The ladies free skate for Canadian Nationals was soon.
And Melody was skating second to last in the final group.

Alaine Chartrand is in the lead over Gabrielle Daleman.

Melody went on to perform her free skate...

...and came off the ice sniffing...

As they went to the Kiss and Cry, she thought,

I blew it! That was the worst free skate I've had this season, so many little flaws and bobbles...mistake on the Flip, and underotation on the Salchow, and then travelling in the layback spin...*sniff*....

'Don't be too upset, Dy,' Brian tried to console her, but nothing would work.

The scores for Melody Samantha Pang, 129.01, her total score is 197.90, which puts her in third currently.

Great, no Worlds or maybe even 4 Continents for me, if Katelyn delivers, which she will...

In the end, Katelyn was placed fourth overall, which means Melody stayed in third. Alaine was champion and Gabby second.

'Dy, good job. It was a tough fight! Congrats, you are the Canadian bronze medalist now!' Alaine said.

Melody had finally stopped sniffing.
'Thank you, you were amazing! That Gone With The Wind was awesome and clean! You too, Gabby! Congrats guys, you deserve it!'

After a few exchange of words between them, the Canadian Skating Federation made an announcement addressing the top four skaters.

'So Miss Chartrand is going to Worlds in Boston, and we wanted to have a skate off between second, third and fourth placers as the score difference was not very large at all. However, as Miss Chartrand also wants to attend 4 Continents Cup, we have a slight request.'

Melody delighted in the fact that she might have a shot at Worlds.

The four girls raised thier eyebrows in questioned.

'We have taken into consideration the bronze medal finish Miss Pang had at the Grand Prix Final, and therefore have decided to send her to Worlds alongside Miss Chartrand, unless, unless Miss Daleman or Miss Osmond can outscore Miss Pang's scores in the Grand Prix Final, in the upcoming 4 Continents Cup.'

Melody looked up and blinked, as if English were a foreign language to her. Her mind was racing inside.

I actuallly qualified for Worlds?!

'And yes, we know that Miss Pang should go to 4CC, but that's why our request is that Miss Pang would go to Youth Olympics which she is age eligible and qualified for. Thus, giving a shot at international competitions for Miss Osmond. Miss Pang? Do you agree?'

'Oh, uh...'
She seemed to have forgotten how to speak.

'I.......yeah sure...wait, so I'm going to Worlds?'

'That is the decision as of now, unless you, Miss Daleman or Miss Osmond's performances at the Youth Olympics and 4CC changes our minds.'

'Oh, okay'

...

'I'm going to Worlds!!!!!!!' Melody sent a message to the Cricket Club group chat.

'Congrats, Dy, I knew you could do it.' replied Sota.

'Yassssss, ma baby girl is going ta Worlds!!!!' Yuzuru sent.

Everyone stared at that message for at least a minute until Yuzuru sent another message, saying,

'hahaha sorry, just really happy for you, Dy!'

'That was out of character, Yuzu,' Javi said in the group convo.

'Sorry, that really wasn't me! It was my sister, Saya, who typed that! I wouldn't have said anything like that!'

Oh okay, that explains it...Yuzu calling me 'baby girl'?? Like whutt?!

...

Nam Nguyen is currently in first place, with a total score of 227.69

Nam was so dissatisfied. By the end of the Men's free skate, Patrick remained in First, Nam in Fourth and Roman in Ninth.

(No Worlds for Nam :(( )

Nam was tough though, he sucked it up and swore to keep training harder despite the growing pains.

...

Later at night, as Melody sat in her room watching the live US Nationals, Gracie and Ashley were going for thier free skate.

She texted her hummingbird.

'Nam is so sad! I feel so bad for him!'

'He's strong though, I believe he can overcome this growing spurt and then get back to his usual skating shape, although, I think he is way too hard on himself'

'No doubt about that. But are you implying that I'm not strong??'

'Uh, well I saw you close to tears because of that skate and it wasn't even that bad.'

'Yes it was! I don't even know how I got that score'

'It's called Nationals love'

'Then how come Nam didn't receive any National love at all'

':(( , I don't know....By the way, you going to 4CC then?'

'No! Apparently they want Katelyn and Gabby to go with Alaine, so I'll be going to Youth Olympics :('

'Yayy, I mean, well, not for you, since you wanted to go to 4CC, but yay that you're coming with me to Youth Olympics!'

'Ugh, it's gonna be so weird, since I don't know anyone there'

'You'll be fine! Besides, the other skaters might get intimidated by you'

'Excuse you! I am not in anyway intimidating!'

'SURE....Totally believe you!'

':('

':)'

....

January 29th, Friday night practice session.

