A/N: Play song when Instructed. Media: "Olimpico" by Dimash Kudaibergen

Wendell's POV

The day before the Independence Day ball is when all the students are minding their manners and focusing their minds on their health and academics, yet the air is thick with anticipation and tension with some of the guys needing to voluntarily head to isolation on the account of their families and friends coming to visit (the day of the ball would also serve as Family and Friends Day) to see how they are faring and even catch up on what they missed out so far.

For me? Well, it's all about taking it one day at a time.

I've been busy with finalizing my plans to attend Cookman-Lanier (sending in my housing applications and all), finalizing the songs for the ball, getting my mind busy with schoolwork, and even getting some exercise in to keep my body nice and toned (even more so, given the fact that I was going to be gifted with a custom-made tuxedo from Logan and his uncle). And when I wasn't doing all of that, I was attending the usual therapy sessions (group and private) while spending time (lots and lots of downtime at night) with Logan.

I should be feeling like I was on top of the world since learning that I was accepted.

I should feel like I was going to have the performances into the bag.

Instead, I felt the same emotions as I did when I started group therapy: I was walking on eggshells as if everything was going to blow up in my face.

And for good reason with one of the factors named Braeden, who was still on the run, and I was feeling restless. I wanted to say that I was doing okay and wanted to fake a smile. But with my situation, it wasn't going to happen. If anything, it was time to be real.

"Wendell?"

I snapped out of my meditation to gaze into Dr. Seller's concerned eyes. "Hey, doc," I said, sitting up straight in the chair. "I'm sorry for crashing into your office when I should be rehearsing for the ball tomorrow, but I need to confide in you about something."

"Of course," she said, heading straight into her desk and putting her therapist mode on display. "Now, what's the tea?"

I took a deep breath. "Well, the big ball is coming up tomorrow and while I want to feel like it's going to be '10s, 10s, 10s across the board,' I'm sensing a lot of unwanted energy that's being thrown all-around before I even worked the runway," I confessed. "It's like 'all eyes are on me' and there's an intense amount of dark energy that's going to be filling the room. I'm scared, doc. I'm scared not of the performance, but of what might happen if-"

"If Braeden was going to show up," she finished for me. "And you're worried that one, some, or all of us here at Cartier Valley would fall by his wrath."

I nodded. "I know that I can't back down from the performance now," I continued, taking a moment to blow imaginary bubbles. "It'd mean that I couldn't really handle the pressures and giving Braeden the advantage to win.  But I'm just worried that I'd be outwitted by some reckless teenager who was way more ambitious than I was when I came here."

"And I'm going to stop you right there," she said firmly, holding up one finger. "Braeden is a nasty little shit- and I'm saying the full tea and shade on his ass despite being a professional- that tends to make others miserable. He does have a will to fight for what's his, but he's too damn arrogant to see that he's damaging himself in the end. You, on the other hand, had been given a rough time for all of your life before coming here and you still decided to trust in all of us despite those fears. Frankly, you're the one who has the upper hand."

I nodded.

"And you know something else, you knew from the start that you were tired of trying to fight ever since that setback," Dr. Sellers pointed out. "And even as you prepared to bury your family, you knew that you didn't want to back down from a fight. You showed Corey that you were in charge and that Braeden would never get Logan to be his husband. You're the real warrior, not that brat."

I nodded, taking in her words. "I'm just scared of what might happen if-"

"As my mama would always say, if 'if' was a fifth, then we'd be drunk as a skunk and high as a Georgia pine," she cut me off.  "You know what you need?"

I shook my head no. "What?"

She pulled out her cell phone and pressed something on the screen. "Olimpico by Dimash," she told me. "Do you know him?"

"I heard a bit of his music on YouTube once or twice, but I never really got it," I admitted.

"This ought to blow you away, then," she drawled delightfully as she hit play. And as the first few strains of the melody hit, I was suddenly taken into a new world.

Ogni pietra ed ogni fior

Terra nostra è fatta per amor.

Siamo figli suoi

Poeti ed eroi

La vita nasce e va e non si fermerà.

Sei forte, sai!

E non aver paura!

Sei forte, sai!

Tu sei più forte dei tuoi guai.

Velocità del generoso cuore.

Raggiungilo, abbraccialo.

[Coro: il giovane futuro]

Vai!

Non fermarti a metà.

