Dancing On Ice [Jackson/open]

[emma]

20th March, 2009

There was only a week to go until Emma was required to dance in the Singles National Championship in Brooklyn and Emma hadn't had much time to practice, what with her work. The veterinary practice took up so much of time these days, that her ice dancing was taking a back seat and Emma didn't really like it, because she loved to dance.

Skating on the ice made her feel like an Ice Princess. Today, she was practicing in her skating outfit as well, she had a few, but this one was one of her favourites, as it had always brought her luck. Today, she was the only one on the skating rink, at least so far, as she skated round and round, and jumped, doing her triple axel and double salchow.

She was dancing to Time Of My Life, and now she had the music playing on a repeat, just so she could master her complete dance. As the music began to play, she got herself into position and started with her left foot on the tip of her boot behind her right leg, and right arm up above her head, with her left arm draped across her stomach.

Soon, she was doing spins, and mastering the triple axel, double salchow and the toe loop and thankfully managed the routine without fault. Her coach stopped the music and applauded her. "You're doing well Emma, that should be fine for next week, I have to go now, so I'll leave you to it, and you look gorgeous Princess" he said, she laughed, "Thanks Max, see you soon" and with that he walked out, leaving Emma alone.

She was so busy skating around, she hadn't even heard anybody else enter the ice rink.

[Jackson Poe]

Jackson enters the parking lot in his car, and instantly finds a carpark. He notices that there are many carparks still. I hope that I haven't missed anything yet! Jackson scrambled out of the car, hit the lock button on his keychain, and began to walk towards the main doors to the skating rink.

On the walk there, Jackson ran his fingers through his hair, putting it back into place, just the way he liked it. He then took his mobile phone out of his pocket, and checked to see if he had any messages. None. Jackson had hoped that he had gotten a message from his manager, as to whether he had gotten that record deal that he had been chasing for months.

Jackson reached the main doors, and quickly pushed through them, and then headed up the stairs right in front of him. When Jackson reached the top, he scanned the rink. Instead of seeing hockey players on the ice, he was a lone figure skater and another person. What the ... Hell! Did I miss read the date and time? Jackson was about to turn around and leave when the figure skater caught his eye.

She looked graceful as she moved around on the ice. He felt a sense of relaxation as he kept watching. This led to Jackson deciding to stay and watch. He spied a section a few steps away, which would give him a great view of the scene unfolding infront of him. Jackson watched as the skater finished off her routine, and then he listened as her coach praised her. Jackson almost started to clap, agreeing, but stopped himself. As her coach left, he kept watching her. And then her eyes locked with his.

Jackson looked away, almost wanting to get up and go, but he felt his bum was fixed to the seat for some reason. But then it felt as light as a feather, as he finally got up, and made his way down to the skater.

"Hi. Sorry if I interrupted your practice, or whatever. That was great what you were doing right now."

[emma]

Before coach Max left, he asked Emma to continue practicing her routine, as he wanted her to be total perfection for the competition the following week. She had smiled and nodded her head, but she knew she couldn't stay for too long. She had animals who needed her attention back at the surgery. Her coach had been pressing her more and more recently, he wanted her to become not just a national champion but an international champion. Emma just didn't know how she was going to be able to manage it on top of running the veterinary surgery.

However, she freed her thoughts after he left and did her routine a couple of times at least, not falling or faltering once, she was impressed with herself. She was just doing a finishing skating round of the rink, when she spotted a cute guy sitting in the rink. As mentioned earlier, she hadn't realised that anybody was there, and she came to a sudden stop as she watched him walk down toward where she was on the ice. So she skated over to the edge with a smile on her face.

"It's alright, you didn't interrupt me, and thank you, it's very kind of you to say so. Coach likes me to practice plenty, but I have other commitments as much as I love ice dancing, sometimes I feel torn as to what to do" she said, not sure why she was telling a complete stranger about her ice dancing verses veterinary surgery dilemma, but she figured she needed something to talk to him about since he'd come down to say hello.

