Ft. Rachel & Sade - Blog Posts

there is no doubt that rachel is some sort of an all-rounder. academic wise, surely, but for something that requires physical movement like roller skating? it depends on a case-by-case basis. she finds it easy to understand the concept ⸻ she listens to the instructions well and imagines doing them in her head, and yet when it comes to moving her own body, well, it’s easier said than done. someone like sade probably wouldn’t get it - not that it’s her fault! - seeing how effortless she has been doing with those wheels on. to say she’s a tad bit envious would be an exaggeration, but man, rachel wished she could be that good.

she takes a deep breath when sade comes around her again, mentally preparing herself to go over this thing one more time. “really? you think so?” the reassuring words from sade doesn’t make her feel better, but she appreciates it anyways. “okay, bend my knees,” rachel repeats as she does it. “elbows out for balance. lift from my hips and push,” and again, she’s stuck. c'mon, just push forward, she tells herself, and suddenly it all feels impossible again. “this is not- i know how to walk, sadie. this is not just like walking. like look at you, you’re…” what’s the word? “…gliding, and i am not. i can’t.” maybe this is a sign rachel should just give up.

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-ˋˏ ‏‏‎ ‎꒰ ‏‏‎🪐 ‏‏‎ ‎꒱‏‏‎ ‎ ──‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎sade  watches  her,  arms  crossed  over  her  chest,  lips  slightly  pursed  to  the  side.  rachel's  frustration  is  clashing  with  her  own,  though  sade  is  sure  her  slightly  sour  mood  isn't  improving  the  situation.  why  does  she  feel  like  she  isn't  being  listened  to  ?  obviously,  rachel  IS  listening,  and  if  sade  were  to  actually  look  at  the  other  woman's  posture  then  it  would  be  obvious  that  it's  just  beginners  anxiety  (  and  potentially  the  pressure  that  they're  both  putting  on  her.  )  but  because  rachel  doesn't  get  it  right  away,  at  least  not  like  sade  gets  it,  she  finds  the  experience  mildly  aggravating, like rachel is doing it on purpose.

a  soft  sigh  escapes  her──  okay,  maybe  she  should  relax  a  little.  rachel's  obviously  trying,  and  struggling,  and  sade's  impatience  is  not  HER  fault.  she  tries  to  remind  herself  of  all  those  things  her  therapist  told  her  when  she  got  back  to  jersey  :  not  every  inconvenience  is  an  attack  on  you,  sadie  !  inhaling  deeply,  sade  lets  the  tension  melt  from  her  shoulders,  and  pushes  off  the  cement  so  she  can  skate  up  beside  rachel.  "  you're  really  not  doing  that  bad,  "  it's  her  reluctant  attempt  at  reassurance.  " we'll  start  from  the  beginning.  bend  your  knees,  like  you're  sitting  down,  "  she  goes  through  the  steps  a  little  slower  this  time.  "  hold your  elbows  out  on  either  side  of  you  for  balance.  lift from your hips──  it'll  help  you  keep  your  balance.  then  you  just  push──  "  she  presses  off  one  foot,  rolling  forward,  though  she  doesn't  go  far  from  rachel.  "  just  one  foot.  and  then  the  other.  it's  just like  walking.  "  

in rachel’s defense it doesn’t seem as complicated at first, but maybe it’s because sade is the one who makes it look so easy that she believes she could stand a chance. then again, roller skating is one of sade’s fortes and now that she has these wheels on, rachel is not so confident she could do it anymore. especially when she notices the slight change in her friend’s tone as she goes over the instructions again. the thing is, rachel could also tell this is starting to get a little frustrating for both of them, more so herself. “okay, okay, i’m trying,” she tells sade, emphasizing on the word trying, because really, she is, and so rachel tries again for what feels like a thousand times already by now. arms out, legs bent at the knees, back straight up. “is my posture right? am i doing it?” she asks, looking at sade for her approval. god, she feels so stupid and she hates it. “i’m sorry, okay? it’s just that i feel like i can’t move forward. like my feet just won’t move. can you show me how to do it again? please? i promise i’ll get it this time.” there is a hint of uncertainty in her tone despite the optimistic words ⸻ she's barely holding onto that last string of hope right now, if she fails one more time this would have been the last straw for her today. after all rachel doesn't really take failures that well.

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OPEN  starter  (  @valpostart  ) location  :  golden  beach  street

-ˋˏ ‏‏‎ ‎꒰ ‏‏‎ 🪐 ‏‏‎ ‎꒱‏‏‎ ‎ ──‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎"  okay,  look,  i'll  go  over  it  one  more  time.  "  sade  doesn't  mean  to  lose  her  patience,  but  sometimes  she  forgets  that  she's  been  up  on  these  eight  wheels  most  of  her  life.  she  doesn't  remember  that one time when  she  was  four years  old  and  got  her  first  pair,  fell  flat  on  her  face,  chipped a tooth and  then  cried  every  time  she  saw  them  for  a  month and a half  !  now  she  makes  it  look  easy  as  she  comes  to  a  halt  in  front  of  the  person, toes dipping forward into the stoppers.  as  she  speaks,  she  mimics  the  movements  they're  supposed  to  be  doing.  "  arms  out  on  either  side.  legs  slightly  bent  at  the  knees.  keep  your  back  up  and  straight.  if  you  can't  follow  those  instructions  then  i  genuinely  don't  really  know  where  we  go  from  here  babes.  "