Page 117 of Going for Gold (Sweet Cravings 3)

"Because they were encouraging you. And because Coach Hammond didn't let you have sex for a month. And because Bryce teased you all week long."

I laughed and then i

mmediately shook my head. "None of this is Bryce's fault." Bryce. Just thinking about him made my chest hurt. "He's lucky he never slept with me. Oh God. Or maybe he did. I don't even know."

"He didn't." Kristen slid into the stool next to mine. "He was too busy trying to stop the whole thing. Tim didn't tell him what was going to happen either."

I pictured Bryce with his black eye and bloody nose. God, that image was going to haunt me forever.

"Have you talked to him?" asked Kristen.

I shook my head. I knew he had called me. Before my phone died I had several missed calls from him. But I didn't know what to say. Nothing could take back what I had done. I thought seeing him in person would be better. He'd be able to see how sorry I was.

"He tried to go after you when you fled the stage. You have to call him, Alina. You were falling in love with him."

"Which is why I can't. I just can't."

Kristen let my words settle around us. She was quiet for a few minutes while she stared at me.

"Where have you been? Your parents are worried about you. No one knew where you were."

"I went to Pasadena. I thought I could talk to him. I wanted to apologize." I shook my head. During the worst moment of my life, Bryce was the one that I wanted. I needed him. But it wasn't fair to him that I needed him right now. Not after what I had done. What I really needed was a miracle. That's what it would take for him to forgive me.

"Did you try to go see him?"

"Yes." My voice came out as more of a croak. "But he didn't let me into his apartment. He didn't even speak to me." I took a deep breath and looked down. "Kristen. I love him. If I could take it back, oh God, I wish I could just take it all back."

She got off her stool and put her arms around me. "It's going to be okay."

"No," I sobbed into her shoulder. Nothing was ever going to be okay ever again. Not if Bryce wasn't here beside me.

"Did you ever think that maybe he wasn't there?"

I shook my head.

Kristen laughed. "He was probably just out then. He likes you. If there's anything I'm sure about, it's that he likes you. And he's probably just as worried about you as I've been."

I sighed. "You think?"

"Yes. Why else would he have chased you to your dressing room and even found a security guard to help let him in when you wouldn't answer."

"Wait, you mean security wasn't there to arrest me?"

"What? Is that why you escaped out a window and disappeared?"

"Yes. I thought I was going to get arrested for public sex or something and spend the rest of my life in some Brazilian prison."

Kristen starting laughing even harder. "Why would they let you get the gold medal and then wait until you ran off stage to arrest you? Why wouldn't they just stop the performance?"

"I don't know! Clearly I wasn't thinking straight or I wouldn't have..."

She stared at me for a second. "I'm sorry, I just have to ask...what was it like?" It looked like she was trying hard not to smile.

"You mean, getting gangbanged on live television?" I cringed as I said it.

She laughed. "Not the last part." She leaned on the counter. "Just the first part."

"Can we please not talk about it? How are you even looking at me after seeing me do that?"

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