Title: Dreams of Ice
Author: Marianya
Part: Chapter Two
Rate: PG
Date develop: 18 February 2002
Date revised: 13 March 2002
Chapter Two - Memories Resurface
Summer of 2000...
'One stop flight from Hartford, Connecticut to Los Angeles, California now arriving.'
Michelle looked out the window and saw the sunlight glistening against her window, a hand clenched around her own and she squeezed back. It was really sweet of Alexei to come here with me, at least for a couple of weeks. Michelle was really happy to have such an accomplished coach to help her from now until who knows when. At the same time she was scared to death on having to go across the country to reach her true dream of flying on ice.
As she finally stepped off the flight and onto the airport terminal, one hand still held on fast to Alexei's, for she wanted to make sure that she doesn't do anything stupid, or forget something.
"Soon you will be in your own town house and ready to skate again..." Alexei said to Michelle, trying to comfort her.
"Yeah but I am scared half out of my wits end. I'm not real comfortable to change, but sometimes it takes change to go forward in life and careers." Michelle whispered to her close companion.
She mentally thanked that none of the reporters were around; she was already having the time of her life telling reporters that there was nothing going on between herself and Alexei. She wasn't the only one that was suffering from the journalists and it didn't help that they sometimes did news conferences together.
Taking a final moment to calm herself they walked over to the baggage claim to retrieve their luggage for what would seem to be an interesting two weeks.
A couple of days later...
The sound of clanging could be heard from throughout the workout gym that was also equipped with a few dance rooms. A young man about nineteen to twenty years of age was getting used to his new workout regime. He transferred from his coach in Ohio to Frank Carroll in California and this included changing his workout routine, choreographers and scenery. By this time he was able to master the quadruple salchow and has used it regularly in competition. However now he is trying to work on the quadruple toe loop to use in his arsenal.
His one major fallback was his artistic expression, people has told him over and over that though his technical merit ranks high, his artistic expression still has much work left. So his new coach had put together a team of choreographers and instructors that would help him with his presentation on the ice.
However lately he wasn't giving it his all in practices anymore, in fact his coach had told him that his fire, his passion in figure skating in dwindling. 'Timothy, you're missing something, you aren't skating with as much passion as you used to. Though your jumps are still brilliant and your artistry a little better before now.'
Those words burned through his head as he continued to pump and workout various muscles throughout his body. Timothy didn't tell his coach why his mind has been wandering, his coach wouldn't understand anyway.
Then why are you dreaming about her...? Timothy admonished himself. He didn't want to believe that he was losing his fire, but at the same time something was driving him in his dreams. There was a picture of a girl, probably no more than twelve, her eyes saddened by tears and the words echoed in his head, 'Don't go. Please don't go.'
He knew that face somewhere, but for the life of him he could not figure out where. For the past couple of weeks he tossed and turned as the same face haunted his dreams. Now whenever he walks down the street he pays closer attention to the people that he sees, and wonders where is that girl and why is she haunting him.
He started to think again of the young girl, her dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. Sometimes on a good night sleep he would hear her laughter and them playing 'tag'. Shaking the thoughts away he tried to fully concentrate on the workout on hand, but now something else was distracting him from his work.
Soft violin strings complimented with the notes from a piano filled his ears from some far away source. Finishing his current set he hoped that he would be quick enough to locate the source before it suddenly disappears. Walking around he found the music to be coming from one of the dance studios. Taking a breath he took a peek inside and found a beautiful sight before his eyes.
There was a young woman at the ballet bars stretching out her muscles for every part of her body. After a few minutes she faced the mirrors and began a dance routine that to Timothy's eyes, seemed distinctly to be put on the ice. Not willing to wait until the music finished, and his curiosity taking over him he leaned against the doorway, "You know the only persons I have seen use this room are those that are practicing the choreography for a figure skating routine."
The statement startled the young woman when she jumped and turned around to face the source of the voice.
Timothy saw the woman fully for the first time, she was shorter than himself by about a couple of inches, making her about five feet and five inches tall, her hair was a beautiful mix between dark brown and deep black, her hair stood to just her shoulders and framed her face rather well. Her eyes were of a dark chocolate color and reminded him of the young girl that haunted his dreams. Around her neck was a green stone in the shape of a teardrop hung by a golden chain.
