just please put me out of my misery. “Right now, at this point in both of our careers, skating has to be first. I mean my career is one thing but I definitely don’t want to ruin your chances in Torino.” That was the worst excuse I’ve ever heard, MY chances in Torino? Give me a break. I nodded my head trying to make this conversation end sooner. “Apolo…I…”
“No. No, no I understand.” What she said was completely right, in a logical sense, but why did it feel completely wrong. “You’re absolutely right.” Suck it up Apolo. “Skating first.” She gave me a slight smile that didn’t really reach her eyes.
“Right, and as for us…” I jumped in before she could finish.
“Friends. Platonic friends.”
“Read my mind.” Right…as if she’s really thinking that. She was about to give me a ‘friendly’ hug when I pulled out before she could get too close. A sharp pain went through my heart as I saw the pain of denial reflected in her eyes.
“Well… I’m going to go take a shower.” I lifted myself from the couch and slowly made my way to the bathroom. I stopped in the doorway when I turned to look back at the couch. She was still sitting there except now with her head in her hands. I didn’t know why she wanted it this way, but if that’s all she really wanted from me, I could try to at least give her that, even if it hurts me… “Hey…” She looked up, were those tears? No… of course not. I must be seeing things. “After we both wash up… maybe we can go grab a bite to eat with the other guys, after all, we are roommates now. How does that sound?” I tried my best to smile through the torrent of emotions that were surging through me.
She was quiet for a moment but soon replied, “I’d like that.”
~
Danni was wonderful. All the guys loved her. She fit right in with everybody. She just had this charming grace that seemed to pull everyone to her like gravity. She was definitely one in a million. I watched her as she laughed at some lame joke that Rusty had just told her.
“See, someone thinks my jokes are funny.” Rusty smiled in triumph.
“Rusty don’t kid yourself, she’s just being polite. Danni, you really don’t have to laugh at his jokes. We never do.” Rusty continued to glare at Shani for his comment.
“Aww, don’t be mean.” Rusty smile was back again as he looked at Danni. “But you have to admit Rusty, you should seriously work on it.” Rusty’s jaw dropped as the whole table burst into laughter.
“Oh man! Apolo where did you find this girl? I love her!” J.P. stated through his laughter. I simply shrugged my shoulders and looked across the table only to find her looking back. It only lasted a moment before she looked away. She was pulled into a heated debate with Rusty on why his jokes were funny.
“Earth to Apolo.” Shani shook my shoulder trying to get my attention.
“Yeah?” Shani looked at me and shook his head in disbelief.
“Man…”
“What?”
“She totally has you.”
“No she does not.” Please Apolo, now you’re just trying to lie to your best friend who knows you too well.
“Apolo, what do I always tell you, you are a horrible liar.” How does he always do that?
“Shani… I think we’ve been spending too much time with each other. You knowing me this well is kind of creeping me out.”
“So it’s true then. You are into her.” I rolled my eyes.
“Did I say that?”
“You didn’t have to. I can see it. You haven’t taken your eyes off of her this whole night.” I could feel Shani’s eyes burning into my skin. I sighed. I was just about to tell him to mind his own business when Danni’s phone started ringing. She stopped Rusty mid-sentence and looked at her phone. She stared at it intently. I could tell she wasn’t looking forward to picking up the call. I wondered who it was.
“Hello?” She then looked at me and I immediately grew concerned, instantly forgetting my conversation with Shani. Danni didn’t seem too pleased to be speaking to whoever she was speaking to. She then excused herself from the table leaving the guys and me to talk amongst ourselves. Shani was just about to continue on with our conversation when I stood up and followed Danni. I found her in the hallway leading to the restaurants restrooms, I stood at the edge not going in any further to give her some privacy but still being close enough to overhear, which didn’t help much when I realized she was speaking in a foreign language. I heard her sigh in frustration when she picked up the conversation in English.
“How many times do I have to tell you, it’s what you wanted me to do, not what I wanted… Oh my god does it really matter who I skate for?... Look I’m sorry you had to find out this way but this is the way it’s going to be… No I’m not going to tell you where I am. You really don’t get it do you… Please I know you know what I’m saying why do you always have to make it harder on me?... Look, I’m in control of my career now.” She hung up and stood against the wall with her eyes closed. “Are you going to come over here and comfort me or not Ohno?” I slowly moved from my position outside of the hallway and proceeded towards her.
“Should I even ask who that was?” She opened her eyes and looked at me.
“My dad… He got a call from Korea today. He…”
“Apolo?” Danni and I turned to see who had just interrupted our conversation when I felt my mouth go dry.
“Allison?”
Authors Note: How was that? Is it getting better? Did I leave you in a tense situation?
Hahaha... Leave feedback if you want more... it would be greatly appreciated!
