Page 59 of Let the Games Begin
“A summer thing, then. Everyone’s reckless in the summer,” she said, walking ahead without turning to face him.
“So, I was just a reckless decision?” said Zeke flatly. Olivia kept on walking, but she could hear the answer in her head. No, he wasn’t a bad decision, he was one of the best decisions she’d made all year. But for the first time in a long time, she’d made a decision based on how she felt instead of what she knew. She couldn’t believe she’d let herself be led by something as fickle as feelings.
“Zeke, I don’t want to talk. Just leave me alone, please,” she said, walking faster, trying to hold back the sting she could feel in her eyes.
“If I was a mistake, I don’t want to get in your way,” Zeke said, slowing down as he fell out of step with her.
“Fine,” she said, speeding ahead without looking back. He’d got so good at making her feel safe enough to let her guard down that he’d started to do it without even trying. But now he’d stopped walking after her. So, she powered on ahead. Pushing her cart as she bit her lip and refused to let herself turn around. She couldn’t let him see her cry. She couldn’t let him know how much she wished he’d carried on walking by her side.
48Zeke
DAY EIGHT OF THE 2024 OLYMPICS
Zeke wanted to run after Olivia. He’d gone to the Hub to explain everything, to tell her that the photos of him and Valentina weren’t what they looked like.
But when she said it was “just a summer thing,” he’d frozen. Because he had allowed himself to believe that she felt what he’d felt too. The chemistry between them whenever they spoke, the tenderness that filled their quiet moments, the raw passion when they kissed. But as he watched her walk away, the hopeful lovestruck feeling he’d had all week curdled into anxiety. And as he headed over to his afternoon training session, the worry that he might have got ahead of himself began to chip away at him.
“You need to get those legs higher, Zeke,” said Coach Adam. Zeke was jogging on the spot while trying to get his knees up as high as he could. But every leg lift took more effort than the last as he worried over Olivia’s admission that everything between them was just a “summer thing.”
There wasn’t a specific set of rules for what a sun-fueled situationship should be, but there were surefire rules of what it shouldn’t be. They weren’t supposed to talk about shared futures or old wounds. They weren’t supposed to meet each other’s friends and families. And they weren’t supposed to allude to any sort of life span beyond August. But if all Olivia wanted from him was someone to play the other part in a summer fling, he’d already broken so many of the rules. Maybe too many.
“All right, rolling planks,” said Coach Adam.
Zeke got down and pulled himself into a plank position.
She’d jokingly called him a distraction the other day and he’d laughed, but he knew there was some truth to her words. Hewaspretty distracting. He was always battling with an intensely packed schedule, training sessions, and public appearances. Maybe Olivia had realized that she didn’t want the constant complications that came with his world. The scrutiny, the pressure, and all the canceled plans.
“Zeke?” said Coach Adam. “Are you all right?”
“I’m good,” said Zeke. But he wasn’t.
“It’s taking you a lot longer to do things than it usually does. Are you tired?” Coach asked with concern. Coach Adam was usually a pretty easygoing guy, but he became very protective when it came to his athletes. They were like his kids.
“I’m fine,” said Zeke.
“You seem a little off. Are you still seeing Fiona?”
“Yes, Coach,” said Zeke with a hint of irritation. Asking for help was supposed to be a choice, not a mandatory element of his place in the team.
“I’m just looking out for you, kid,” said Coach Adam.
“You don’t need to,” said Zeke. It came out a little more sharply than he’d intended it to. There was a pause.
“Do we have a problem here?” asked Coach Adam, firmly but not unkindly.
“No, Coach,” Zeke said. Coach Adam looked at him. Zeke tried his best to look normal, but Coach Adam had known him long enough to tell he was going through it.
“Go for lunch,” said Coach Adam.
“I’ve already eaten lunch.”
“Okay then, take a walk.”
“We’vejuststarted training,” said Zeke. His voice was thick with annoyance.
“We have, but your head is clearly not in it, Moyo. You make mistakes when your head’s not in it.”
Zeke stood up. “I only have five more days before the competition.” Heartbreak began to mingle with the anxiety he’d been feeling on and off all week.
