Chapter 113: Where I Stand

The next main scene almost seemed to solidify everyone’s belief regarding the relationship Noah and Elias were bound to have.

-

"You know... being out there. In that moment,"

"The lights. The crowd. The World Championships. Thousands of people watching."

"What does that actually feel like?"

"You don’t remember the stages or any of those things. All you’ll remember are the mistakes."

-

For as much as Brendan was a fan of Noah’s endless optimism, he couldn’t help but wholeheartedly agree with Elias.

If he, as he was now, didn’t improve to a level where he could never make mistakes, he was always going to be worried that he wouldn’t be able to meet up to everyone’s expectations.

Even now as he was thinking about it, that tense feeling he’d managed to suppress when he’d began watching the movie came bubbling back to the surface.

In that moment, Cameron glanced over to him for a brief moment, her expression curious as she watched him tighten a fist while simultaneously rubbing a thumb over the side of his index finger.

’Guess he’s more in tune with what their discussing than the rest of us...’ she thought to herself.

’Hope he’s okay.’ her internal tone carried a hint of honest concern, especially since she’d been made aware that Brendan figure-skated.

As the interaction between the duo on screen continued though, there was a slight shift in the way a couple individuals began to reassess their relationship.

-

"You didn’t actually answer my question, you know!?"

"See you around, Mr. Mercer! Maybe you’ll tell me tomorrow, eh?"

"Okay, reckless fool,"

"You’ve been promoted to weird lad."

-

Cameron had to say.

She was starting to understand just why her best friend had been obsessed with Niall’s acting career.

Because the more she kept watching, the more her mind subconsciously seemed to forget that this was the very same man whom had been so reserved yet so well-spoken during his viral interview.

Right now, she was reminded more of herself than anything else as Noah’s bright energy sat right at home with her.

Tossing a few pieces of popcorn into her mouth, she kept watching, genuinely glad that she hadn’t gone home to watch it on the screen instead.

’This is so much better...’ she inwardly remarked, loving the experience.

A couple more minutes after that, the next scenes came, showing how Elias and Noah’s relationship progressed in a completely different direction, contrasting against what most individuals had expected.

-

"You’re showing off,"

"I’m doing what I love, Mr. Mercer."

"That’s not skating."

"Yes. Yes, it is. You should try it sometime, instead of whatchamacall that boring, mopey thing you’re doing."

"Trust me kid, judges won’t reward your innovation, or better yet, your stupidity."

"Duh, but I’m not doing it for them in the first place."

-

They also had to admit, they were really digging it, a couple of them even laughing at Noah’s modified misuse of the term.

It was a breath of fresh air to see their expectations subverted, yet still have the story remain just as interesting as it had from the onset nonetheless.

Their expectations were subverted even more when Titus was introduced.

-

"I built my career believing that victory proved I deserved to be champion,"

"But then the investigation happened, and suddenly, the biggest victory of my life... the one I’d prided myself so much on, was just a farce."

"Something that only happened because some idiot favored me,"

"I didn’t ask for that corruption, Elias,"

-

Naturally, the audience found themselves inferring that although the man was still a selfish, two-bit hypocrite, he at least respected Elias as a rival and an old friend would. However twisted the manner he went about it might’ve seemed.

The following interactions they had after, further cemented those beliefs.

-

"Oh, and one more thing,"

"I never meant what I said. The pressure comment, I mean."

"I just knew you wouldn’t come back... not unless someone gave you a reason to at least."

"I figured if I publicly called you out, it would give your stubborn pride one more push to ultimately drag you back onto the ice."

-

Titus was still an antagonist, yes... but he was the kind that had understandable motives. A core sense of selfishness that made humans what they were.

By now, the audience believed they’d truly seen the table... the playing field, so to speak. An inclination to believe that this was a redemption-styled plot.

And they were right. It was exactly that... but just not in the way they might’ve expected things to turn out.

Afterall, they were soon forced to come back to ground level and face a stark reality when Elias began struggling hard to nail moves due to his bad leg, and ultimately reached his breaking point.

They were also just as glad when he found the will to pull himself up once more and glide onto the ice.

They also found themselves in support of Howard’s decision, which then ultimately led them to the one scene that essentially shifted Elias’ approach to his craft, and also drove home Noah’s appeal as a supporting character.

-

"I shouldn’t have done that,"

"That transition. It served no purpose and I nearly lost the edge. It was unnecessary."

"I liked it, though. It was a beautiful double axel."

"It was inefficient."

-

’Yes, it was.’ Brendan agreed with Elias, bobbing his head curtly as he kept watching.

It might have been a beautiful double axel just like Noah had pointed out, but it could’ve been so bad if young Elias’s skates had clipped the ice wrongly whilst landing.

Before the youth’s thoughts could fully take root, the next interaction happened, cutting them off.

-

"Why do you do that though?"

"What?"

"Criticize your willingness to try something new."

"Because, the possible failure that comes with it is what history will remember,"

"Not the innovation itself."