'Yasssss, I got the flip down on the correct edge!!! DID YOU SEE THAT BRIAN?'

'I'm sure everyone saw that with you shouting so loudly,' teased Nam.

'I am just so happy! I mean, I think all the training is starting to come into effect! I landed 3 correct edge Flip in this training session!'

'Wow, brilliant! See what I told you? Practice makes perfect' Brian clapped for her.

'No, that's not true. Perfect practice makes perfect'

'Don't be such a perfectionist,' exclaimed Yuzuru, who was already back in Toronto from Japan by the way.

'Says the guy who skated two perfect short programs and free skates back to back,' Melody scoffed.

Now Yuzuru was speechless. He didn't know how to reply to that, which caused Javi, Nam and Melody to laugh at him.

'Gotta face the facts, Yuzu!'

Yuzuru just smiled and shook his head, as he remembered those two perfect skates he had, and the joy of it after he finished his programs.
--

After practice was over, they stayed back for a while having a triple sequence battle. This is because Sota would actually be arriving back at Toronto that night.

Yuzuru did his fabulous Triple Axel sequence.

Javi did a Triple Salchow sequence.

Nam did a Triple Toe sequence.

Melody did her Triple Lutz sequence.

'Ha! I win that competition!' Yelled Yuzuru.

'No, I won that,' argued Nam.

'Pssh, please I believe we all know who really won that,' smirked Melody.

'Oh really? Who? Me? Yeah, you're right, I won,' Javi joked.

Just then, Brian came on the scene and said, 'I think Yuzuru won that one'

'Hahaha, see? Brian thinks I'm the best'

'I didn't say that' Brian came into play.

'Oh burned!' They all laughed.

--

20 minutes later, Melody found herself in almost exactly the same situation as she was in 2 months ago when Yuzuru came back from the NHK trophy.

Sota Yamamoto walked into the Cricket Club and was welcomed by crowds of people..

Melody stood behind a wall and caught a glimpse of him and smiled to herself wistfully. He caught her eye and walked forward to catch her. Everyone crowding around him immediately cleared a path.

As she was packing her sports bag by the rink, a pair of arms hugged her from behind.

It was like being heated on the back.
All of a sudden, she was feeling so warm.

This is the warmth I've been missing for the past month. From the boy who smells like fresh grass and snowflakes.

She turned around and gave him a proper hug, with unmistakably huge smiles on both their faces.

Reunited, they finally got to talk face to face peacefully.

'So, how's everything going back in Japan? I heard you won the All Japan High School Figure Skating Competition, congratulations!'

'Thank you, congrats to you on making the world team and finishing with a bronze in your first Senior Nationals!'

'I still don't get the National love, and that way-too-generous score they gave me. Not that I don't want it, it's just puzzling.'

'No, it's not that complicated. It's what happens at Nationals. But it happens when it happens, and when it does, you just accept it'

'You mean like, in Nam's case?'

'Yeah, exactly. I actually texted Nam a lot, and he's still fighting through, but I think he's getting better'

'That he is. By the way, where is Youth Olympics being held? It's in few weeks right?'

'Oh yeah.... I don't know where it's held....but yeah, gotta start training hard'

'You better, don't want Nathan to win again, now do we?' she mocked.

Sota pouted. Obviously a very sore point for him not being able to beat Nathan at all this season. And looking at his performance at Nationals, he seems to be unbeatable. 4 quads in the free?! Who does that, besides Jin Boyang?!

'Ahaha, cheer up. I'm sure you could beat him eventually. But you can't have a mind set of wanting to beat him. Like Yuzuru during the Olympic season was all like, "I must beat Chan, I must beat him," but that didn't help him. And when he started focusing on himself and not on Patrick, he won the Olympic Gold Medal and beat Patrick!'

'Thanks coach, you always make me feel better'

'Yes, I am just that good at these things. Now give me a "I'll do my best" not, "I'll do my best to beat Chen"' Melody did a motivation talk again.

'Okay, coach, I'll do my best!'

'Okay, good'

'Okay'

'Okay, stop that'

'Stop what, Hazel Grace?'

'Oh, shut up, Gus'

As they took the subway back together, she fell asleep on his shoulder, and he kissed her forehead which woke her up.

'Why did you do that?'

'Do what?'

'Kissed me?'

'Cause I missed you'

'Aww, I missed me too'

Thank you for reading! So tired now, but congrats to Nathan Chen winning the bronze medal in US Nats and for Gracie's redemption free skate! Exam period, so not gonna update much this week. Also, the picture is how Melody and Sota look like when they ride the subway back together. The song is Sunshine and City Lights by you know who ;)

Still so heartbroken for Nam....:(((