She stepped off the ice, and put the blade protectors on and sat down on one of the seats near where he was sitting, however, she really needed to get into the dressing room and get her jacket, she was beginning to shiver. "I'm Emma Woods" she said introducing herself with a bright smile.

[Jackson Poe]

Jackson was glad that he didn't purposefully stop her from practicing. To him, she seemed like a person who could tackle anything, and she seemed rather confident and graceful on the ice. Jackson listened to what she had to say, and had to agree with her. He knew how it can get to be torn between two things you absolutely love. Especially when you have to make a choice on the spot.

Jackson watched as Emma moved off the ice, and put on something over her skates. As she sat down, Jackson noticed goosebumps on her skin, and saw her shiver a bit. Then she smiled that bright smile he noticed earlier. "Nice to meet you Emma. My name is Jackson. Jackson Poe. Also I totally understand where you are coming from." Jackson wondered whether he should ramble on about his own problems, seeing Emma had briefly told him about her worries. Jackso decided to only mention something brief.

"At the moment I am waiting for a record company to finally accept my music and sign me up. But then I also love just playing the small gigs at the moment. I know that once I go main stream, I will be so overwhelmed by it all. I can come off so self assured sometimes, what with all my friends around me. But sometimes I feel so alone, even with them around me. I am not sure if they truly know the real me. Though I have to admit, that I do sometimes let my supposed self confidence rule me."

Jackson moved his vision down to his hands, and then realised that Emma was shivering, and maybe she wants to get changed. He instantly took off his jacket. "Here, you can wear this for now if you what?"

[emma]

Emma smiled brightly when the guy introduced himself as Jackson Poe. He also said it was nice to meet her, and she couldn't help but smile even more. "Nice to meet you too Jackson" she said warmly. She liked his name, not like a name she'd heard before and that made it slightly unusual, so she therefore she liked it.

He said he knew where she was coming from, which made her feel even better about things. So, being confused, wasn't just an Emma thing. She laughed at that thought, of course lots of people get confused about things, don't be so ridiculous.

"I'm glad you understand, but it's so confusing and difficult to know what to do for the best, ice dancing, or treating the many animals in my care" she replied as she explained her dilemma in a little more detail than before. When you have a certificate to your name for animal medicine, the last thing you want to do is blow it over a sport, but it was also a sport Emma loved completely. Confusion.

Emma then listened carefully as Jackson spoke of his own dilemma. She couldn't help but feel pretty stunned, she was talking to a guy who could be a potential pop star. That was quite something. "Wow" she began slowly, "I'm actually talking to a singer!" she said in exclamation. Then getting serious with him, she sighed gently, "Sounds like you maybe have even more of a dilemma there than I do."

Maybe they could actually help each other through their dilemmas she thought for a few seconds, although it seemed almost funny to be thinking like that over somebody you had only really just met a few moments ago. However, Jackson seemed nice to Emma.

Emma couldn't stop shivering, she really should have brought her jacket down to the rink with her, then that way the minute she stepped off the ice, she could have put it on and began to feel warm. As it was, while dancing on the ice, she never felt cold because she was constantly moving, she never expected to be sitting on the chairs talking to somebody the minute she'd finished her practice.

He slipped off his jacket and handed it to her, saying she could wear it just now if she wanted. "Oh" she said with a bright smile, "That is very kind of you, thank you" she continued as she slipped it on over shoulders, immediately feeling the warmth of the jacket and automatically picking up on his scent with her enhanced senses. She liked the scent she realised as she inhaled deeply, what ever after shave or cologne he wore, it was divine.

[Jackson Poe]

Jackson listened to how confused Emma was about the two loves her her life: skating and her love of animals. They seemed so different to him, but really they were similar. Both needed your full attention and concentration, but then one was more physical, where the other used your knowledge of all animals. He hoped that she could do both in her life. If the skating he just witnessed was anything to go by, she was talented at both.

As soon as Emma mentioned about her meeting a singer...Jackson laughed. Why was it whenever he mentioned that he was a performer, the girls went all silly and got caught off guard. Though this didn't seem to last for long with Emma, which Jackson was glad of. He was getting kind of sick of all the girls just acting so love struck over him. They didn't even know him. But they sure acted like they did. Jackson would just play along sometimes, knowing that they liked it. But he knew deep down that he shouldn't lead them on.