Fratellanza e libertà.

Questo mondo vuole proprio te.

Vai!

Sii te stesso e tutti noi.

Tu puoi tutto se lo vuoi.

Sempre avanti più che puoi!

Tu puoi!

Gira il mondo anche se certe volte vien da piangere.

Solo amore è risposta al perchè.

Ragione è l'anima

E non ti lascerà.

Sei forte, sai!

E non aver paura!

Sei forte, sai!

Tu sei più forte dei tuoi guai.

Velocità del generoso cuore.

Raggiungilo, abbraccialo.

[Coro: il giovane futuro]

Vai!

Non fermarti a metà.

Fratellanza e libertà.

Questo mondo vuole proprio te.

Vai!

Sii te stesso e tutti noi.

Tu puoi tutto se lo vuoi.

Sempre avanti più che puoi!

Tu puoi!

Tu puoi!

Sei forte, sai!

E non aver paura!

Sei forte, sai!

Tu sei più forte dei tuoi guai.

Velocità del generoso cuore.

Raggiungilo, abbraccialo.

[Coro: il giovane futuro]

Vai!

Non fermarti a metà.

Fratellanza e libertà.

Questo mondo vuole proprio te.

Vai!

Sii te stesso e tutti noi.

Tu puoi tutto se lo vuoi.

Sempre avanti più che puoi!

Tu puoi!

Sempre avanti più che puoi!

Sì, puoi!

Sì, puoi!

"That was beautiful," I said, wiping away a stray tear from my eyes. "I never heard something so beautiful until now."

"I heard this song and it made me think of you," Dr. Sellers replied as she put away her phone. "This song, howbeit in Italian, is a reminder of me seeing you coming out as a strong warrior. And no matter what happens tomorrow, I want you to remember those lyrics. I want you to work the masquerade ball lik you're at the Met Opera House and perform your heart out. And remember, Braeden can never top you. He may be holding the weapons, but you still have the secret weapon from Mrs. Satillo. And once you use those, you can never go wrong."

I stood up, reaching over the desk to give Sellers a giant hug. "Thank you," I said. "I needed that."

"I'm your therapist, Wendell. It's my duty to make sure that you're taken care of. Now, go to class and then prepare for tomorrow. I'm sure that you're going to wow everyone with your selection of songs. 10s, 10s, 10s across the board!"

I nodded, collecting my jacket before giving the doctor one last look of hope and determination. "I will," I said. "It's time to be a champion. See you, doc!"

***************

Tomorrow's the biggest day of my life.

And while I am nervous about what might happen if/when Braeden shows up to enact his revenge, I know that there is no going back anymore. If I want to be seen as a strong warrior, then I was going to have to own up to my greatness and shut the negativity down. Dr. Sellers was a huge help today and I was grateful for the song that she had me listen to. I'd give that Kazak fellow one thing, though. He got some pipes that can make me jealous.

Anyway, the day is nearly done and all that's left to do is get ready for the ultimate showdown of my life. My tuxedo will arrive tomorrow and I've rehearsed as much as possible. The rest is up to fate. If I survived the night, then it would be another day to win with hopes to see another one. But if not, then it was all worth it. All the same, I came in here with the fear of blowing it but I am now more apprehensive, wiser, and more confident in myself. And as crazy as it sounds, my late family is to be thanked for this. They lit the matches and fanned the flames to help me be refined into the man that I am right now. And while I know that I still have a long way to go, at least this new chapter was the start of something new.

"Wendell?"

Finishing my journal entry, I turned to Logan who was sitting up in his bed and reading a book. "Yeah?"

"Sellers told me of your fears of what might go down tomorrow," he said firmly. "She was right, you know? You are way better than Braeden will ever be. You are stronger and wiser and you have survived. Now, rest up for tomorrow. You'll need it for the biggest day of your life."

I nodded, putting everything away before heading for my bed. "Thank you," I said, snuggling into my covers. "Thank you for everything."

"Thank you for coming here," Logan told me. "And thank you for giving this place a chance. Thank you for giving me a chance. I love you."

And those words were just enough to help me fall into a dreamless sleep. After tonight, there was no going back.

 
And just like that, we're getting closer and closer to the finale. There's no going back as we'll see everyone preparing themselves in the next chapter! You better not miss out on this juicy moment, folks!

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