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Seventeen Days of Gold Chapter 8 Despite our best intentions, we never did get around to "talking this over later." And there was certainly no way we were going to just forget it happened. Instead, we avoided each other like the plague for most of the day. I couldn't even make myself think about it, my head was so messed up. I couldn't even look at him the few times we did speak. Was it just embarrassment or was it that I knew the answer to what I wanted could be found in his eyes? After practice, I took my customary laps around the ice after the rest of the teams exited. I skated slowly this time, my hands behind my back and my eyes closed. The cool air felt refreshing against my face, and I reached up to unzip my sweatshirt a little from my neck. After one lap on my own, I could sense someone next to me. I opened my eyes, but did not turn my head. There was no mistaking it was Apolo. I continued my slow pace, no reason to try to get away, and stared straight ahead. "You did really good today." I said quietly. "Quals tomorrow should be a breeze." "Dammit" Apolo hissed and grabbed my arm suddenly, stopping us both. "Can't you just look at me?" I complied, and immediately wished I hadn't. His eyes were as pleading as his voice. I wanted to kiss him, I wanted to cry, I wanted to fuck him right there in the middle of the Ice Center, and still I just wanted to run away. I sighed and looked down at my skates. "Come on. It's time to go." I muttered, and began to skate away, touching his arm lightly as a signal to follow. He skated angrily past me and made it to the opening in the pads before I did. Rusty and Dan looked at Apolo quizzically, then at me. "Bad night?" Asked Dan. I managed a smile for him. "Haven't quite figured that out yet." I replied as I passed by. Later that uneventful afternoon, I sat in my room reading a V.I. Warshawski novel and feeling irrationally lonely. Just as I was considering "checking up" on Apolo, there came a knock from his door. Great, now he's reading my mind. That's not going to help matters. I greeted him coolly. "Um, we were just going to order some pizzas. Did you want some?" Apolo invited. Of course, I definitely want some, I thought...oh, wait, we're talking about pizzas here. "Sure." I answered, suppressing a grin, and peering over his shoulder to see who the rest of "we" were. Rusty, Shani, Dan and J.P. Good, perhaps being with him in a group like this will ease the tension. I followed him into his room, and sat down next to Rusty on the bed. After perusing the phone book, I insisted that we order from Connies. "If they make them as good as the Connies in Chicago, you guys will be in heaven!" Shani agreed wholeheartedly. It wasn't as good, but we decided to not bust into the place and teach them how to make a pizza ourselves. Shani and I just promised to treat everyone the next time we all got together in Chicago after the Olympics were over. I made a half-hearted promise. I knew I'd probably never see any of these guys again after these seventeen days were said and gone. Not even Apolo. Such was the nature of my job. I stared intently down at the top of my Coke can, swirling the soda caught in the rim, and trying not to think of anything in particular. "Hey, you've only had one slice!" Scolded Rusty, nudging me. "It's not that bad." I snapped out of my funk. "Just savoring it, I guess." I smiled at him. "So," he began, "you really going to let us visit you in Chicago?" "The rest of you guys, maybe, but I don't know about you." I teased. "Actually, my apartment there is really small, only 6-by-10...inches. And I think there's some sort of law against how many people can be inside a post office box at one time." Rusty laughed. I loved his laugh. He really was rather cute...and not exactly on forbidden territory. We chatted absently while everyone else scarfed down pizza and watched Brian Bosworth in "Stone Cold." Such a typical guy movie, but I glanced at it periodically, admiring the multitude of motorcycles in the film. Our conversation topic turned to such, and I think I surprised Rusty with my little "wild side." He did ride from time to time, sports bikes mostly. Typical Californian, I thought. As the movie ended, and the other conversations got a bit louder, Rusty leaned over toward me, placing his hand on my knee. "If you come out to Cali sometime, I'll give you a ride." He whispered in my ear. I leaned back, looking from his strategically placed hand then back to him. I gave him a mischievous grin. "I'll keep that in mind." I whispered back. Just then, in the corner of my eye, I caught Apolo watching us. I looked over at him, and Rusty followed my gaze. Apolo shifted his eyes from me, to Rusty's hand on my knee, then to Rusty. Rusty and I looked at each other, and he removed his hand. I glanced back at Apolo, and he focused back on the TV, chewing his lip. That was interesting. Apolo never said a word, and strangely, no one else in the room noticed the transaction. I 'hmmed' quietly, pursing my lips for a moment as I tossed some thoughts over in my mind, then shrugged them off. Scene music: "Follow My Heart'" by REO Speedwagon Copyright material TMS2003 Chapter 8, pt. 2 Back to Chapter 7, pt. 3 Return to Home   page created with Webpage Designer (NS)