The girl looked to the young man that leaned against the doorway, his light blue eyes and his curly brown hair topped with blond. She thought that he had looked familiar but could not place the face anywhere. "This is a mix of violin and piano duets," she smiled shyly, "I use this to stretch, and warm-up before and during practices." Her hand subconsciously grasped the jade raindrop, as if something from long ago was coming to the forefront of her memories.
"That necklace is really nice, I haven't seen anything like it." There was just something about her, and just can't place the name with the face, the familiarity was there!
She smiled softly, "This is jade, and not too many places carry it."
"Who gave that to you?" Timothy couldn't help but question.
"Someone from a long time ago, a young boy. We used to be close friends but we have since lost touch. I'm sorry sir, but I have not caught your name...?" The young woman left the unspoken question in the air.
It took Timothy a beat until he finally realized that he had yet to introduce himself. "I'm sorry, I'm Timothy Goebel. And you are...?"
"Michelle Ho."
Timothy came forward and shook the girl's outstretched hand. For some reason that name was familiar to him and it stirred a memory within him, but he couldn't place where.
Michelle and Timothy grew comfortable with one another and soon agreed to meet again for future workout/dance sessions. Walking out of the gym together Timothy found that he didn't want to separate quite yet. Letting out a breath, "I was wondering if you were interested in going to dinner with me and a few other people tonight?"
Michelle smiled and was tempted to go, however, "I'm sorry but I already have made plans for tonight," motioning towards an automobile behind her. "I would like to take a rain check."
After Timothy's nod she reached up and gave him a quick peck on the cheek and was on her way to leave when she recognized fellow ladies figure skater and competitor, Michelle Kwan. Waving her hand, "Hey Michelle!"
Michelle Kwan turned around and saw her friend, "Hi Mari, is Alexei around?"
Michelle smiled at the nickname, it was the only way they could be distinguished when they are together. "Yeah he's in the car, I was going to leave now."
Michelle Kwan nodded and saw the young man that Michelle was with, "Hey Timothy, are you ready to go?"
Timothy nodded, "Yeah I was going to ask Michelle if she wanted to come along, but..." Timothy was confused he didn't know that his training partner knew Michelle Ho. Both of them are going to the same dinner that Michelle Kwan asked him to go to... then why did Michelle Ho say no?
Michelle giggled, "Oh I forgot, Mari, I was going to bring Timothy along. I figured that since the four of us are all in figure skating that we would get along great."
Michelle feigned pain, "Well gee thanks for letting me know NOW, but we better get going. We are running late as it is."
Michelle Ho walked ahead towards her close friend from Connecticut, Alexei Yagudin, with Michelle Kwan and Timothy Goebel walking behind her.
Timothy sighed, he knew that face somewhere, but he can't figure out where he knows her, "Is something wrong?" Michelle asked her skating friend. Ever since Timothy switched to Frank Carroll for coaching she and Timothy have gotten to know one another quite well. But Michelle knew that Timothy haven't made many friends yet, so she thought it would be nice to introduce him to Michelle Ho and Alexei Yagudin, since Alexei is going to be here for a couple of weeks.
"Yeah, that girl, I don't think I have ever met her in my life. And yet, she is familiar, something in my memory clicked but I can't figure out where I've met her, or who she is."
"Do you think she could be an old friend from your hometown?" Timothy was about to shake his head, no, but he second-guessed that reflexive response.
Perhaps she is, maybe I should ask mom, she might know her better than I do. Instead of answering her question, "Why do you call her Mari? When her name is Michelle."
Michelle smiled, "Ever since she started competing in the senior level, she was usually on the podium with me. So when the journalists started writing about the two of us there was a little confusion with first names, so Michelle decided to use her online penname - Marianya - so it helps the reporters differentiate between the two of us.
"The penname stuck and I started calling her Mari as a shortened form of her nickname." Now why is Timothy so curious about her, than just a distant memory? Michelle thought.
"Online penname?"
