Playing Adult | ✔ | 18+

Chapter 27 - Beauty in the Ashes

Author's Notes:

This is our last chapter of angsty sadness for this story. End of next chapter, good things will begin to start happening.

Special thanks to my two beautiful and talented beta readers for this chapter, RozamarieH and TheTrebledMom!

-=o0/&\0o=-

By Friday afternoon, the whole school knew I was going to be competing on Saturday and had rallied around me. At the end of the day, the announcements over the P.A. system gave details of the meet to the entire school. I groaned when I heard wild cheering as the announcement came that I was ranked first in my event.

I didn't relish the attention. I'd never been one to go for the glory, but especially now when I was still reeling from losing Roza, I couldn't deal with it. As soon as class ended, I grabbed everything from my locker and bolted to my car. From there, it was only a few minutes' drive to get to Randall's house, where I would be for the rest of the weekend.

The state track meet would be held on Saturday morning, but there wasn't a chance Randall would ever go. I was thankful for that, but I still had to stay at his house on Friday night.

When I arrived, I looked over at Rose and Lissa's house. Rose's car was not in the drive. Despondently, I wondered if she was out on a date with someone else. Somehow, her love had faded, already. She was free to do whatever she wanted, without attachment or restraint - to go have a good time and not think at all about the guy who loved her - especially since I don't think she believed that I loved her.

I walked inside, dropped my bag at the door, and headed up the stairs to sleep for the night. I set my alarm and just crashed. Maybe tomorrow would bring something better.

-=o0/&\0o=-

I stood waiting as the official pulled the tape taut from my final and best throw of the competition. I had been the last thrower and this was my last throw. My best competitors had all taken their final hurls and had a top score of one hundred seventy-six feet among them, while my best throw so far was only a little over one hundred seventy-three feet, so I hadn't bested the others yet. The wind was not in my favor today, but I gave it my best. If I was going to win states, it all came down to the measurement on the tape in front of me.

"One hundred ninety feet, two inches!" yelled the official reading the tape over the discus ring.

I stood there, stunned. I had just won the state title in the discus, by a wide margin, securing the annual state championship title; the school, field, meet, and state records; and the scholarship money to State University.

But most importantly, I'd secured my part in Mason Ashford's offer to speak with Roza about me.

I stood in awe, speechless and unmoving, looking at the ring. I don't know how long I stood there, but eventually, after almost everyone had begun to walk away, I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Dimitri, you did it," said Mase from behind me.

I nodded, still staring at the ring. "I did."

"Is your family here?" he asked, "I'd like to meet them."

I turned to look at where the spectators had been. My family had been there earlier, but I wasn't sure if they were still there now. My mother sat in her chair, a worried look on her face. Next to her were Karolina with baby Zoya on her lap, my nephew Paul, and my babushka, but my other sisters couldn't make it today.

My mother hadn't said a word to me about my change in behavior over the past week, but I knew that she knew something was wrong. It was clear now as I looked at her face that she had wanted to ask.