-

Yet again, Brendan found himself wholeheartedly agreeing with Elias.

It was one of the biggest things that scared him so much.

What ifs, he knew could essentially be the difference between if he made his mark as a figure skater the right way or the wrong way.

Clearly, Brendan wanted to leave an unforgettably positive mark. The kind that would take him to the big leagues.

It was why he himself had turned into a perfectionist of sorts, and always found himself pushing so hard for it in recent memory, that whenever he stepped onto the ice and wanted to try something of his own making, his mind would immediately beat it down to the crust for even conceiving it.

Conceiving the notion of making something that was supposed to be a serious affair a playground of his own.

But then Noah’s words reached him...

-

"You may be right,"

"But I’d argue that the best figure skaters weren’t remembered because they never failed to land a move,"

"Rather, I’d like to believe they were remembered because they found a reason to get back up and try again until they did."

"I mean,"

"It’s why I remembered you all this time, isn’t it?"

"It’s why everyone’s remembering you again, isn’t it?"

-

...and suddenly, all of his prior thoughts shattered like glass.

Like a reel, he was reminded of all the moments Niall had just started off learning how to figure skate.

How he had been just a noob on the ice making the silliest mistakes and everyone kept looking at him with such skepticism, it might as well have been condescension.

Yet, by the time end of the month had rolled around, he was the one person none of them ever wanted to take their eyes off of in the rink.

Heck even he himself was a testament to that. He’d started off so poorly, and yet, now, he was far better than he ever had any right to be.

Before Brendan knew it, the knot in his chest loosened, and the tense air lingering around him dissipated as he leaned back into the chair, a sense of realization washing over him.

As for Cameron and the rest of the audience, just as Noah’s words had willed a powerful silence in the room, it likewise did the same for they who were watching.

Yet, unmistakably, they saw just how deeply the words affected Elias. At the same time, they finally grasped the truest essence of what Noah was to Elias.

He was a wall the man had to cross.

An amalgamation of all the best things he previously was but had completely forgotten, just because he wrongly assumed that the world had reduced him to nothing but his failures when in reality, it was the complete opposite.

And nothing could’ve proven it better when Noah’s program came along towards last parts of the movie, and he essentially sent chills down everyone’s spine much as he did for the crowd in the movie.

But even that, paled in comparison to when he executed the backflip, and audible gasps rippled through the theatre alongside widened eyes and stunned expressions!

As Brendan gripped the edges of his chair so tightly whilst leaning forward in flummoxed awe, Cameron on the other hand, had her mouth slightly agape, her hand frozen in place as she raised a popcorn to her mouth.

But what probably made it all the more beautiful, was that the scene was slowed down to a crawl, Noah’s unfettered grin frozen in time as the camera work revolved over to Elias whose gaze reflected his unshackled smile and right back to Noah.

Then the scene snapped back in motion, and every audience in the theatre felt the goosebumps popping all over their skins as the commentators screamed!

-

"I DON’T BELIEVE WHAT WE’VE JUST SEEN!"

"HE KNOWS THE DEDUCTIONS!"

"HE HAD THE GOLD!"

"AND HE GAVE IT UP!"

-

And as Noah finally gave his final, theatrical bow to indicate the end of his program, they were tempted to join in with the crowd.

To clap and cheer as much as they were. To partake in the shared awe they all seemed to have in that very moment.

Yet, for the fear of ruining the first viewing experience for others, they chose to keep their emotions in check as they kept watching.

But when Elias’ program finally came along, the man gliding onto the ice with a smile so bright they never thought he was capable of it, a familiar hypnotic guitar riff began playing towards the end of his performance, completely muting all the sound in the movie.

One that was unmistakably, [Aperture]’s.

And in that moment... as Elias began his program, the lyrics of the song’s second verse, dug deeper into everyone’s soul;

-

Funny how a frozen sheet of ice,

Can hold more than a thousand ghosts,

So if I break beneath the weight tonight,

Don’t mistake the cracks for giving up the fight...

-

Then, as his performance came to a crescendo, the man nailing the jump that had essentially ended his career, the powerful outro following instead!

-

So leave the light on if I fade from view,

’Cause hope looks different when it’s finally true...

I don’t need the world to understand...

Just enough to see me where I stand...!

-

And as Elias bowed, his bad leg threatening to buckle under his weight... but completely belied by the fact that he was grinning from ear to ear, the audience erupted as he held the pose.

Yet, the audio still remained muted by the tune of [Aperture] which keyed back into the powerful instrumental solo as the title card, [Rink], flashed onto the screen.

Then, one more time, the outro was repeated.

-

So leave the light on if I fade from view,

’Cause hope looks different when it’s finally true...

I don’t need the world to understand...

Just enough to see me where I stand...!

Just enough to see me where I stand...!

Just enough to see me where I stand...!

-

It was almost instinctive.

Everyone in the theatre practically got up on their feet to give a standing ovation, the act in itself drowning out the phenomenal song that was booming through the speakers!

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/Caer07