Page 10 of Going for Gold (Sweet Cravings 3)

Brazil won.

I couldn't help but feel like it was all my fault. I didn't pay much attention to the post game speech by Coach Hammond. She dropped the f-bomb a few times, probably directed at me for playing horribly. After she was done screaming at us, she calmed down and told us that we'd have double practice tomorrow in preparation for our quarterfinal game against Serbia.

Kristen came over and gave me a big hug as soon as the game was over. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"No. How could I be okay after seeing those photos?" There was a tightness in my chest that I couldn't explain. Did he cheat on me?

"Maybe there's an explanation."

"Yeah, there is. He was horny and drunk and likes brunettes with big tits."

"Alina?" said Chris' voice behind me.

"I think it might be better if..." started Kristen, but I cut her off. I wasn't going to hide behind my best friend.

"Hi, Chris," I said. "What are you doing over here?"

"Uh, I came to see you after your game like I always do. You guys almost had them."

"Shouldn't you

be over there talking to your new girlfriend?" I angrily pointed at the Brazil bench.

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Wow, you're seriously going to just pretend like everything is cool?" What an asshole!

"I'm sorry. I really don't know what's happening right now."

"Oh, you don't remember Gabriela's tits in your face last night?" I said way louder than was appropriate in a public place. People in the stands nearby started to stare at us.

"Who?" Chris looked totally lost. It was so scary how he could act like he was innocent. I started to wonder how many other times he had cheated on me and pretended like nothing happened.

"Here, maybe this will help your memory." I grabbed the photos off the bench and shoved one in his face. I could feel the tears starting to well up in my eyes. At first I had just been angry, but now the crushing realization that my boyfriend of two years had cheated on me really started to sink in.

"What the hell?" asked Chris. "Where'd you get this?"

"Fuck you." I threw the rest of the photos at him and ran towards the exit just as the tears started pouring down my cheeks.

Chapter 5

Sunday

Alina

Kristen caught up to me shortly after I collapsed on a bench in the village square. There had been an hour long train ride between me exiting the arena and now, but I didn't remember it. All I could see were those images of Chris and Gabriela burned into my brain. Kristen wrapped her arms around me and cried with me. I didn't care about the people giving us weird looks. I just needed to cry.

Eventually I ran out of tears. I didn't have a tissue, so I just blew my nose in my jersey. It was already covered in sweat and tears. Why not add a little snot?

"I can't believe he did that to me," I said.

"Men are assholes."

"I really thought he was different."

"I did too. He seemed like one of the good ones."

Bullshit. Kristen always hated him. It was sweet of her to not bring that up now, though. I shook my head. "Maybe Gabriela just sat next to him and took that picture to get under my skin." Saying the theory out loud gave me a glimmer of hope that Chris wasn't a total asshole.

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