Dance Only With Me

Maya stepped onto the ice rink, dressed in her winter coat and comfortable pants. The early morning chill nipped at her skin, but her heart burned with excitement. Following the tradition her grandmother had always reminded her of, she knelt, brushed her palm across the cold ice, placed it gently over her heart, and whispered a silent prayer to the skies. Then, with determined steps, she entered the rink.

Her entire focus was on the dance. Every muscle in her body knew it had to perform at its very best, even as her heavy clothing added weight to every movement. Her motions flowed smoothly, her rhythm in perfect harmony with the heartbeat of the ice. When her dance ended, breathless and eyes sparkling with hope, she skated to the edge of the rink. Her gaze locked with the sharp, unblinking eyes of Lian Victor, awaiting his verdict.

Lian Victor spoke in his usual cold tone, "This time, your performance wasn't bad. But in my rink, in the House of Silver, there's no room for mistakes. Your foot slipped during the first performance… maybe it was bad luck, but it shows your skills aren't up to standard. Here, one mistake means your last chance. I'm sorry, but I can't accept you."

The words crashed down on Maya like a hammer. She stood frozen, unsure what to say, paralyzed by the bitter reality. Lian Victor turned his back on her without another glance.

But just as surrender threatened to claim her, a spark of defiance ignited within Maya. She called out, her voice rising, "If I was to be rejected for a mistake in my first performance… then why give me a second chance? Was it just to mock me?"

Lian glanced back, his tone sharp, "I hoped to see something new. But you only rearranged your moves. I didn't see any new technique in your second performance."

Maya lifted her head, her voice trembling but filled with sincerity, "Because I don't know more than this. Everything I know… I learned from my grandmother, my only teacher. No one in my village skates on ice… she was my first and last mentor. Her greatest wish was for me to come to the House of Silver… to grow under your guidance."

Lian paused briefly, then said firmly, "Do you have any other skills?"

Maya took a deep breath, "I do… but performing them correctly on the first try… is a huge challenge."

Lian sneered, "Figure skating is about embracing challenges. If you can't show your best now, how will you ever prove you belong here? Go join another rink… improve your skills there."

His words stung like ice. But Maya did not back down. Without a word, she removed her coat, and with determined steps, returned to the center of the rink. Her decision was made.

With unexpected courage, she attempted a triple Lutz—a move difficult even for professionals. Her body spun powerfully but lost balance, and she crashed onto the ice. Grimacing in pain but refusing to give up, she got back on her feet, ready to try again. Before she could start, Lian's sharp voice cut through the rink.

"Enough! I don't like anyone getting hurt out of stubbornness in my rink. Pack your things… and leave."

Tears welled up in Maya's eyes, but her pride kept them from falling. Silently, she walked to the side, collected her belongings. Lian left the rink without another word, heading to his office on the upper floor.

Maya headed towards the exit, her shoulders weighed down by disappointment. Yet, from his office window, Lian watched her. Her words echoed in his mind: "It was my grandmother's dream… my first and last teacher… the triple Lutz…"

His eyes narrowed. Without realizing it, he walked to the window, opened it, and called out loudly, "One week! You have one week to prove yourself. If you show you're worthy… maybe there's a place for you in the House of Silver."

Maya froze. Her tears turned to shimmering hope. With a shaky yet joyful voice, she replied, "Thank you… thank you so much."

Lian closed the window indifferently, signaling to one of the staff and walking away.

The staff member approached Maya with a kind smile, "Well, you've got a week… if you don't have a place to stay, you can stay in the dormitory."

Maya nodded, "I have nowhere else to go."

Moments later, Maya entered the dormitory—home to around thirty skaters, buzzing with energy and dreams. The staff showed her to a shared room with two other girls.

"You'll stay here… at least until we see how it goes," the staff said.

Maya smiled, placing her things in the closet. Her new roommates, Lucy and Sophia, watched her curiously.

Lucy smiled, "Did you take the test and get accepted?"

Maya replied, "Not yet… I have a one-week chance."

Sophia blinked in surprise, "That's strange… the coach never gives second chances."

Maya explained her story. Lucy said confidently, "He must've seen something. Don't waste your time. The rink's open 24/7. You can train whenever you want."

That night, Maya couldn't rest. Her mind was plagued with doubt. What if this was just pity? What if it was false hope?

But her grandmother's voice echoed inside her, "You can do it…"

She got up, slipped out quietly. The rink stood empty, silent. She sat in the stands, gazing at the vast ice, imagining herself dancing, her grandmother watching with pride from the sidelines.

Unknowingly, she grabbed her skates, touched the ice, pressed it to her heart like a silent vow… and danced. Fearless, free, just with love.

That night, Maya remembered why she came. For herself… for her dream… for her grandmother's legacy.

And tomorrow… tougher training awaited her.

The next morning, golden sunlight filtered through the dormitory windows, dancing on Maya's face. She opened her eyes with fresh determination, feeling as though part of her had been reborn overnight. After getting ready and grabbing a quick breakfast, she hurried to the training rink.

But as soon as she arrived, she was met with an unexpected scene. The rink was packed. Groups of skaters gathered around the ice, chatting and laughing. In the center, two skaters were performing a synchronized routine while a professional cameraman recorded every move.

Perplexed, Maya approached Lucy, who was watching intently, and asked curiously, "Lucy… what's going on? Are we supposed to take turns to practice or…?"

Without taking her eyes off the dazzling performance, Lucy replied, "No regular practice today. Every year, they make promotional videos for the House of Silver. This week is filming time, and only the top performers get to be on camera."

Maya's expression tightened, "So… no practice today?"

Lucy sighed, "Exactly." Then, after a pause, her eyes widened, "Wait… didn't you say you only have one week?"

Maya's hands clenched in worry, "Yeah… I don't know what to do. Every day of training matters."

Lucy said seriously, "You might have to practice outside… there's a park by the lake. A few of us go there when it gets too crowded here."

Maya hesitated, "Where exactly is it?"

Lucy explained, "You'll need to take the bus. Three stops away. It's a quiet spot… clean ice, too."

Maya nodded, slipping her skates into her backpack, ready to leave. But just then, a familiar silhouette entered through the main doors. Lian Victor… towering, sharp-eyed.

Maya's steps slowed. She nearly walked away but hesitated. Maybe… being here, staying visible… was also a chance to prove herself.

And quietly, she stood still.