Jackson maybe in a dilemma, but he felt that Emma was more so in one about the same intensity as his. He was glad that Emma accepted his jacket. He didn't really need it, having a long sleeved orange shirt underneath...so his arms would be okay for now. Jackson watched as Emma wrapped the jacket around her body. He was glad that he had offered it to her, but soon realised that maybe she would like to change out of her clothes. "Would you prefer to get changed. I could wait if you wanted to chat more. I can be a good listener when I want to be. I don't have to be anywhere at the moment. I am sure that there is somewhere where we could sit and chat, and maybe grab a coffee or something?"

Jackson was unsure whether Emma trusted him enough to go out with him...just for a chat. Though he had this feeling that maybe she did trust him. She had, after all, already delved into her personal problems with a complete stranger.

[emma]

Emma didn't know why she was feeling it so easy to talk to this guy. He was after all a complete stranger to her, yet talking to him so far felt natural to Emma. Maybe the fact he had a dilemma of his own was appealing to her or something, but he had a warmth about him she didn't find too often in people she just met.

She thought it was wonderful he had a singing career and even though she had been somewhat shocked about it, she was glad she didn't make a big fuss about it, he probably wouldn't have felt too comfortable having a strange girl looking at him in awe of what he did. However now Emma knew he was a singer, she'd certainly be looking out for him, buy his music, watch him on tour if he did manage to hit the big time.

Emma continued to snuggle into the jacket and feel warmer and warmer. Now he was asking her if she wanted to go and get changed and maybe come to chat to him more that he was a good listener and they could go for a coffee or something. Emma smiled at him, it sounded good to her. "Sure, that sounds like a good plan to me, I'll just be a few moments and I'll be right back." She then ran to the changing rooms and got changed back into her denims and pastel pink satin top and put on her own jacket even though she didn't want to take off Jackson's because of the wonderful scent.

A few minutes later she was back down beside him again. "Well, ready when you are, and thank you" she said with a smile as she handed him back his jacket now she was dressed in warmer clothes and had her own jacket on.

[Jackson Poe]

As Emma went back to the change rooms, Jackson got a phone call on his phone. "Hello?" Jackson waited for the other person on the other end to answer, but there was a complete silence coming through on the other end. Jackson again attempted to answer, "Hello?" Again nothing, then all of a sudden the person on the other end hung up. Weird. I wonder who that was.

Jackson looked at his phone, as he flipped it shut. He kind of frowned at his now locked phone, and began to rack his brain as to who might have been calling him. Jackson only had a couple of close friends, but they don't normally call him at this time. As Emma came back, Jackson put on a smile, and accepted his jacket back. "You are welcome Emma." He quickly put his jacket back on, and placed his phone inside a pocket of his jacket.

He couldn't help but notice what Emma was wearing. The jeans were fitted nicely over her lower half of her body, and the shirt underneath her jacket sat nicely as well. As his gaze rested on her face, Jackson looked away, and felt his face grow hot. Muttering under his breath, Jackson said in a whisper, "I hope she didn't notice me looking at her all over." He looked back at Emma, as the main rink lights were dimmed. "Maybe we should go. Looks like they trying to tell us something. He nodded up to the lights, which were now turned off.

Jackson lead the way through the seats, and the down the stairs, towards the main entrance. He opened and held the door open for Emma to walk out first. "So do you have a way of getting to that little cafe down the street? If not, I have my car in the parking lot." Jackson gestured towards the black porche, which was not sitting all on its own a few steps away.

[emma]

When Jackson said she was welcome for the loan of his jacket, she just smiled at him. There were no words said between them for a few seconds as she caught him looking her over. It made her blush slightly, but then she had done her fair share of looking at him when she first laid eyes on him. What she hadn't expected was to hear him muttering under his breath, which any normal person wouldn't have heard, about hoping she hadn't caught him.

