A New Life

I woke up to a loud pounding on my bedroom door. Groaning I look over to the alarm clock and see that it’s about seven in the morning.

“Galina get up and at it, you’re going to the practice today!” Tony reminds me before opening my door. “I’m leaving in half an hour, try to make yourself presentable before then.” He calls before leaving my room. Sighing I pull myself from beneath the blankets and brush my dark hair. It’s only September and still warm outside but spending my day in the chilly ice rink I decide on wearing leggings under my tank top before grabbing a sweater to cover up in case I get cold.

Once I had gotten ready I met an impatient Tony at his car and we began driving to the practice rink. Yesterday had been nerve wracking, Jana and Sammi had been nice girls with talent but their was something they were missing, overall they didn’t seem to have the drive they needed for becoming professionals. My mission now was to drill that passion into them.

I hadn’t really talked to the other coach’s yet and none of them seemed really interested in me. Maybe they didn’t understand how a girl fresh off a gold medal would leave everything behind in exchange for a relatively unknown gym. There were things they would never understand.

Tony pulled up in front of a large building that was equally foreboding as it was intriguing.

“This is my second home from October to April.” Tony explained as he turned the car off. At the door he flashed his badge to a guard and explained that I was his little sister fresh off the boat. If this was how Tony was acting to security guards I was scared to how he’d act to his hockey player friends.

“I’ll show you the locker room, just close your eyes first.” Tony told me

“What are you scared I’ll see naked men? I’m not a little girl.” I smirk back at him and he shakes his head.

“I’m going to pretend my baby sister didn’t say that.” He answers and we walk into the locker room. Tony immediately covers my eyes as we get in. I can hear male voices so I’m guessing he’s trying to ‘protect my innocence’.

“Hey we’ve got a lady in here is everyone descent?” Tony calls, I can hear some men laughing before one man say’s everyone is good. Tony lets go of me and I give him an angry look.

“This is my sister Galina, she’s the newest addition to the USA.” Tony introduces me and
I smile shyly at the men in the locker room. They may all be decent but that mean many of them were shirtless.

Many of them were very attractive shirtless men.

“Finally you’re here now Tony can stop going on and on about it.” A man with curly blonde hair remarks, Tony shakes his head at him.

“I haven’t seen this girl in years Kaner excuse me for being happy.” Tony replies and from his tone I can tell he has a good relationship with these men. He never had a brother and I’m happy that he has found a family relationship them.

“I’m Patrick by the way, don’t listen to your brother because he hates me.” The blonde man tells me and shakes my hand. “You know given Tony I didn’t expect him to be related to someone so pretty.” Patrick grins at me in a way that I expect he does at many young women.

“Kaner try not to flirt with girls when there brother is right next to them.” A man with dark hair pulls his shirt over his head and walks over to me.

“Lina, this is our one and only captain the great Jonathan Toews.” Tony explains and I give the man a friendly smile.

Oh god he was attractive, like really really attractive.

“It’s nice to meet you, you did a good job in London.” Jonathan tells me and I can feel myself blush slightly.

“Thank you, I’m guessing Tony was annoying everyone about it.” I reply embarrassed that Tony couldn’t keep his mouth shut.

“That and my mom loves gymnastics, she enjoyed watching you.” Jonathan tells me and I feel a little embarrassed. A very attractive man has seen me in the itty bitty gymnast uniforms. Jonathan gives me a final smile and I can feel my heart beast skip a little. He bids me a goodbye and calls for all the men to hurry up and get on the ice.

“Go out to the seats, some of the wives and girlfriends are out there and I’m sure they’ll be happy to let you sit with them. Tony tells me before going into the trainer room. I follow the signs out to the ice and see a small crowd of women sitting around and talking. One of them look up to me and smiles.

“I’m Galina, I’m Tony’s sister.” I introduce myself to the women and a blonde offers me a seat.

“I’m Amanda by the way.” The one blonde tells me she then introduces me to some of the other women including Patrick Sharp’s wife Abby who had a baby girl with her.

“We’re always thankful to Tony for keeping the boys in line making sure they don’t hurt themselves too badly.” Abby told me and I felt a little more comfortable with these women.

“What brings you here?” Kelli-Rae asks me as she shifts in her seat. I freeze and wonder how to tell them why I came here. That the very country that had cheered me on, called me the face of the future before now wanted me out?

“Thing’s back in Bulgaria weren’t the best, I decided to join my brother here.” I manage to say. With most of these women are from Canada it seems like it would be hard for them to understand the political struggle I’d seen.

