"And together, we'll get through it."

~•~

The next day arrived faster than Beatrice had expected. Just a few days ago, she had been preparing for her first Olympic competition, and now she was facing her final challenge—the synchronized diving from the 10-meter platform. It was a discipline that required not only physical strength and technique but also complete synchronization with her partner, Theresa. Today, all their long hours of training were about to pay off.

Beatrice and Theresa sat side by side in the locker room, waiting for their moment. Both were dressed in their Italian swimsuits, hair tightly pulled back into buns, and although they tried to stay calm, it was clear that a mix of nerves and determination was bubbling inside them.

"How are you feeling?" Theresa asked quietly as she stretched her arms and looked over at Beatrice.

Beatrice smiled at her, even though she could feel her heart beating faster than usual. "A little nervous, but I think we're ready. We've worked so hard for this, now we just have to trust in what we know."

Theresa nodded and smiled lightly. "That's true. We'll give it everything we've got, no matter what happens. I'm glad I got to dive with you, Beatrice."

"Me too, Theresa," Beatrice replied, her voice full of gratitude. "I couldn't have done it without you."

When the signal came for them to get ready, both girls stood up and grabbed their towels to dry off after their warm-up dive. They slowly walked towards the platform where they would prepare for their jump, and Beatrice felt adrenaline slowly spreading through her entire body.

When they reached the platform, they stood side by side and took a deep breath. Beatrice glanced towards the stands, and her eyes met Thomas's. He was sitting there, his expression full of support and pride. When he noticed Beatrice looking at him, he smiled and gave her a thumbs-up. That small moment gave Beatrice the courage she needed.

"Let's do this," Beatrice said with determination, turning to Theresa and extending her hand. "Let's show them what we've got."

Theresa firmly squeezed her hand, and they both moved to the edge of the platform. They stood there, side by side, ready for their first dive. For a few seconds, there was silence, broken only by the faint murmur of the crowd, eagerly anticipating their performance.

And then the signal sounded. Both girls pushed off simultaneously, launching themselves into the air with absolute precision and grace. Every movement was synchronized to the last detail—spins, flips, everything was executed with perfect harmony. It was clear that they had spent countless hours working together to achieve such synchronization.

As soon as they broke the surface of the water and emerged back up, a thunderous applause erupted. The audience appreciated their performance, and when they looked at the scoreboard, they saw that their first dive had been scored very highly. It was the encouragement they both needed.

"Great job!" Theresa exclaimed as they returned to the platform for their next dive. "We need to keep this up until the end."

"Absolutely," Beatrice nodded, her voice filled with determination. She felt that they had a real chance to reach the podium if they maintained their focus and continued delivering dives of the same quality.

As the competition progressed, Beatrice and Theresa stayed in rhythm. Each subsequent dive was as precise as the one before, every twist and flip executed with incredible elegance and accuracy. The crowd supported them with loud applause and cheers, which fueled both girls with energy.

Beatrice occasionally glanced at Thomas, who watched them with unabashed admiration. She knew that he, too, understood how important this moment was, and that motivated her even more. She was determined to do everything in her power to deliver the best performance of their lives.

When it came time for their final dive, the tension in the arena was almost palpable. Beatrice and Theresa stood on the platform, hands clasped, eyes focused on the pool below. It was all or nothing. This dive would determine their placement.

"We're ready," Beatrice whispered as she turned to Theresa.

"We'll do this together," Theresa replied confidently. "Let's go."

The signal sounded, and both girls pushed off with perfect synchronization. This time, it was even better than before—every twist, flip, every stretch was flawless. They flew through the air with a lightness and grace they had trained for months to achieve.

When they hit the water and surfaced, the arena erupted with cheers and applause. Beatrice and Theresa looked at the scoreboard and, with relief, saw that their performance had been scored very high.

As they emerged from the water, they hugged each other tightly, knowing they had given it their all. When they turned to the stands, their eyes found Thomas, who was standing and clapping enthusiastically for them. Beatrice shot him a quick smile, and he responded with a thumbs-up, filling her with immense joy.

The results announcement was always a tense moment. Beatrice and Theresa stood side by side, nervously holding hands, waiting for their names to be called by the announcer. When the bronze medals were announced and their names were not mentioned, they felt their hearts tighten. There were only two possibilities left—either they would place second or first, or they would finish fourth and leave without a medal.

