Demos, signings, tapes, contests, it is chaos at times. I am seen as a new up and comer, people expect me to be fairly big and I am consistently placing in the top tens, still haven’t managed to break into the top five but I am closing in on it. When it isn’t school work or the more important skate stuff I am still just hanging out at a skatepark. I have a custom decal out there now, mostly black with some red and silver, a pattern rather than an icon or brand but any time I see it in the wild I tell people, ‘nice board’ and see if they recognise me. It isn’t about being recognised but trying to inspire some fans, help push people to the stars and to reach the top. I love skating not being famous. Sure, the money is nice and almost all of it is going into a trust fund I can’t touch till I am an adult but it isn’t about the money either, that is just the retirement plan. If I can keep this up, maybe I won’t have to have what people call ‘a real job’. A lot of the time mum can’t be around, she tries to catch my contests, but even she needs to eat, so she has to work her job. Honestly some of my favourite days are when I have free time and get to eat a home cooked dinner with her after a trip to the local skatepark.

I have really been pushing myself recently. Tommy Eagle recently landed a 900 and I am really pushing to try and match it, I have been trying to come up with signature moves but still haven’t found a way to make anything new. I still have a fair amount of bruises whenever I go all out pushing against my limits, but it has lessened. No matter what I still keep my protective gear on. I have seen some hard falls and any method to lessen that is important to take.

I get the call for my next contest if I want it, it isn’t local but the team is going abroad to mainland Europe. I am in without question and soon I am flying further than I have ever been. I actually see Casper at the airport, he landed at a similar time coming from another contest. I have a bond with my team but anyone from my first skatepark? They are the people that mean the most to me, I guess on the same level as mum.

“Heard you got a bronze recently, congrats,” I say to Casper as we are walking out of the airport.

“Yeah I have been pushing it a lot but honestly Mull is completely unstoppable, twenty-seven wins in a row for his contests,”

“Shit- I know he is considered one of the best skaters but that is just insane,”

“What about you? Think you can podium soon?”

“Been trying to push myself so maybe, depends on the competition I guess, looking forward to it at least,”

“Yeah, I believe in you,”

“Thanks-”

“Hey Celia, time to go,” one of my teammates call.

“See you at the contest Casper,”

“Good luck Cel,” Casper gives me a hug and then we go our separate ways. The hotel is pretty nice but I miss my old bed. Still, I sleep well and am ready to skate after a rest day to get over the jet lag.

I check my new Vurs and I am up, straight into complex tricks I have been practising, I have stopped holding back and playing it safe. Every trick I might fall off, but I have practised enough that on my third and final run I manage it. The crowd gives an intoxicating cheer on my already insane mood from skating. The skaters around me congratulate me and comment on my line that is a bit outside my normal style and the results? I finally got on the podium, my first silver medal. The team party is wild, people are celebrating me, my success, my skating. I have never felt so accepted. The fact I can get a medal at the professional event blows up my phone, mum, Stanley, my skate crew back home, just the words they share make it feel like they are right here with me, and in the early hours of the morning I finally am on my bed still overflowing with joy that it is hard to sleep.

You know the craziest thing? The timing. Turns out the next Tommy Eagle pro skater game is coming out and they want me in it. How the hell does that happen? Wanting a skater kid in a video game? Absolutely insane. The figures going into my trust funds from that are very nice. Honestly an easy life where I just get to skate is pretty much on the horizon. They warned me that I might get even more well known by people that don’t even skate, but anyway to help me skate more in the future is what I want to chase.

I find out Casper lost again, fourth place but still very respectable. His team partied pretty hard too, just with a lot more alcohol than ours. Honestly I worry about them but that’s just how it goes, when you do well you celebrate with the people that are important to you. There are a few demos before I return home and one of them is with Casper where we get to skate and show off our sponsors. He often gets Vurs for sponsors as well, but goes with a few different ones that aren’t quite my style, but beggars can’t be choosers at times.

Do you know what other crazy thing happened? I go to get my main magazine from Stanley and I am on the cover, I am on the fucking cover! Holy shit! I can’t even contain myself any more. I mean vert might not be the biggest contests and some worry it is dying at times but I can’t help but love every moment of it as I buy a few extra copies of the magazine not letting Stanley give them to me for free. I seal some and frame another putting it on my wall. Honestly I don’t care I haven’t won a contest yet, I have been in the best community I could ask for.