Lili: Can you please pass me the salt, Katrina?
Katrina: Sure.
Katrina: Don't add too much.
Lili: I like salty food.
Katrina: But if you add too much, you will suffer from dehydration.
Lili: Ok.
Lili: God, I can't imagine my life if I become a full-time athlete. Not being able to eat whatever I want is a nightmare.
Maya: I don't mind healthy food. I prefer fresh fruits and vegetables over packed and processed ones.
Nora: Same here. Growing up, my parents always made sure to pick fresh vegetables every day from the market. They rarely let us buy canned food. It was a challenge for me to get used to canned food when I started living in the dorm.
Katrina: The cafeteria food on campus has all kinds of fresh and healthy meals.
Nora: Yeah, but I have no time to go back and forth between the cafeteria and the dorm, so I had to get used to instant Ramen and canned hummus.
Maya: When I become a contracted athlete, I wouldn't have to worry about these things. My manager will hire a nutrition specialist and a personal chef.
Nora: Are you going to pursue a career in sports if you get offers?
Maya: Definitely. Wouldn't you?
Coach Zaid: Alright, everyone. If you're done eating, do more running laps in the halls. Then we will continue our training session together in the hotel's garden.
Maya: Are you done, Nora?
Nora: Yeah, I'm done.
Maya: Let's go together then.
Katrina: I'm coming too.
Katrina: Are you coming, Lili?
Lili: Sure, I'll take this sandwich with me.
Katrina: You can't eat and run.
Lili: Yes, I can, watch me.
Katrina: You're such a child.
Coach Zaid: Let's keep going, we're just getting started. No one is allowed to stop now.
Katrina: Did you hear that, Lili?
Lili: Can you please be quiet?
Lili: I'm not tired, I just ate too much.
Katrina: I told you not to have that sandwich.
Lili: Whatever.
Coach Zaid: Lili, I see you. You're doing it wrong. Do it all over again.
Lili: Okay.
Nora: Are you okay, Maya?
Maya: Yeah, this is nothing. I can do way more.
Coach Zaid: Is that so? Then you too, do it all over again.
Maya: Yes, sir.
The tennis club spent three days training in the hotel. Every day was the same: waking up at 6 AM, morning warm-ups, breakfast, tennis training, lunch break, running around the hotel, studying tactics, and then resting and sleeping. Today was the last day of training before the competition begins.
Katrina: Stop making so much noise with your fork, Lili. It's annoying.
Lili: Sorry, I was doing it unconsciously.
Nora: Are you nervous, Lili?
Lili: What? Me nervous? No, I'm not nervous, why would I be?
Katrina: Stop lying to yourself. This morning you wore a different pair of shoes and you brushed your teeth twice.
Lili: I washed my teeth twice? That explains why my mouth feels dry.
Nora: It's normal to be nervous, you know. Even Maya is losing her positivity today.
Katrina: Speaking of Maya, why didn't she come to eat yet?
Nora: She said she is going to skip breakfast so she could practice instead. She only had an apple and left.
Katrina: Yeah, I don't have an appetite today either but we need to eat so we could train.
Lili: It's her way of dealing with stress. She's a hardworking type; training is the only thing she could do to relieve herself.
Nora: I guess it's better to leave her alone then.
Katrina: Yeah, I'm going to go train now too.
Lili: Can I join you?
Katrina: Sure, but don't hold me back.
Lili: I would never.
Katrina: Yeah sure, just hurry up.
Nora: Hi.
Maya: Hi.
Nora: Do you need a partner?
Maya: This is tennis, of course, I need someone to train with.
Nora: Alright then, prepare yourself.
Maya: There is an empty table over there, let's use it.
Nora: Ok.
At first, they were both playing well. The first two rounds ended in a tie. The third round was intense. They were both doing their best, but in the end, Nora won the round. In the fourth round, Maya lost focus and Nora easily won.
Nora: Do you need to take a break?
Maya: Yeah, let's take a break.
Maya: As expected, you're unstoppable. I was doing my best yet I had no chance.
Nora: What are you talking about? The first two rounds ended in a tie and I hardly won the third round. You've gotten so good that I had to do my best to beat you.
Maya: Stop it, you're making me blush. But seriously, hearing this from you is making me happy. You're not the kind of person who would say that just to make me feel good. I'm happy that my efforts did not go to waste. I hope that I'll be able to achieve something tomorrow. Even if I don't win a medal, I want to do something that makes everyone remember my name.
Nora: I'm sure you will.
Maya: Come on, let's have another match.
Nora: Bring it on!
Lili: Katrina, are you okay?
Katrina: No, I'm screwed.
Katrina: The competition starts tomorrow, and I said I'll just keep pushing through.
Katrina: I know I said that it doesn't matter to me whether I win something or get knocked out on the first day.
Katrina: But now that it's really happening, I'm scared.
Katrina: After all, I'm the worst player among those who qualified.
Lili: That's not true, you're a great player, Katrina.
Katrina: No, I'm not. I just got lucky to score enough points to qualify. I know that better than anyone.
Katrina: I'll have a chance if my opponent is also a newbie.
Katrina: I'll pray all night for that to happen.
Lili: Come on, Katrina, if you're like this, then what am I supposed to do?
Katrina: You're not like me, you are talented.
Katrina: You and Nora are the best in our club.
Lili: What about Maya and Younis? They scored higher points than me when the coach examined us.
