Page 84 of Chasing Gold, Catching Her

Alisa nodded. “Yes. I’m going. I’ll be competing in women’s singles.”

“Damn!”

For a second, Tora froze, and Alisa tensed, had the connection dropped? But then the screen flickered, and the video returned through the interference.

“Damn, looks like they’re cutting the Internet again,” Alisa muttered.

Tora began speaking faster, rushing her words, “Can I come to Beijing for the qualifiers, to see you? When are you performing?”

“September 19th for the short… the 21st I’ll be free…”

“I’ll be there. Have they told you the hotel yet?”

“Yes, it’s the InterContinental Beijing.”

“I’ll come on the 21st then… for the finals.”

“Okay… I’ll be waiting.”

Alisa smiled and then the connection cut out.

“Blyat’…” she muttered under her breath, slipping the phone back into her bag. “Well… at least we talked…”

The phone turned into a useless brick again, cut off from the rest of the world.

“Hey, why did you run off into a corner?” Lev walked up to Alisa, placing his hands on her shoulders; he was already moving well now, without any crutches or support, looking completely normal, as if nothing had happened to him six months ago.

Alisa let out a nervous breath. “Yeah, I just… wanted to talk to Tora.”

Lev only shook his head. “Come on, let’s go, we’re supposed to be celebrating, not being sad about the fact that you can’t be with your girlfriend.”

Alisa pressed her lips together. “Yeah. You’re right.”

“You deserve a night like this, at least let yourself relax.”

Lev was saying all the right things, but Alisa was already anxious about everything; it felt like it was time to switch to antidepressants instead of morning coffee, but then she wouldn’t be allowed to compete because of them, so she would have to survive through it all however she could. She forced a small smile and followed Lev back to the center of the celebration.

The athletes who were heading to Beijing for the qualifiers and the final quotas for the country were already gathered in the middle of the restaurant. They welcomed Alisa warmly into their circle, and Anfisa stepped forward and hugged her as she joined them.

Alisa froze for a second, they hadn’t spoken since the internal qualifiers.

“I’m sorry,” Anfisa whispered.

Alisa held her tighter. “I’m sorry too.”

“It’s okay,” Anfisa replied, pulling back from the embrace.

They stood side by side, and when everyone around them raised their glasses, they lifted theirs as well.

“To winning in Beijing.”

“To winning!” the athletes echoed, and drained their glasses to the bottom.

* * *

Alisa landed in Beijing early in the morning; the pale sun was still shining through the plane windows, and by the time they touched down, it was already full dawn at the airport. As they approached, she noticed a huge star-shaped structure from above, like a sea star stretched across the ground. The airport was enormous, and when they stepped inside, Alisa was stunned by its space and scale, it seemed to be the largest airport she had ever been to. The other skaters reacted much the same way.

Anfisa caught Alisa by the arm, and together they rolled their suitcases like girlfriends on a trip. All these journeys with the team reminded her so much of childhood, of trips to sports camps… and every time, she loved that feeling inside, that quiet joy, the anticipation of competitions, and the sense that something interesting was waiting ahead.