"If he knew how Miles had hurt me, he definitely wouldn't be standing there."

~•~

The next day was incredibly hard for Willa. She deserved to be happy and celebrate her victory; after all, she had the gold Olympic medal she had dreamed of her entire life. But the reality was much darker than she had ever imagined. Her joy and triumph were overshadowed by what had happened after the race. The whole situation with Miles kept replaying in her mind over and over, as if her body refused to let her rest.

She sat on the bed in the room she shared with several other athletes, and even though it was morning, she still felt shaken and exhausted. She was in a foreign city, where she should have been surrounded by supportive people, but instead, she felt lonelier than ever. She knew she needed to pull herself together, but every time she thought of Miles's grip, how he had held her wrist, and his urgent eyes burning into her, she trembled.

Her wrist still hurt. She lifted her hand and looked at the bruise that was starting to form. She shouldn't be here. It shouldn't even exist. It was a mark of what had happened, and yet it was a reality she wanted to forget. But how?

Mondo. Willa took a deep breath. Mondo had his race today, and she wanted to go watch him. His support had helped her so much yesterday, and yet now she couldn't tell him the truth about what happened after her race. She didn't want to burden him, didn't want to distract him. He had his own race, his own moment of glory, and she didn't want to cause him any worry. But a part of her was afraid of what he would do if he knew.

It had to remain a secret, Willa decided firmly. She couldn't tell anyone. Especially not Mondo.

With a heavy heart, she got out of bed, put on her team gear, and decided to head to the stadium. Mondo needed to know she supported him, just as he had supported her. And besides, she hoped that by focusing her energy on his success, she might momentarily forget the fear and pain she was carrying inside.

When she arrived at the stadium, the crowd was already gathering. The atmosphere was full of excitement, everyone was tense and ready for the next competitive day. Willa made her way through the people, and her heart skipped a beat every time she caught sight of a familiar figure. She kept looking around, fearing she might spot Miles among the crowd. Just the thought of him caused her inner turmoil. She didn't know how she would handle another encounter with him, especially not here, among the crowd where she couldn't hide.

Fortunately, she managed to find a spot in the stands where there was no one she had to worry about. She looked around the stadium, trying to focus only on the race and on being there for Mondo. His performance should be the center of her attention, not Miles. But still, her thoughts kept returning to what had happened. To how powerless she had felt when Miles had pressed her. How her body had shaken when he had grabbed her wrist and tried to get closer than she wanted.

"Willa!" she heard a familiar voice that pulled her from her thoughts. She turned and saw Mondo standing on the stadium, waving toward the stands. His wide smile was infectious and full of energy. His eyes reflected excitement and hope, and she felt a small smile spread across her face. For a moment, it seemed everything would be okay.

She raised her hand and waved back. She wanted to look happy, wanted Mondo to think everything was fine. She couldn't show him how she felt inside.

The race began, and Willa watched as Mondo carried out each step with tremendous concentration. It was as if everything that troubled or distracted him vanished the moment he stepped onto the stadium. He was in his element, and Willa felt a surge of pride. He was amazing. He was the Mondo she had known for years—strong, determined, and tireless.

But her thoughts kept drifting back to what had happened the day before. Each step Mondo took seemed to remind her of how determined she was not to tell the truth. She couldn't. Not now, not here. She didn't want to make him worry.

When Mondo completed his first attempt, the stands erupted with excitement. His performance was strong and precise, confirming he was among the best. Willa waved again when he raised his hand to thank the spectators for their support. His eyes briefly met hers, and she sent him a smile, even though she knew that smile was just a mask she was trying to hide the pain she felt inside.

As the race continued, Willa's mind struggled to balance between the present and thoughts of what had happened the day before. How could this have happened? How could Miles so easily destroy her moment of triumph? She felt her head beginning to spin. She tried to stay focused, but the pain from Miles's grip was still too fresh. And what if he appeared again? What would she do? Where would she go?

When the race ended and Mondo achieved a great result that advanced him to the next round, Willa felt as if the entire day had passed in a haze. She was happy for Mondo, but still paralyzed by fear and confusion. When Mondo came to find her after the race, his eyes shone with joy. "Willa, thank you for coming," he said as he hugged her.

Willa hugged him back, but the embrace was weak. "Of course I came," she whispered, trying to find some comfort in his arms.

"Is everything okay?" Mondo asked as he let go and looked into her eyes. His face was full of concern as he noticed her unusual expression.

Willa wanted to say something, wanted to explain what had happened. But her tongue seemed to be stuck in her throat. In the end, she just nodded. "Yeah, I'm just a bit tired."

