Chapter 39: Between Pressure and Glory

  The Olympic stadium roared with the screams of thousands of people. The Olympics had officially begun, and the first to compete for the Blue Mountain team would be Bruno and Jocelyn.

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  The first test - Bruno in the water

  Bruno stood on the exit platform, feeling that the whole world weighed on his shoulders. The echo of the audience, the cameras focusing on him and the nerves in his stomach had him on the verge of collapse.

  "I can't... I can't..." he murmured to himself.

  Then, he looked to the side. There was Valeria, standing next to the Blue Mountain team. She smiled at him and raised her thumb.

  "I do it for her..." she remembered.

  He took a deep breath. The fear was still there... but now he was willing to face it.

  "To your marks... ready!"

  BEEP

  Bruno jumped into the water. His strokes were strong, but his thoughts betrayed him.

  "What if I don't arrive?"

  "What if I make a mistake?"

  "What if I lose?"

  Halfway through the route, he felt that he was losing his rhythm. One of his rivals began to get ahead.

  "Come on, Bruno!" Aurora shouted from the shore.

  Bruno gritted his teeth.

  "No... I won't give up."

  He remembered Aurora's words:

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  "Nothing for what you love..."

  The images of his workouts, his talks with Aurora and the moments with Valeria crossed his mind.

  "I'M NOT GOING TO FAIL!" he shouted in his mind.

  With an explosion of force, Bruno propelled his body with everything he had.

  Bruno touched the wall... and the stopwatch stopped his account.

  "Second place!" the announcer announced.

  Bruno emerged from the water and looked at the scoreboard... he had only lost by 0.04 seconds.

  "You did it, Bruno!" Valeria shouted, running to hug him.

  "I didn't win..." he murmured, still panting.

  "You didn't win the gold... but you did win the fight against yourself." Aurora said, proud.

  And at that moment, Bruno understood that he had not failed... he had given his best version.

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  The second test - Jocelyn and her moment of truth

  Hours later, Jocelyn was preparing for her race. In front of her, on the opposite platform, was Nadia, who did not miss the opportunity to provoke her.

  "Ready to be humiliated?" Nadia said with an arrogant smile.

  "Speak when you have something new to say," Jocelyn replied, standing firm.

  Nadia laughed with disdain.

  The starting shot sounded, and both jumped into the water.

  Nadia started with incredible speed, taking the lead in the first 25 meters.

  "Come on, Jocelyn... you can..." Talión murmured from the shore.

  Jocelyn struggled not to lose the rhythm, but Nadia's advantage seemed impossible to recover.

  "No... I can't..." he thought, feeling that he was drowning in his own fears.

  Then, he remembered something that Aurora had told him days before:

  "People who belittle you... only fear your true power. When you stop being afraid, you will see that you were always better."

  Jocelyn closed her eyes for a second, she was filled with confidence... and accelerated.

  His strokes were firmer. The pain in his muscles disappeared. His negative thoughts were silenced.

  Just 15 meters from the finish line, Jocelyn had reached Nadia.

  "Come on, come on, come on!" Luz shouted, waving her arms.

  With a last impulse, Jocelyn stretched with all her strength.

  BEEP

  The swimmers came out of the water, both panting. They looked at the scoreboard...

  Jocelyn had won by 0.03 seconds!

  "I DID IT!" Jocelyn shouted, while her friends ran to hug her.

  Nadia was silent, incredulous. In the end, he approached Jocelyn and, without smiling, shook her hand.

  "It's not bad... but don't trust yourself."

  "I won't." Jocelyn replied, with a defiant smile.

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  The team celebrates

  That night, the team met at the Olympic village to have dinner together.

  "Well?" Azrat said, serving himself a large plate of pasta. How do you feel now, champions?

  "I feel... proud," Jocelyn said, raising her glass.

  "And I..." Bruno sighed, smiling. I feel... happy.

  Valeria kissed him on the cheek.

  "I'm proud of you too...

  Talion stood up and raised his glass.

  "Today they showed that it doesn't matter if you win or lose... what matters is to give everything. And today, you did it.

  "For the Blue Mountain!" Aurora shouted.

  "For the Blue Mountain!" they all answered in unison.

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  End of chapter 39