She began to giggle slightly, that teenager girl giggle, even though she was twenty, but the thought of him whispering to himself and thinking she wouldn't hear was quite funny to Emma, actually it was rather attractive as well in a weird way. However, she now didn't know whether to confront him about what he said or not. If she confronted him, she'd have to tell him about her ability, and she wasn't sure she wanted to give that kind of information out yet.

But she realised she couldn't keep it back, "Actually I did notice you looking at me, but I don't have a problem with it" she said as she grinned at him, and then touched her ear with her finger, and smiled, "Good hearing" she would go into further details about her ability later.

"I think that might be a good idea" Emma agreed, as she stood up, pulled her jacket over and buttoned it, it was cold enough in here, but she figured it wouldn't be much warmer outside either, it still wasn't the right weather to go about without your jacket, not yet anyway.

When he asked if she had a way of getting to the cafe, she hadn't thought about it. She just shrugged her shoulders slightly, as she walked with her hands in her pockets. "Well I thought I was going home, so I was just going to get a taxi cab" she said with a smile, "But I think your car would do just fine, thanks" she said as she realised his car was the only one left in the car park and that it was a porche. "Nice car" she said, she just couldn't help but comment on it, not in a teenager girlie way, but a general interested way about the fact he had a nice car, not that she was particularly into cars, but who wouldn't call that a nice car.

[Jackson Poe]

Jackson kind of felt embarrassed when Emma told him that she had heard what he whispered to himself. He wondered if she was always good at hearing stuff which was low enough for others not to hear, or just good overall. Jackson decided to ask her later, as it wasn't that important right now. Right now he was with a gorgeous girl, and that was all that mattered.

Though he soon recalled back to when he heard Emma giggle. It was such a cute giggle, which made him laugh to himself. Most girls these days just seem to see him, and then pretend to laugh at what he said, like it is meant to be funny. Or if he is telling a joke, and they just laugh before he can even finish. Though Emma seemed unlike any girl he had ever met. She had a natural grace as she headed down the stairs and out the door. She was....well just a different person, which was kind of refreshing.

Jackson was glad that Emma didn't have a ride, he was secretly hoping that she would infact need a ride to the cafe, even if it was not that far away. He had to smile when Emma made the comment about his car. Most girls said that when they saw it, but if they only knew that he wasn't the one who bought it. Of cause he was a wealthy father, who had the change to buy it for him before Jackson set off on his quest with his music. He personally didn't really know that much about cars, though was able to give it tender loving care when it was needed.

Jackson held open the door, and watched as she got in. He then closed the door, and walked quickly around the back of the car towards the driver's side. He opened the door, but before he got in, Jackson smiled to himself, and then sat down in the driver's set. Closing the door, Jackson turned to Emma. "You ready?"

(ooc - do you think we should end of here, and move onto another thread?)

[emma]

[ooc: If you want to make a new thread - then sure - but I feel I can do a finishing post with Emma - just PM me if you do make one to Claire account, thanks]

Emma hoped that Jackson wouldn't be too embarrassed at the fact she had heard him whispering under his breath. She had wondered if she should have ignored it, but it was typical of Emma really, when a situation presented itself to allow her to use her humour she always found she couldn't resist especially when it concerned her ability to hear what she isn't meant to hear.

Emma continued to follow Jackson to his car in silence, however it wasn't an awkward silence. Continually side glancing at him she couldn't help but wonder how she managed to get herself a guy like Jackson talking to her because he was quite handsome, and she simply couldn't take her eyes off of him.

Emma smiled as Jackson held the door open for her, and she delicately climbed in, she was about to pull the door closed behind her, but Jackson was one step ahead of her. As he made his way around to the driver's side of the car Emma couldn't help but smile at herself. Well, she was about to go on a date with a very handsome guy who was a singer, what wasn't there to be happy about?

"Yep, I'm ready" Emma replied softly wondering what the evening would turn out like. At least meeting and talking to Jackson had taken her mind off of her coach who was pushing her to train more, but how could she? She could never give up her other love which was being a veterinary doctor. She felt like she was going to have to make some tough decisions and she wasn't sure if she liked either of the choices going through her head at that moment.