I Can See You

First day downers

First Day Downers

"HEY! LOVEBIRDS, WAKE UP!"

When I gain my senses, I feel the pain in my neck. I know Mari feels it too. We both fell asleep leaning on each other.

"Andre, was that necessary?" I stretch.

"We are in Tokyo. Please be more excited."

"I'll be excited when we all make it on the podium." I grab my backpack and hand luggage.

On the plane to Tokyo, we had track runners as well as heptathletes and decathletes.

And on the bus to our hotel, we had the sprinters along with us.

Mari and I are sitting in front of each other. And we are the only ones at the back of the bus. Everyone else is at the front, singing whatever is playing and looking out the windows.

I sigh, "Mari can you get over it?"

We may or may not have gotten into a fight two days ago and barely spoken to each other since.

He doesn't answer me.

May I add it's a very stupid fight?

"I don't like them, why do me and my parents have to spend time with yours?" He says.

"I never said you had to. I said I was going to and that I would like you to join us. Never once said you had to. I don't like them either, but they are still my parents."

We have this whispering brawl.

I don't understand. I said he doesn't have to come!

I take a deep breath and just think. Where- I'm an idiot.

"I'll be okay, you know?" I say softly.

"I don't want you to get hurt. I don't want you to run away. I don't want to lose you again."

I guess being away for that year took a larger toll on him than he cared to show me.

"I promise you. I won't leave this time. We are on a mission. We have made it. It's been a decade-long promise we've kept for this long. I'm not going down without a fight."

"Gold?"

I smile, "Gold."

We move up to the front of the bus where everyone else is and enjoy our time in Tokyo.

When we reach our hotel, I place my belongings in my room I share with three other girls and head downstairs, where I see my family for the first time in a while.

I walk towards Stella, and before I get three metres near, her she walks away.

"Isabella, you will not blow it this time."

Maybe Mari was right-

Not yet. I run in the direction Stella went in.

I run down the street. I look everywhere and find her around the corner in an alley.

"Stell?" I try hugging her, and she steps away from me.

Her voice is quiet, "Izzy, I can't. I'm sorry."

And this time she's the one who walks away.

We still all go out for lunch. I don't speak. I sit in between my parents. I keep my eyes on my meal as my head is drilled with insecurities.

My question is, do these people have anything better to do than to stalk my boyfriend's social media to be updated on me?

They could've answered my calls. They could've called me.

I would've been open to them speaking about why I left then, but it's been practically four years.

"I was not welcomed when I flew home three times to see you. You turned me away. You said my life is over. You said that I ruined my relationship because I didn't get married. But I'm here today, and you still don't believe in me. Maybe this was a mistake." I leave enough yen to cover all our meals on the table and walk out.

When I'm outside, I see Mari and Afi in a car.

I get in.

The driver drives. The two look at me.

"I'm fine. I'm done being belittled and discouraged. Stella won't even look at me, and I don't know what happened. I just thought things would be different. I've never imagined this."

We go sightseeing. Japan has to be the coolest place I've been. And I've travelled a lot.

We get in early. When we make it back to the hotel, we pick up our uniforms. Mari immediately has a problem because they are Reebok. Mari is an Adidas ambassador.

We figure it out. Sorta. Mari is now holding the Canada flag.

Before I head up to my room, Afi holds me back. The woman holds onto my head.

I'm kinda mad she's an inch taller than me. Well, she is like four years older than me.

"Bella? Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, why-"

"You make a face when you want to break down. I've known you since you were a preteen. You got into that car and made that face. You hate breaking down because you've been told it makes you weak."

I frown in confusion.

"Your eyes go wide, your heart rate goes up. You breathe heavily, and you swallow very hard to help your throat drying up. And voice breaking. You are doing it right now."

She pulls me into a hug.

"I want to hate them," I whisper.

"No, you don't. You say that, but you will never hate anyone. They'll understand one day. And your sister. I have no idea what's going on. But trust me, you'll get her back. And you'll always have me to solve your problems."

I chuckle, "okay, what would you do when I tell you my boyfriend and I want to get married in the late new year?"

She pulls away from me. "You're lying?"

I shake my head. "We had a very long talk about it. He said he would propose on the spot, and I said if he did I wouldn't accept. So he said after we come home with Gold."

"You want a winter wedding?"

I shrug. I don't really care.

"Bella, just wait another year. You guys are in no rush."

"Yeah, you're right. We've been together for this long. What's a bit more?"

"Now go. You need rest if you want gold."

I wish her a good night and head off.

TWO MORE CHAPTERS!!!!