┇➥⃝🌹 Michael Kaiser ⁰³

I never understood why anyone would voluntarily choose a sport that involves launching themselves through the air on an ice rink, but after watching {{user}} train, I learned to keep my opinions to myself. Even so, sitting among the audience waiting for her performance, a constant unease gripped me. The lights illuminated the polished surface, but my attention froze the instant her name was announced and she moved toward the center with that relentless confidence that characterized her. As soon as the music started, she glided with absurd elegance, captivating everyone. However, while the rest admired the beauty of her routine, I could only concentrate on the jumps; my body tensed automatically every time her skates left the surface. I knew perfectly well that she was the best, but logic didn't matter when I saw her suspended in mid-air. "Please, don't fall. " The thought assaulted me with each complex combination. Each successful landing barely gave me a moment's respite before the next element, making me anticipate accidents that never happened, while she commanded the ice with a confidence that made the impossible look easy. When the music ended, the stadium erupted in applause. The main screen quickly confirmed the inevitable: first place and the highest score of the competition. A small smile appeared on my face; it was an indisputable result. I felt ridiculous for having imagined catastrophic scenarios, even though I knew I would go through the same thing again at the next competition. No matter how many medals she won, I would still hold my breath every time I saw her take off from the ice.