Chapter 1
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What can you say, staring up at the ceiling from the ice after your third Olympic free dance? Fact is, other than a lame �whoops� there really isn�t much you can say. So I lifted up my upper body, and kissed Dominic�s lips-one of the most impulsive things I�d ever done. He looked up at me in surprise, read behind my facial expression-still frozen in a �let�s sell it� smile. And saw the sadness that was already there. I knew the judges. I could kiss the Olympic medal I�d never had goodbye. It wasn�t like the judges would�ve been overly interested in handing one over to us without the fall. But with it�all my hope was gone. �C�mon, Allison.� Dominic said, getting up. �You�ve worked for this�we�ve worked for this. Look around you. Take that as your reward.� He wasn�t supposed to be able to read me this well. But after 11 years skating as a team, I suppose it was to be expected. Obediently, I looked around the large arena and saw the people there clapping, cheering�even a few Canadian flags there. I blinked the tears that still threatened to fall, and we bowed. Dominic kept a tight, protective grip on my hand as we skated towards the kiss and cry. He was always such a big brother. I thought to myself. The scores came up, confirming what I�d known for some time now. 4th. I was getting far too familiar with this position. Even with missing the podium, if I had any hope of getting a good night�s sleep, I was still in my dream world. The fact that there was no medal hanging around our necks mattered nothing to the Canadian audience (at least two interviews-in English and French), and little to the American�s, German�s, English, and French. So we had a minimum of six interviews�but I�m sure it was more than that. All I know is that my smile never left my face, the upbeat attitude stayed with me. We readied ourselves to go, hardly a word being spoken. Svetlana came over and spoke in low tones with Nick, then to me. �Ally, you did wonderful. There is nothing more to say. Go now, rest. Enjoy the experience. You are here because you skate, and you love to skate. That will not change.� She said in her thick Russian accent that had become so familiar to me. She wrapped her arms around me in a hug, then left, muttering something in Russian. As I pulled on my coat, and grabbed my bag, Nick came over next to me. �Come on, Allison.� He said, grabbing my free hand and leading me to the exit. By the time we reached Canada House, my fa�ade was slipping. Tired, red eyes replaced the bright ones, my mouth was set in a grim line, and I could feel my body slumping. I couldn�t bring myself to talk to Dominic-I hadn�t said a word to him since I�d kissed him. We walked into the almost-empty lobby, and were greeted with both congratulations and expressions of sympathy. I had no patience for talk, though, and at the first chance I slipped away towards my room, and was surprised to see Nick was right behind me. We paused outside my door, and I fumbled to grab my key, feeling awkward. �Allison.� He said my name softly, and I realized that other than Nick, I hadn�t been called by my full name in years, by anyone. I liked the way he said it, with his still slightly German accent. I glanced up at him shyly-not a word typically used to describe me, but tonight it was. �Are you going to be okay?� He asked. I forced my stiff neck to nod. �Call me if you need to talk. I don�t think I�ll be doing much sleeping myself.� I nodded again, and he wrapped me in a tight hug. �Goodnight, Allison.� He said. �Thanks, Dominic.� I said in a dead whisper. He gave me an encouraging smile, and I turned to enter my room. Throwing my things on the floor, I collapsed on my bed, and picked up the phone, dialing a room just two doors down. I hoped desperately that Jenny was there for me to talk to. �Hello?� Answered a voice. �Jenny? It�s Ally.� �Hey. How are you holding up?� Jenny O�Neal, co-Olympic champion, and one of my best friends, asked. �This whole Olympics thing.� �Yeah?� �It really blows.� I said decidedly.
