Millie

Chapter Thirty Nine- Olympia

The next few weeks were busy in my new job, starting that first Monday morning, with another Nomikos gal pencilled into my diary. This time, it was Olympia.

I sat in my office, twirling a pen in my fingers, and glancing at the computer screen. I had Olympia's file up ready, and had printed out her new class schedule. She would be skipping straight into her senior year.

I had spoken with the administration, the faculty members and the principal about her transfer into year twelve. Everyone was in agreement that Olympia would benefit from skipping a year. She had the grades and the Oomph to do it. It was Willa though, that was the most excited, because Olympia's grade change, meant she would now be coaching her in her last months before retirement, as a senior, with an eye on college. I noted on her file that there was already interest and offers for Olympia from four different colleges last year, and if she kept her grades the same, as well as her talent and fitness, she would be a top candidate for any of them. Teddy hadn't wanted her to lock in until senior year. Olympia had an advantage that not many other high school girls in this country had, let alone this state. Olympia Nomikos had a surname you recognised and respected in women's basketball, she was Theodora Nomikos's daughter. The WNBA legend, and current head coach of an WNBA team that she had brought back from the dead. The Portland Fire.

The knock at the door was light. I looked up and spotted the familiar curly dark hair through the door "come in" I called.

I sat up straight and pushed my chair under the desk to be closer. Olympia came in quietly, placed her backpack beside the chair and sat down opposite me. She took out some ear pods and pocketed them.

"Good morning" I greet.

"Morning" Olympia replied, somewhat flat.

I frowned, she was looking a little downcast.

"What's wrong" I asked, seeing that she wasn't herself.

She tucked her plump bottom lip under her teeth and drummed her fingers on her knee "nothing" she returned.

I leant forward, with my elbows on the desk. My silky white shirt sleeves fell down my wrists slightly. "Olympia let's talk as friends for a moment. Forget we are at school" I ask. "Is this about Cam"

She looked up at me, and her bottom lip sprung out from under her teeth. "I still hate Camilla" she admitted "I can't help it. It actually drained me Sunday to have to be the bigger person. Millie I don't know if I can hang out with them as friends. I misjudged how admitting it... out loud... how that would hurt"

I nodded "it was really mature of you Olympia. You did the right thing. Sometimes though, the right thing fucking hurts"

She sighed and slumped back in the chair, her thumbs battling between her clasped hands. The black nail varnish against her tan skin stood out, a little chipped at the edge. Probably from nervously biting them.

"It just put me in a weird mood that's all. I'll still be there for Cameron. That will never change. Anyway, Moms told me I was going into senior year this morning... so if you wanna load me up with the new schedule..."

I took a breath, and sat back in my chair "it's made you anxious" I ask.

She shook her head, her long dark curls flinging against her shoulders "No it's not that" she admitted. She sat forward, holding the plastic chair beneath her knees now. "I don't care about skipping my grade. It doesn't intimidate me. I know I've got this. It's not the school work Mills, it's Daisy. I'm leaving her behind"

I could understand that, school relationships were intense and vulnerable, and losing time with your girlfriend probably felt like the end of the world.

Olympia bit her lip, anxiously nibbling on the flesh "I feel like I lost Cameron, and then, Daisy, in twenty four hours. I know that's silly, because I still have them both. But I torture myself by thinking about tomorrow, and not what I have today. This time next year I won't be here, I'll be in college, and most probably far away. Daisy will only be in her senior year. I'm not dumb Mill, I know we won't stay together"

"You don't know that" I remind her.

"I do. We won't be. Im not like the women in my family. I can't do long distance. Im like Wren, we have to be close to the person we love. That's how she ended up staying in Oregon, she had all these amazing offers from colleges, and then she stayed here for Ava. I can't do that. Daisy isn't going to college, she's at high school. It's not the same for me. I want basketball. I need it. I'm committed to making it. WNBA is the goal, the dream, and the only future I will accept. If basketball has to be the love of my life, for the foreseeable, then I'm committed, and monogamous with it"

"Millie... I need you to help me make that happen" she asks, looking to me seriously. "Put me in all the classes I need, have the teachers give me the extra credit work, sign me up for every event that the Colleges are hosting. I want to start looking at the offers... and I want to finally make this dream a reality"

I smiled, her flat and sad expression that she had walked in with, was replaced by excitement, confidence and drive.

"Of course" I replied. "I will do everything I can to put you in the position you need to succeed into College. Let me talk to your Moms about the College offers this morning, and see if Teddy is happy now, for you to start visiting. I'm pretty sure she will, her only concern last year was how young you were, and I know she just wanted you to have time first, being a kid, before you had to make decisions and take on the world"

Olympia smiled, and her dimples deepened "thanks teach"

I reached for the class schedule and handed it to her "you know... Mary used to call me that" I remembered fondly.

Olympia took the papers and looked over them "Mary" she thought out loud with a warm tone "I miss her maryisms"

"Me too" I replied "We have her celebration of life next weekend don't we?! Strangely, it feels like she's coming to visit, and we are planning a family get together... rather than what's actually happening"

Olympia nodded in agreement, reaching for her backpack "it does feel like that. Like she and Erica are coming for the weekend. I used to love that. Mom said they used to have an airstream that they would cross country in to visit when we were all on the East coast. It kinda feels like that. They are on the way"

"Perhaps they are" I muse, picking up my pen, and twirling it between my fingers.

"I can't believe my Monday morning is about to start with Math" Olympia groans "you suck" she accused, reaching for the door.

"Hey" I say, throwing my pen at her. It hits her jacket and bounces back onto the table. "I thought I was your knight in shining armour this morning... making all your hoop dreams come true"

She turned as she reached for the door handle "Fine, you don't suck. But todays about to, when I finally talk to Daisy about staying friends"

"Wait" I ask, as she goes to open the door "you're breaking up, today? Olympia you don't start college for an entire year" I remind her.

She looks back to me, her deep brown eyes looking straight into mine. "I know. But even Twelve months doesn't seem long enough though"

"To be together?" I asked.

"No, to get over her" she said, offering a gentle smile before exiting into the hallway.

Olympia made a decision in that moment, to put Basketball at the front and centre of her world, and it would serve her well, she would succeed, but to what cost to her personal life? To love? That would be her own journey, and I would be lucky enough to be around to witness it. Olympia Nomikos, the rising star, the poster girl for women's basketball, and the serial heartbreaker. She would have a reputation that proceeded her, both on the court, and off of it. She would have it all, until she realised... one day...that she didn't. A story for another time I guess.

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(Small chapter today folks) see you for more next week.