Katrina: Only because you were nervous.
Katrina: You never played against Nora or Maya.
Katrina: I bet you could defeat them both.
Lili: What? No, you're just saying that to cheer me up.
Katrina: Why would I try to cheer you up? I'm the one feeling down here!
Lili: Oh, sorry.
Katrina: God, you're such an idiot. You better do your best tomorrow or I'll kill you.
Lili: Okay, I'll do my best.
Lili: My mother sent me verses to read tonight so I wouldn't feel nervous tomorrow.
Katrina: Send them to me; I need them too.
Lili: What about your lucky charm?
Katrina: I'll use everything I have. I heard they were selling lucky charms in the hotel's gift shop. Let's go check them out.
Lili: Seriously, how many lucky charms do you need?
The Olympic Games have finally begun. Everyone was ready to attend the opening ceremony.
Coach Zaid: Is everyone here?
Maya: Yes, coach.
Coach Zaid: Are you okay, Lili?
Lili: Yeah, I'm fine.
Katrina: She's been feeling nauseous since yesterday.
Lili: I'm fine; I'm just a bit nervous. I'll be fine once I get in the competition mood.
Nora: Are you okay, Maya?
Maya: Don't worry about me, I'm all fired up. What about you?
Nora: I'm doing better than I thought I would.
Maya: Nora, let's show them what we've got.
Nora: Okay, let's do our best.
The opening ceremony was very fun, and the music bands lifted everyone's spirits.
The athletes carried their flags and entered the stadium, each representing their country.
During the matches, Coach Zaid supported them, but not as part of their country's team.
Indoor Stadium Auditorium 1_1
The first match was between Maya and a well-known player who had won a bronze medal before.
Maya was nervous when she found out, but after coming this far, she was determined to prove her potential.
Nora: Good luck.
Maya: Thanks, now watch me. I'll destroy her.
Maya lost the first round and was obviously nervous.
Coach Zaid: What was that about?
Maya: I don't know, it's weird. Everything happened so fast, I had no time to react.
Coach Zaid: Get a grip. Your opponent isn't that much stronger than you. You were shocked that it's actually happening, but you must shake it off before it's too late.
Maya: Got it.
The second and third rounds ended in a tie.
Coach Zaid: Well done, Maya. That's the girl I know. Now, keep pushing and don't back down. You're doing great. Believe in yourself.
Maya: Yes, sir.
Maya was giving the best performance of her lifetime. Her moves were sharp and she executed everything she learned exactly the way she learned from her coach. But in the end, it wasn't enough. She ended up losing with a score of 11-7 in the first half and 11-10 in the second half. Losing the first rounds ended everything for her.
After the match ended, Nora went searching for Maya.
Nora: Maya, you were awesome!
Nora: Forget about the final result, your performance was outstanding.
Maya: I know. I even surprised myself. I was acting confident and all, but the truth is, I never thought I could pull this off. Yet it wasn't enough. I did my very best, I exceeded my limits, but in the end, it wasn't enough.
Nora: It's alright. Calm down.
Maya broke down and cried for what seemed like hours. The mask of the confident girl had been torn apart.
Maya: Why did I lose the first rounds? If I did not stand there like an idiot, I would have won.
Nora: Don't think about it that way.
Maya: I hope so too.
Nora: Come on, let's go watch Lili's match. It's about to begin.
Maya: You go ahead. I'll catch up with you once I get myself together.
Nora: Okay.
After about half an hour, Maya calmed down. There was nothing she could do, so she decided to enjoy what was left of the competition and to cheer her friends up.
Maya: Hi, I'm back. Thanks for waiting for me. What did I miss?
Nora: A miracle. Look at Lili.
To everyone's surprise, Lili completely destroyed her opponent with a score of 5-0 in her favor.
Maya: Wow, is that really Lili?
Nora: I don't know, she's like a whole different person. Look at her pose and the way she's holding the racket.
Maya: Indeed, she seems so different from the last time we've seen her play.
Coach Zaid: Go, Lili, you're my little monster. Show them what you've got.
Nora: Did you do this, Coach?
Coach Zaid: No, I have no idea what happened either, but I'm glad I got to witness it.
The first half of the match ended so quickly, with the score at 11-3 in Lili's favor.
Coach Zaid: Good job, Champ. Take a deep breath but don't cool down. I want you to keep this high spirit.
Lili: Don't worry, Coach. I'm on fire today. Watch me, I'll rip her to pieces!
Coach Zaid: That's the spirit, go get her!
Nora: Wow, how did she suddenly become so aggressive?
Maya: What happened to the kind girl we knew?
Katrina: I don't know. This morning she was a wreck, but a few minutes before her match, she met someone. They must have said something that encouraged her.
Nora: Whatever they did, it's working. Well done!
Lili won the second half too, completely crushing her opponent's spirit. By the end of the second half, it was a one-sided match.
Katrina: Good job, girl! I knew you were good, but I had no idea you were a monster. Were you holding back during practice so you wouldn't hurt our feelings?
Lili: No way. I had no idea I could do that either. It's adrenaline. A friend of mine told me to use my nervousness as motivation, to channel all my feelings into my opponent. To see them as my enemy and blame them for all my troubles. And I did just that; I fought as if I was at war.
Maya: Wow, I should have tried that.
Nora: I'd like to try that too, but I don't think it would work for me. I don't think I have that many repressed feelings.