“You were a gymnast right?” Amanda asks me and I try not to feel angry over the use of the past tense word.

Were, meaning you weren't still a gymnast. You were a has been. But I don't want to ruffle any feathers right now so I nod.

“I’m working as a coach now, figure that’s the best thing I can do right now.” I reply to them.

They talk amongst themselves for a while, when the men come out on the ice they make a few comments on them. They’ve gotten a few new players and they discuss what they know about them and the people they’ve lost to trades. I look down to Tony who is standing in a box talking to a player. I smile at him, proud that my brother has become respected by these people. The player then stands and gives him a clap on the shoulder.

“I’m pretty sure your brother is telling Niklas that he’s not really made of iron.” Amanda tells me and I’m confused.

“Hjalmarsson, they keep saying he’s made of iron. Only he thinks it means he can take hits and it won’t hurt him.” Amanda explains to me. I shudder at the thought of blocking one of those pucks with my body, isn't that what a stick is for?

I shift my gaze and see Jonathan on the ice, he takes control of the ice and the puck. All of the sudden I feel my stomach flutter and I try to push the feeling away. It was stupid for me to get so flighty because of him. He was just a good looking guy, I’d only said a few words to him and there was no reason for me to be attracted to him.

In a few hours the players break for lunch and their respected partners go out with them. I go down by the ice and watch Tony talk with some of the other men.

“Hey Lina want to go out on the ice?” Tony asks me, I hadn’t skated in a long time but I was pretty sure I still knew how to do so. Tony helps me fund a pair of skates that are small enough for my feet, a task not very easy. Tony then helps me out of the box and onto the ice. I’m a little rusty and wobble at first but soon my legs and feet seem to remember what to do and Tony and I skate around together.

“Remember when we were in Sofia and dad took us skating?” Tony asks me, I nod thinking back to that time when we were all together. “You didn’t trust the ice because you thought you would slip on it like the ice outside. “ Tony smiles at me and I return it.

“I’ve gotten much better at it for your information.” I answer and with that I skate forward and spin around.

“Well aren’t some people a show off right Tazer?” He calls and I stop and notice Johnathan had gotten back on the ice. Seeing him makes me lose my balance and I land on the ice with a thunk.”

“See that’s what you get Miss. I Have Two Gold Medals.” Tony chides me, Jonathan doesn’t seem to hold it against me and he comes over to help me up. I feel myself redden as I take his hand. When I’m up he waits a moment before making sure I’m not going to fall over again.

“Hey I don’t see you trying any tricks Tony so don’t get on her case.” He tells Tony and I turn to stick my tongue out at my brother.

“Thanks for the help.” I tell me, wishing that I hadn’t made a fool of myself right in front of him.

“I’m always happy to help a lady in need.” He replies and my heart begins to hammer in my chest. Johnathan then skates off to practice some shooting.

“So now that you’ve gotten yourself bruised do you want to get something to eat?” Tony asks me and I can tell he wants to leave for food. I nod and follow him off the ice, looking over my shoulder one last time to see Jonathan by a pile of pucks, hitting them one after the other remarkably fast.

No, No stop yourself remember what happened last time you fell for a pretty face?

I pull myself out of my thoughts and take off the skates and follow Tony out. Making sure I didn’t look back at him.

000
I get to the gym early the next day, wanting to try out some of the choreography before I would show it to Jana. The gym in empty luckily and I begin stretching before turning my ipod. I begin with a simple yet beautiful leaping sequence, all of this to be intertwined with the ball. Then I move on towards a backbend and walk over. It’s a complicated routine for a young girl like Jana but I think she has the talent to do it.

As the songs continue to play I find myself forgetting the world around me and I begin to do my old routine, the very one that got me to the top of the podium in London. My split jump, the pivots and aerials. All of them merge together and I’m suddenly back there at the center of attention ready to fight for my chance to win.

The song ends and I stop in my mark, I’m out of breath but the rush of performance comes back to be and I’m exhilarated. I sink to the carpet and lie on my back. I remember those final days trying to hold onto my title, if I didn’t win the games than people back home just had more to fire back at me.

I sit up and lean forward, reaching my hands past my toes.

You let yourself get caught up in his world, let yourself become more addicted to fame then your craft and where did it get you?

I shake the thoughts of him back, pushing the hurt and anger down and focus instead on the choreography. I had to only think about my new job now.

Notes