Our thighs are pressed against each other where we sit in the stands dedicated for the athletes to watch the ceremony. I’ve been contemplating whether or not to lay my hand on her leg for an embarrassing amount of time.
The acrobatic performance that’s been happening ends and the stadium erupts into applause. As soon as we’re done clapping, I decide to stop overthinking it and instead ofplacing my hands in my lap where they’ve been for the past half hour, I rest my hand just above Charlie’s knee.
She looks over at me, her eyes full of surprise, but her look quickly transforms into delight. I give her leg a squeeze and the excitement rushing through me makes me feel like a kid again. That feeling is amplified when she places her left hand over mine. I turn my hand over and link her fingers through mine.
We smile at each other and then turn back to the center of the stadium as the music changes again. There’s a stage set up and a figure starts rising up from below it. The stage itself has been blackened, so it’s nearly impossible to see anyone or anything on it. Smoke bellows out from under the floor and finally a spot light lands on the person who just Houdinied up from the ground.
There’s a DJ playing the opening sounds of ‘Wake Me Up’ by Avicii and as the song begins, a gigantic screen behind the stage lights up displaying a message that reads: “Honoring those we’ve lost that have changed the world with their music.”
The stadium is silent besides the songs that continue to play as the faces of many Swedish icons display on the big screen. Avicii, Tomas Lindberg, and Fredrik Lindgren are among the names and pictures flashing across the screen. As the faces change, so does the music, until the very end when the entire stadium goes quiet before breaking into the loudest applause of the night.
The announcer’s voice breaks through the noise, first speaking in Swedish, followed by an English translation.
“We wouldn’t be where we are today, if not for those who came before us. To honor those we’ve lost, let us honor our history.”
Swedish folk music blares from the speakers as hundreds of people dressed in traditional Swedish folk clothing ascend onto the stage and surrounding area below it. The garmentsthey wear are full of vibrant colors, intricate embroidery, and unique designs I’m unfamiliar with. If I had to guess, they represent different customs and traditions.
I don’t know much about Sweden’s history, but I’m still completely awestruck by the performance in front of me. As the music changes, so do the dancers. Their clothing transforms before our eyes. It’s like magic. It’s for sure the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.
Wanting to see if Charlie is enjoying this as much as I am, I move my attention to her.
“Pretty awesome, isn’t it?”
She turns her head to look at me, pure, unadulterated, elation etched on every inch of her face.
“It’s incredible.”
Charlie turns her head back to the performance but I continue staring at her. As incredible as it might be, I think I enjoy watchinghereven more than the actual performance.
The music slowly fades out and the lights dim. A hush falls over the stadium and I have to forcibly tear my eyes away from Charlie’s profile to see what caused the silence.
There’s a wall at the far end of the stadium that lights up and then a spotlight lands on a Swedish athlete standing on the ground below it. The torch in his hand is lit and it hits me. This is it. He’s about to light the Olympic cauldron, signifying the start of the Winter Olympic Games.
Charlie’s fingers tighten around mine and I don’t need to look at her to know that she’s just as excited as I am. My pulse is racing as I realize the magnitude of this moment.
I feel Charlie move next to me, her leg rubbing against mine. When I look over at her, I see she’s moved to the edge of her seat and turned her body so she’s fully facing the Swedish athlete at the other end of the stadium.
The announcer’s voice introduces the athlete as speed skater, Erik Lidstrom. We’re all clapping when all of sudden, Erik is lifted into the air. I hadn’t noticed before because we’reso far away, but when Erik turns sideways against the giant white wall, I see he’s wearing speed skates.
“Oh my god! Is that wall made of actual ice?” Charlie’s amazement is clear in her voice and I look over at her to see her eyes lit up and a wide smile on her face.
Looking up at the big screen in the center of the stadium that was used to display the performances of the night, I see the wall looks to be made of synthetic ice. Or it’s damn near something identical to it.
“Look, Charlie!” I point to the screen just as Erik takes off and begins “skating” along the wall toward the unlit cauldron on the other end. His feet don’t actually make contact with the wall, leading me to believe it’s not actually ice, but the sentiment is all the same.
Charlie’s hand that isn’t holding mine lifts to cover her mouth. I can’t blame her. This is fucking awesome. Erik is suspended at least twenty-five stories in the air and he looks to be speed skating his way around the stadium.
I turn my attention back to the wall and watch as Erik “skates” all the way to the end and steps onto a platform that’s next to the giant cauldron. The Swedish athlete slowly lowers his lit torch and fire begins dancing along the rim of the structure. When I think that’s it, a huge burst of flames shoots upwards into the sky.
Charlie gasps next to me and when I move my attention to her, the reflection of the flames is in her eyes. The stadium erupts into cheers and applause but I can’t be bothered. Charlie looks beautiful, her eyes lit up just as bright as the cauldron is. But her eyes aren’t what steal my breath. It’s the tear that’s falling down her cheek that is my undoing.
Her eyes are still transfixed on the other side of the arena but mine are locked on her. Without hesitation, I swipe my thumb across her cheek before the tear can hit the ground. Finally, she looks at me.
Suddenly the commotion around us fades away. It’s just us. Together in one of the greatest moments of my life.
And I can’t help but wonder if it’s the ceremony or the girl next to me that’s making its mark on my soul.
Charlie and I parted ways after the ceremony. She has a team dinner and meeting tonight to prepare for their matchup against Czechia tomorrow.
