s k a t e

Loud cheers filled the arena as the three hockey players entered the building. Lights flashed as the few remaining spectators rushed to find their seats. A powerful voice boomed through the speakers, announcing that the event was soon underway in various different languages.

The three Canadian athletes weaved through the bustling crowd to reach their seats in the balcony where they had a clear view of the ice rink below.

"Oh!" Tyler exclaimed before turning to his teammates seated next to him. "Here, here!"

Jeff and James watched with curious expressions as their teammate pulled out two medium sized Canadian flags.

"Patriotic, eh?" Tyler held up the flags in each hand with a proud grin.

Jeff let out a laugh as he reached out to take a flag. "Ha! I love it."

James simply raised an eyebrow as he eyed his two teammates. "You two are ridiculous."

"Come on, man! Where's your Canadian spirit?" Tyler reached over to lightly punch James in the shoulder.

"Right here," James replied, bringing his hand up to his cap and turning the brim around to display the flag of Canada patched on the front.

"Ladies and gentleman," a loud booming voice began.

"Guys, guys! Shhh!! It's starting," Jeff hastily shushed his teammates before turning his attention to the ice rink in front of him.

Soft music echoed through the arena, quickly silencing the crowd. All eyes were set on center ice as the announcer informed the audience of the first contestant and the nation she was representing: the United States.

"Aw, where's Canada?" Tyler whined next to Jeff.

"Shhh!!!" Jeff hushed as he kept his eyes on the ice.

The three hockey players, as well as the rest of the arena, remained silent as their attention was soon captivated by the dancer on the ice. Every eye watched carefully as the skater delicately twirled and leapt on the ice. Each movement was graceful, yet carried through with such power and strength as she lifted herself off the ice and landed perfectly on one foot.

"That landing was incredible!" Jeff turned to his teammates, his brown eyes filled with awe. "Did you see that?"

"Uh . . ." Tyler began as he turned to James.

"Yeah," James nodded at Jeff.

Tyler nodded along. "Sure."

"She landed it like nothing! How did she make it look so easy?!" Jeff exclaimed as he brought his hands to his head and continued watching the dancer.

The three continued watching as the ice dancer gracefully made her way around the ice, each move completed with flourish and immaculate attention, holding the attention of every spectator. The music slowly faded to an end as the dancer drifted to center ice, throwing her hands up in the air as the last beat of the song sounded through the arena.

The audience erupted into loud applause as roses and all sorts of lovable stuffed animals were tossed in the air in praise of the ice dancer and her magnificent talent.

"If that wasn't a gold medal performance, then I don't know what is," Jeff told his teammates over the applause as they all clapped their hands.

"Dude, she was skating for the U.S." Tyler held his hand out.

"Yeah, but she was good!"

"Hey." James nudged Jeff's shoulder, grabbing his attention. "How's that score for a gold medal performance?" He pointed to the scoreboard placed on the wall across from them.

Jeff perked his head up to read the digital numbers on the electronic screen. "What?!" he cried as he pulled his eyebrows together. "Why did they give her such a low score on her triple axel?
It was perfect!"

"Jeff," Tyler called.

"Hm?"

Tyler reached over to pull the brim of Jeff's red cap down over his eyes. "Team. Canada. Remember who you're representing. Not who you're crushing on."

Jeff simply huffed in reply. With a roll of his eyes, he slumped in his seat and crossed his arms as he waited for the next competitor to make her appearance on the ice.

"Seriously, when is Canada coming on?" James cried as a dancer neatly skated to the center of the ice.

"They have to be next, because after this is the men's figure skating so it shouldn't be too long until Canada comes on," Tyler said as he held up his phone.

"Hey, Skinny!!"

Jeff perked his head up at the sound of his name to see his friend, Elias, standing in a few rows below him. Several other young men wearing matching blue and yellow jackets and caps stood next to him as he waved his hand.

"Gold for Sweden in skating too!!" Elias declared with a wide smile as he held up a miniature blue and yellow Swedish flag.

"In your dreams!" Tyler shouted at him.

Jeff let out a laugh as he shook his head. "Not today, Lindy!"

Elias chuckled. "Hope you're practicing for that silver medal!"

"Isn't that what you're supposed to be doing?" James cocked his head at him.

"We practice for gold," Elias told him with a proud smile before taking a seat.

"Hey." Tyler leaned over as music started to fill the arena. "Do you guys really think Sweden will make it to the gold medal match?"

"Well, their goalie plays on my team back home and he's pretty good," James admitted.

"Well, our goalies are pretty good too, so," Tyler concluded with a shrug as he leaned back in his seat.

