| Chapter 2 Anoher day of practice had ended for the United States Short Track Team and all the members were exhausted. One by one they skated off the ice and sat down on the hard benches to take their skates off. "Guess who's coming to preform at the Olympics?" Rusty Smith, one of the medal hopefuls on the team, said looking at his teammates with a sly smile. "Who? Shakira?" Shani Davis, another medal hopeful, said, knowing that Rusty was in love with Shakira. "I wish, no it's Dance USA," Rusty said excitedly, carefully putting his skates in his bag. "Seriously? Oh, man they're the hottest girls around," Apolo Ohno, a mutiple medal hopeful, said excidedly as he stripped off his skin suit. "Calm down, Apolo,"' Shani said petting Apolo's head as if he were a dog who just got fed a treat. "It's not like they're going to hang around with us." "Why do you say that?" Dan Weinstein, a member of the short track relay team, asked curiously. "They're probably going to keep us seperated," Shani said. "Because they're probably diva-like and probably all girly. 'Look I broke a nail.' 'I can't skate cause my hair will get ruined.' 'You mean I have to get sweaty.'" Shani was really good at doing impressions and this one made all his teammates laugh out histarically. "Let's give them some credit," Apolo said trying to stop laughing. "They are althletes so I doubt they act like that." "Look at you, you've gone head over heals for them already," Shani said jokingly as Apolo blushed. "Just don't get too wrapped up in them. We don't want out star teammate to be side tracked by some girl." 'Unlike some people," Apolo said looking over at Rusty. "I can control my hormones." "What? What did I do?" Rusty said when he realized Apolo was talking about him. "I seem to recall when a certain girl by the name of Shakira made you go gaga over her when you met her," Apolo said laughing. "I did not," Rusty said acting like a little child. "Please, you were almost kissing the ground she walked on," Dan said as they all started ganging up on him. "How did this conversation turn on me?" Rusty said trying to act innocent as their coach, Susan Ellis, came by. "Ok, gentleman, it's going to be another early practice tomorrow morning and most likely a late one too," Susan said as the guys groaned. "Do you guys want a chance at a medal? I mean if you want the Canadians and Koreans to win that's fine with me. It will be less work for me to do." Immediately the guys stopped groaning with that comment. There was no way they were going to let the Canadians and Koreans beat them. "We're not going to loose because we got Apolo on our team," Rusty said patting Apolo on the back. "Well, Apolo, as talented as he is, can't do this alone," Susan said looking seriously. "Remember there's no 'I' in team." "No, but there's a 'm' and an 'e'," Shani said as the team started to laugh hysterically. "Shani, you never ceast to amaze me with your intellegence," Susan said smiling and shaking her head.. "I guess Hooked on Phonics worked for you." All the guys, including Shani, laughed even more. Shani could take almost as much as he cracked jokes. "Anyways, you guys get some sleep and I'll see you in the morning," Susan said giving each of the guys a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Remember in three days, we'e heading off to Salt Lake." They each said their good-byes and headed off to their rooms that were about a quarter mile from the ice rink. These next three days were going to be the longest and most grueling days of their lives. Chapter 3 Never Had a Dream Come True Homepage Home |