Intertwined - Tangled series (Overprotective famous brothers)

Drama Days

Alisha

After an hour of trying for the perfect vault, I still stumbled around at the landing. It would cost me significant points, and I did not have the luxury to lose points right now. All the critics were simply waiting for an opportunity to hunt me down, and this would be their chance. 

But Adrian kept messing with my head. 

He broke up with me twelve hours ago. He left and I would never have him back, there would be no dinner together or walking on the beach hand in hand or bowling where we both cheated to win. There would be no us, just him and I. No Adrisha as the media tagged us, no golden couple of the Olympics, no nothing. Just two strangers.

"Hey, you! I don't know what's gotten into you, but take fifteen. And after that, I want clean routines, back to back. Am I clear?" Dimitri snapped at me and I nodded, making my way to the benches. The paparazzi was at bay, and they could very well see my grim mood. They weren't close enough to throw questions, but the took the liberty to take photos of everything that I did.

"You guys fought again?" Lauren asked, sitting next to me. 

"We broke up." I admitted, she being the first to know after Ashley. I had cried my heart out in the White House garden, and she held me on the ground, soothing me with kind words. None helped, but I didn't want to be alone.

"That little bitch is going to get it from me." she picked up her phone, but I snatched it from her hand before she could dial.

I had to sit down and explain everything to her as well, what he had gone through and the decision he was forced to make, how he himself had no choice and how I probably would have done the exact same thing. She listened intently, and as I explained, her eyes grew softer, the anger turning into pity. Apologetic for no reason, she hugged me tight and whispered to me,

"The price we pay for dreams is so big. Maybe it's time to justify the price right now." 

To me, it all made perfect sense.

Checking my numbers, I got back on the vault. I knew what I was supposed to do, how I was going to play for today and tomorrow. The performance was not going to dwindle because of Adrian leaving, but it was going to get better. They price I paid had to be justified, and this was the only way I could do it. 

"That's better. Keep up with this attitude." an assistant coach smiled at me, handing me my bag at the end of the day. Keeping in mind my new matra, I had nailed most routines, and even sorted out a problem area on the floor steps. Tomorrow was going to be my justification for the sacrifice. 

In the evening, I decided to hang out with the girls near the pool. The teams got time to unwind before the big day, a practice that was common with most professional athletes. There was nothing worse than a person with a burn out or exhaustion. Tyson was close to me, making sure nobody wandered around us girls. I went to him, unable to resist the urge I had from morning.

"Can you find out how Adrian is?" 

"Safe, everyone is safe."

"You know what I mean." he simply sighed and called Mike. He was the one who had taken on the responsibility of guarding him, and I knew that he wouldn't simply leave because we broke up. I hadn't told them officially, but they must have figured it out with all the hysteria in the car.

Mike picked up the call within two rings, talking immediately since he was under the impression that Tyson was on the other side. He went on and on about Adrian taking it hard and not going for practice today, about how he simply sat at his window and locked out the world, staring at what looked like photos to his men and their binoculars.