PUCKED BY FATE

Chapter 5 - First training

Amalia Anderson

The weekend passed, and by Monday, I woke up with a jumpstart at four a.m. I loved skating, so it was not a sacrifice for me, but knowing that I was getting a chance, that I would be on the ice, skating, mastering my movements, made a force surge within me.

I changed into skating clothes, washed my face, and fixed my hair. After training, I will come home to shower. I prepared my skates, training bag with all my essentials, and just-in-case kits, and silently headed out of the penthouse.

Our home was within walking distance of the skating rink, but it was way too early, and I didn´t want to risk a lunatic taking me by surprise, so I took my car. I parked and knocked on the athletes' entrance. Natasha told me she would get me an ID this evening so I could have access without clearing security.

I went to the visitors' locker room, placed my back, laced my skates, and walked out. It was four fifty-five. "Good, you are driven and punctual." Natasha´s voice echoed in the rink. Half the lamps were off, giving the rink a mystical vibe.

"You startled me." I jumped, and she smiled.

"Now, I see you are already laced..." she said, and I nodded.

"Next time, don´t..." she said, and I took a deep breath. "I need you to increase your stamina. You have a beautiful ballet form; I could tell you had practiced gymnastics. Your flexibility is on point, but I also could see that after your triple axel, you almost stumbled because you were tired... and that shows a lack of endurance and stamina," she said, and I nodded.

"Warm up on the ice..." she said, and I nodded.

"Basic Natasha warm-up: After stretching and flexing, you will do four laps at a soft pace, a mild pace, a fast pace, and sprinting. You then will give another four laps, but backwards, from sprinting to soft pace." She said, and I nodded.

I started giving laps, following her indications, and noticed she kept watching me like a hawk. She was one of the best because she was observant and precise in her indications. Just with the audition, she noticed some things to improve, and I can´t wait to show her how willing I am to get there.

I heard a metal door open and close, but I didn´t give it much thought. After I finished my laps, I saw Natasha talking to someone. Maybe her brother. "Amalia..." she called me out, and I slowly approached her.

I heard her talking, and the closer I skated, the more I saw the man beside her. He was not her brother Nate; he was someone else. "Amalia..." she said again. Let me introduce you," Natasha said, and I nodded.

"This is Andrew Lieberman, goalie of the Glaciers," she said, "Andrew, this is Amalia Anderson, my new future champion," Natasha said the last part with so much certainty that I completely disregarded the man-my nemesis- standing before me.

"I think we have met..." Andrew said. His stupid baritone voice, his piercing eyes the color of sickening buggers, his stupid smirk that looks like he is getting a stroke. Everything in him strained me like a rubber band being stretched.

And because I am a bit petty, and a lot pissed. Instead of saying anything about it, I gave him a sweet, sickening smile, and then turned to Natasha... "Should I start? I don´t want to waste time warming up again..." I said, and Natasha smiled.

"Sure, but after the routine, we need to talk." She said, and I nodded. I turned around, pushed play on my phone, and played a song.

I saw Natasha looking at me and talking to Andrew occasionally. After several minutes of them watching my routine, Andrew smirked and left. Thank God, I don´t have to deal with this insufferable fucker, who instead of being kind and humble, he trashed the self esteem of a barely teen who was coming on her own.

Natasha gave me pointers and showed me some new moves. After an hour of practice, we were done jumping and landing, falling on our eyes, and getting nasty bruises.

"You did great. I will see you at one." Natasha said, and I nodded.

"Thanks. I am going home to make it to class." I said, and she smiled,

"By the way... You will be holding this schedule Monday to Friday," she paused, "And I requested you bring gym clothes because, as I said, we will be working on your stamina." She smiled.

"It is a good thing you already know Andrew Lieberman," she said, and my entire brain went into overdrive mode.

"Why is that?" I mumbled,

"Becuase not only is he the best hockey player the Glaciers have, he is a certified trainer and physiotherapist... among other things, and I asked him to build your stamina. So starting tomorrow, you will be working with him." She said that her idea was the best in the whole world. What the actual f**k? Can I pay a trainer if needed? I don´t need charity.

"If that is the case, I would like my trainer," I said, and she gave me a condescending smile.

"Amalia, I know you can pay for whatever you want. I know who your parents are, but bringing some trainer on board is not the same as having one who understands what it takes to be on the ice. Andrew usually does his physical training at this hour of the day; not every player comes; it is he and, occasionally, Bobby Platt. But he is a hell of a trainer, keeps himself in shape, and has gone as far as to give everyone the routines they need to do to build themselves for the game." Natasha said, and I sighed.

"I am sorry, Natasha, but I don´t think a hockey player would know what it requires to be an ice skater," I mumbled trying to get the f**k away of this f****d up situation.

"I am afraid that his specialty is hockey, and I don´t need all the mass muscle they have to build. Mass muscle will get in the way of my flexibility..." I said, and she sighed.

"You agreed to work with me, and this is the first call I am making on your favor, and it is out of the question. You can benefit tremendously from whatever routine Andrew builds for you. Of course, I am open to adjustments and changes if we see this is not working or if you don´t feel you are advancing the way you should..." She left the option open, but for the time being... I was being forced to train every f*****g day with Andrew Lieberman.

I nodded. There was no point in discussing this s**t any further. She had set her foot down, and I would not blow the opportunity to work with Natasha for Andrew. That was something I was not willing to sacrifice.

I turned the corner of the hallway, and I bumped into something. "So, did Nat tell you?" Speak of the devil, and he will show.

"Yei me..." I said sarcastically, and he chuckled.

"We are going to have so much fun..." he chuckled, which grated on my nerves.

"Didn´t you study business?" I lifted my eyebrows, and he nodded.

"Yeap... I have a college degree in business administration, and on the side, I made a technical minor in Physiotherapy and another in Physical Training," he said, and I chuckled. Of course, this cocky asshole would have handled college hockey, getting scouted and having two technical degrees and one major in four f*****g years.

"Alright, genius, I´ve got to go." I pushed past him, and he smirked.

"See you tomorrow, Anderson princess," he said, and every nerve ending of my body flared. I hated that people called me that. My cousins called me a princess because I was the only girl in our age group. And coming from them, I didn´t mind... but when they added my last name, it felt as if they were calling me useless, spoiled, and only worth their time because I was Ezra Anderson´s daughter.

I straightened my back and sighed. This was not what I had in mind, and I usually had to adapt and push forward. I will have to work with this asshole who I hate and I want to strangle... Lord, give me strength!