When the announcer called out the names of the team that finished in second place, and still it wasn't them, Beatrice turned to Theresa with hope in her eyes. It meant that they would either win or just miss out on the podium. Both girls were filled with tension that was almost palpable. The silence in the arena was deafening as everyone waited for the announcement of the winners.

And then it came.

The announcer declared the winners—the team that had performed slightly more precisely than they had. Beatrice and Theresa's names were not called. They had finished fourth. It meant they had come so close to the podium but would leave without a medal.

Beatrice felt the adrenaline that had kept her going throughout the competition begin to drain away. All the hours of training, all the moments spent working hard with Theresa to get to this point, flashed through her mind. And now, when they were so close to their goal, they had fallen short. The sense of disappointment was like an ice-cold shower that hit her hard.

Next to her, Theresa, who had been holding it together until that point, broke down in tears. Tears streamed down her face, and her body began to shake. It was clear how deeply this had affected her. Her sobs grew louder, and when Beatrice looked at her partner, she saw only deep sadness and pain in her eyes.

"Theresa..." Beatrice whispered, hugging her tightly without thinking. "I'm so sorry..."

Theresa pressed against her, her tears soaking Beatrice's shoulders. "I thought we'd make it, that we'd take home a medal. I believed it so much..." Her sobs interrupted her words, but it was clear how much this had hurt her. It was a dream that had shattered just before the finish line.

Beatrice struggled to find the right words to comfort Theresa, but nothing she said could ease the sense of loss and disappointment. "I know, Theresa, I know," she whispered, stroking her back and trying to offer as much comfort as she could. "But what we've achieved is incredible. We were so close... and we gave it everything."

Theresa just shook her head, still unhappy, her sobs mingling with the muffled sounds of celebration from around them. "I know, but... Why wasn't it enough? Why couldn't we be just a little bit better?"

Beatrice tried to answer, but it wasn't easy. "I don't know," she admitted softly. "Sometimes things just don't turn out the way we want them to. But that doesn't mean we've failed. We achieved something amazing, even though it hurts right now."

Theresa looked at her, her eyes full of tears and unspoken questions. "What now?" she asked after a moment, her voice trembling. "What will we do now?"

"Now..." Beatrice began, thinking about how to encourage Theresa. "Now we focus on what we've learned. This isn't the end of our journey, just one chapter. We'll keep going, keep training, and one day... one day we'll make it."

Theresa took a deep breath and nodded, though it was clear that it wasn't easy. "Maybe you're right. But it's hard to accept."

"I know," Beatrice replied, hugging her again. "But you're not alone in this, Theresa. We're in it together. And together, we'll get through it."

For a while, they stood there, hugging each other and sharing their sadness and disappointment. It was tough, but Beatrice knew she needed to be strong, not just for herself, but for Theresa as well. They both knew that what they were experiencing was part of the sport—high expectations, hard work, and sometimes the pain of failure.

When they finally pulled away from each other, Theresa wiped her tears and attempted a smile. "Thank you, Beatrice," she said, though her voice was still quiet and weary. "I don't know what I'd have done without you."

"And I without you," Beatrice replied with a supportive smile. "We're a team, Theresa. And this isn't the end. Just another step."

Theresa nodded, though it was evident her heart still hurt. Together, they headed toward the locker rooms to change and get some rest. It had been a tough day, but Beatrice knew that the worst was behind them.

As they approached the locker room, they saw Thomas waiting for them. As soon as he saw them, he walked over, his face full of empathy and understanding. "Girls, you dove amazingly," he said, and his voice conveyed genuine sincerity. "You were great."

Theresa tried to smile, but it was clear that the result still pained her. "Thank you, Thomas," she said quietly, though her eyes were still hidden behind tears.

Thomas turned to Beatrice and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm proud of you, Beatrice. The result doesn't matter. What you did today was incredible."

Beatrice smiled at him gratefully, though she was also filled with sadness. "Thank you, Tommy. It means a lot to me."

"Will you meet me by the pool after all this?" Thomas asked. Beatrice wasn't sure why he wanted to meet by the pool, until she remembered her promise to give him an answer if they finished on the podium. But they had ended up just below the line, and now Beatrice wasn't sure what to do.

"In an hour," Beatrice nodded, and she and Theresa headed to the locker room.

~•~