"Shhh! It's starting," Jeff quickly silenced his teammates as he kept his eyes fixed on the ice in front of him.

The dancer took her position at center ice as the music sounded through the speakers. Each movement perfectly in sync with the melody as she danced lightly across the ice.

Jeff slid to the edge of his seat, becoming captivated by the agility and grace extinguished through her motions. The way she carried herself so effortlessly, as if she was almost floating throughout the ice. Her movements were light and graceful, yet her strides were powerful and fierce; a mesmerizing combination.

The buzzing of his phone in his denim pocket suddenly startled Jeff, causing him to jump in his seat. With a quick press of a button, he dismissed the call, returning his attention to the skater.

However, the buzzing resumed.

"Dude, you're supposed to put your phone on silent," Tyler hissed at Jeff as Jeff fumbled with his phone, attempting to silence the buzzing.

"I forgot. Sorry," Jeff apologized as he read the screen and knitting his eyebrows. "I should probably get this." He quickly stood up and exited the row. "Hello? . . . Yeah, this is Jeff. . ."

James and Tyler watched as Jeff jogged down the stairs.

"Sorry?. . ." Jeff asked into the phone, before letting out a laugh. "No, I don't think I heard you correctly. Hold on."

James watched as Jeff exited the seated area before turning to Tyler. "Who's he talking to?"

Tyler simply shrugged and the two resumed to watching the event on the ice.

The two hockey players continued watching the competition as several other dancers went on to perform and earn their scores. They cheered loudest when the figure skater from Canada finally took the ice. As she held her last pose with poise, they waved their red and white flags in the air with proud grins before averting their eyes to the scoreboard in front of them.

With crossed fingers, they watched the rest of the competitors, hoping their scores wouldn't reach as high as the Canadian skater, until a figure skater from Russia took the ice.

Holding their heads in their hands and slumping low in their seats, the two Canadians watched begrudgingly as the figure skater from Canada was given a bronze medal around her neck.

"That's so unfair."

James and Tyler turned around to see Ryan, the tall and bald hockey player and Sidney, the short hockey player standing next to their row.

"Hey, you guys made it!" Tyler stood up from his seat as he smiled at his teammates.

"Yeah, we got to see the last of Canada's performance and she totally deserved the gold." Sidney crossed his arms in front of his red and white jacket which read 'Canada' stiched across in large white letters.

"You guys gonna stick around for the men's skating?" James looked up at them.

"Yeah, why not?" Ryan shrugged.

Tyler and James scooted over to the empty seats next to them so their teammates could join them.

"Where's Jeff?" the short hockey player asked as he sat next to James.

"Uh, I think he went off to get some popcorn and pretzels," Tyler said with a wave of his hand.

James knitted his eyebrows as he turned to Tyler. "What? I thought he had to go take a phone call."

Tyler shrugged. "Whatever. We're just waiting here for him to get back. Might as well cheer on Canada in the men's figure skating, you know?" he asked as he passed two more miniature red and white Canadian flags to his teammates.

"These are awesome!" Sidney exclaimed with a wide smile before erupting into loud laughter as he waved his flag in the air.

"They're ridiculous," James and Ryan said simultaneously.

The men's figure skating competition was soon underway and the four hockey players observed with much interest.

"I think we could do some of these moves," Tyler said as a skater leapt and twirled in the air before landing perfectly on one foot and then skated backwards with no hesitation.

James scoffed. "Are you kidding? I'd like to see you jump and spin in the air and then land on one foot."

"What if I can actually do it?" Tyler smirked at him.

James looked around the arena as the dancer finished his routine. "I'll unlace your skates after every practice and game for the rest of the Olympics."

"And if I can't do it?"

"You get to unlace mine."

"Okay, you're on." Tyler reached over to him and him and James shook hands, locking in their friendly bet.

"Is that Jeff?" Sidney asked.

Tyler turned to him. "Where?"

"On the ice!!" Sidney pointed to the ice with a laugh.

Tyler followed his teammate's hand to the ice rink where a new contestant could be seen stepping onto the ice.

"Sid, what are you talking about?!" James leaned over to ask the short hockey player.

"It's Jeff!!" Sid cried, holding his arm out to the ice.

James knitted his eyebrows at his teammate before facing forward in his seat.

"Sid," Ryan began, "why, of all people, would Scott be out there right now?"

"And representing Canada," sounded a loud voice through the speakers. "Jeff Skinner."

Notes

I understand that Skinner, Getzlaf, Neal, Seguin and Crosby is the most random group of guys to hang out but . . . c a n a d a :)