Michelle smiled, "Michelle Ho does some writing on the side, so when she uploads her works onto internet sites she uses another name so she doesn't have to use her real name. Now it seems more of a moot point since the press knows her as Marianya."
"And how does she know Alexei?" Of course Alexei was one of Timothy's competitors, but they were nice to one another off the ice. Alexei, he knew, trained in Connecticut while he trained in Ohio and now California.
"Marianya used to train in Connecticut and from what I know she moved to California to better her prospects, in fact she was thinking about having Carroll as her coach. Even though he was willing to take on another pupil, she didn't want to over burden him with two ladies skaters and you as well. However I think Frank is changing her mind. She met Alexei in Connecticut and they were close friends ever since."
Timothy nodded, and now armed with some background information it is time to find out exactly how this girl is connected with him.
So without any further questions, the two friends walked to join the other two in the drive for dinner.
At the restaurant...
"Do you guys want Smoking or Non?" The maitre'd asked the quartet.
Michelle Kwan looked around, "Well since Alexei smokes how about Smoking?"
Alexei overheard Michelle's response and intervened, "No, we will take non-smoking."
The maitre'd nodded, "Okay party for four in non-smoking? The wait is going to be twenty minutes."
The quartet dispersed from the counter and headed for the small waiting area. "I chose Smoking because I thought you smoked?" Michelle Kwan said, in the past they had taking the smoking section.
Alexei shrugged, "But Michelle did not come with. I thought it would be better for her if we take No Smoking section, even if wait is long."
Michelle Kwan was skeptical; it usually wouldn't bother non-smokers when a smoker is in the vicinity, unless that non-smoker has some medical illness. Looking around she noticed two persons that has come in and left the door open, outside there were people that were smoking a lot. From the corner of her ear someone coughed, looking back she noticed that the cough came from Michelle, "Michelle what's wrong?"
Michelle was coughing a lot now; she didn't think that there would be a lot of people on a Thursday night. Even so, the cigarette smoke continued to blow into the restaurant and it was irritating her lungs, "*cough* It's nothing... *cough, cough* I'm just... *cough, cough* over irritated with the, *cough* smoke. That's all." Her eyes watered with each cough and she felt her chest on fire.
Timothy closed the door and waited for the ventilation system to clear out the air. Looking towards Michelle he wasn't sure if he liked the protective way that Alexei was holding Michelle. Stop thinking about her Timothy, next thing you need is to fall in love. Besides they are probably going out.
"Kwan, party for four. Your table is now ready. Kwan, party for four."
"Well that's us, are you going to be okay Michelle?" Michelle asked her friend.
Michelle nodded, "I think so, just give me a glass of water and I'll be fine."
"Okay."
"And when Mushin said 'You will never be half the skater that Plushenko will be.' I moved to America. I try to talk to Plushenko but then I have to speak to Mushin first and I don't want to talk to Mushin." Alexei told the others about his reasons behind the move from Russia to America.
The quartet was telling stories of their childhood and how they began. Timothy and Michelle kept quiet while Alexei and Michelle Kwan had gone through their pasts.
"What about you Michelle? Tell us about your life in Illinois?" Michelle asked her friend.
Timothy, who was relaxing up until now, sat up in interest, "You are from Illinois?"
Michelle nodded, "I was born in Chicago and then my family moved to Hinsdale when I was just barely one. I started learning how to ice skate when I was five, but the closest ice arena was the one in..."
"... Rolling Meadows. Yeah I know that... didn't you train with a young boy, who was a year older than you?" Timothy was sure that he knew Michelle earlier than just today. For a moment everything seemed to have made perfect sense.
"September 10th? Yeah he was one year older, it as weird but cool, when we celebrate birthdays we would challenge one another to see who was better." Michelle couldn't believe her eyes, it can't be him and yet it is.
Timothy had to ask one more question, "Did you remember what we kept asking our coach to let us do?"
"Pairs skating," they chorused together.
Michelle Kwan and Alexei just sat there and smiled, letting the two childhood friend go on and on and on about the past, "Should we?"
"Nah, let them. It's fun to mock them later on." Michelle smiled evilly. She wasn't going to let her friends get away with the fact that they could have gone through the whole day not recognizing one another.