Like Real People Do - Jill Roord

It Will Go On Forever

Hunter's POV

The celebrations which followed our win were incredible, most of my Spanish teammates didn't usually drink but everyone that night had at least a couple. Even Alexia, who I'd only seen drunk a handful of times throughout her entire life, indulged.

But then the night set in, the sun rose and the world woke up. It was just the same world as it had always been, coming down from that high was more challenging that having been down in the first place. I'd had a taste of what being alive felt like, the memories sparked of how beautiful it had been, but then just like that, it was whisked away from me.
Just like that when I had to return my room key and lanyards to Vilda's office on the final morning.

I knocked on the door, instantly stepping back and praying that he wasn't inside, but I knew I was foolish to hope. 

"Come in," He called.

I slowly twisted the handle open, shutting door softly behind me before I finally turned around to the man sat behind his desk; a clear display of his power.

"I've come to return these," I meekly told Vilda, holding up my key cards and other things we needed to return as the tournament ended.

Vilda smiled, a shiver always shot up my spine when he looked at me like that. It felt like I wasn't even a person anymore, much less a respected colleague, but I was an object. An object he was in charge of, I was the puppet and he kept a tight hold on my strings. The minute I tried to take those strings back into my own hands, he'd destroy everyone I loved and then I'd realize that I'd never taken the power back, not really. Because so long as he was in charge, I'd always answer to him, it was a fact that couldn't be fought so I found it easier to just adhere.

"Ah thankyou," He stood up, brushing down his trousers. 

"I should go," I pointed to the door, "Jill's waiting for me, we're going to visit her family."

Vilda furrowed his eyebrows, "This Jill, do you see her as a distraction from your career?" Just the way he spat her name made my stomach drop. Jill's was a name I never wanted to hear coming from his mouth, she was kind and selfless, he was a monster. Jill was everything which Vilda was not. 

"No, I don't."

Jill wasn't a distraction from my career. Since I met Jill, I knew I'd been better, I knew life had been better, maybe things easy now but even the people around me had noticed the shift when she came into my life. Jill was good for me, and more importantly than all of that, I loved her. 

Vilda hummed, "Well I think you should reevaluate that thought Hunter," He advised me, like he had my best interests at heart.

Nothing was ever as harmless as it seemed when it came from this man's mouth, "What do you mean?" I was unsure if I even wanted to know.

"I just think that a young athlete, with talent and potential like yours, should be focused on her career," coming from anyone else it would have been a slight compliment, but coming from Vilda, it was more like a warning, "Hunter, you should know how to stand on your own two feet, you shouldn't be depending on others. Look at your sister for example, I don't think I've seen someone more dedicated to her job than her and she is the Putellas winning the trophies."

I frowned, a feeling of complete unease washing over me, "I'm not in competition with my sister."

"You are in the same sport, am I mistaken?" He led. 

I slowly nodded.

"Then you are each others competitors," He stated simply, walking around his desk and closer to me, "If you want to be the best, like Alexia is, you need to learn her dedication."