Mondo didn't believe her, but he didn't want to press her. He smiled and nodded. "Okay, rest up. But you'll come to the finals this afternoon, right?"

Willa nodded and tried to smile. "Of course."

Willa spent the rest of the morning in her room, thinking about everything that had happened in the past few days. When she was alone, thoughts of her encounter with Miles the day before haunted her with every passing minute. His face, his urgent voice, and how he had held her wrist—these all came back in recurring images she couldn't erase. On one hand, she wanted to forget everything and focus on winning the Olympic gold, but the experience just wouldn't let go.

What was worse, Miles was still somewhere around. She was afraid of him, afraid that he might appear again. Just the thought of possibly running into him again filled her with anxiety. What if she saw him again? What if he came after her once more?

Willa wished for it all to disappear. For Miles to vanish and for her to return to the normal life she had before. But that wasn't the case. She had to deal with it. And worse, she couldn't tell anyone—not even Mondo, who deserved to know the truth.

All afternoon, she had only one thing on her mind: Mondo. Today was the final of his event, and she knew she had to be there. He needed her support, just as she needed his when she was competing. Plus, it gave her a sense of normalcy, something she could hold onto. Watching his performance, cheering from the stands—that was something she could focus on instead of drowning in fears and anxiety.

As the afternoon approached, Willa decided to head to the stadium. She took a moment to pull herself together and left early to find a good spot in the stands where she could watch Mondo. The final of his event attracted many people, but she was confident she would find a quiet corner where she could have a clear view of everything happening.

When she arrived at the stadium, she already felt the energy and tension in the air. It was clear that today was crucial for everyone. Athletes were preparing for their peak performances, and the spectators were loudly supporting them. Willa walked through the stadium gates and slowly made her way through the crowd towards the stands. The air was filled with excitement and anticipation, and for a moment, it helped her forget her own problems.

But then she saw him.

She stood at the entrance to the stadium, and her eyes caught a familiar figure. Miles. Her stomach tightened when she spotted him. He was standing in a corner near the track, talking to another athlete whom Willa immediately recognized. Mondo.

Willa's heart stopped for a moment. She saw them talking, their heads leaning closer together as if exchanging some confidential information. Mondo was smiling, his face calm and carefree. Willa's mind began to spin. Why were they talking? Mondo knew very well that they had parted on bad terms, so he shouldn't be talking to him if he was her good friend.

She stopped in her tracks, unable to move. She saw Miles leaning on something and gesturing casually while Mondo listened. It was as if the world around her had suddenly slowed down. The experience from the previous night came back with full force, and her body was flooded with a wave of fear and confusion again.

How could Mondo be talking to Miles?

Her heart raced faster. She felt her throat tighten, and her breath quicken. Thoughts swirled in her head as she watched their conversation from a distance. Mondo looked so calm, as if he had no idea what had happened. If only he knew what Miles had done to me... If he knew how Miles had hurt me, he definitely wouldn't be standing there.

Suddenly, Mondo turned and his eyes drifted toward the spot where Willa was standing. Their gazes met, and Mondo gave her a brief smile, as if to welcome her and encourage her to come closer. But Willa couldn't. Everything inside her tightened; every cell in her body told her this was wrong. Her best friend was talking to the person who had betrayed and hurt her the previous night. And she couldn't say a word.

The smile Mondo gave her struck her straight to the heart. How could he smile when he was just talking to Miles? How could he be so okay when she felt lost and broken?

At that moment, Willa felt something surprising—anger. Anger at the situation, anger at Miles, but most of all, anger at herself. How could she have let things go this far? Why couldn't she stop it? She wanted to scream, but instead, she just stood there frozen, her hands clenched into fists and her body tense.

Mondo kept looking at her, as if waiting for her to join him. But Willa couldn't. She turned on her heel and quickly walked away before she could see Miles's face again.

Her legs carried her swiftly away from the stadium, far from the people, from Mondo, from Miles. Why do I feel this way? Why does no one understand me? Anger and fear pulsed in her head, every thought was unclear and confused. Questions swirled in her mind without answers.

As she left the stadium and found herself outside, her breath started to quicken. I need to get out of here. She couldn't stay near people who didn't know what she had been through. Not now. She needed to be alone, far from everything and everyone.

She ran, and when she was far enough, she stopped and leaned against the cold wall of a nearby building. Her body was trembling, and her hands were shaking. She took deep breaths, trying to calm down, but her mind was in chaos.

It has to end.

She had to get Miles out of her life.

~•~