And then they’re reacting, but I have no idea what their screams of joy mean. Are they celebrating Irina’s victory or the final routine of my gymnastics career earning gold?
“The score for Irina Kareva of the Russian Federation: a 14.9!”
I collapse straight down to the floor. My legs give out in the way I’d always feared they would before my dreams came true, but this is the kind of collapse I can live with, because it’s over now. It’s over, and I won.
I’m an Olympic gold medalist.
Janet is crouched down beside me, an arm around my heaving shoulders. I’m not crying, just shaking. It doesn’t feel real.
Three medals.
Two silvers.
One gold.
I can’t believe it.
“You did it,” Janet murmurs over and over again. There are feet surrounding us on the floor, probably cameramen, and I don’t want to deal with that right now, but there’s no avoiding it.
The cameras give way, but only just, and there’s an Olympic worker trying to get me to come with her. Her face is twisted with frustration as she tries to guide me to where Ana-Maria and Sun Luli are standing so we can march out of the arena together to prepare for the medal ceremony.
I pull away from Janet, and just over her shoulder, Leo is at the edge of the stands, crouching down to get as close as he can. He smiles, and that’s all it takes to send me running in his direction. He stands, offering his hands to pull me up. I find my footing and grab hold of the railing before kissing him lightly. The crowd starts screaming like crazy, so I can only assume one of the cameras is beaming the footage up onto the big screen hanging from the top of the arena.
Finally, breaking the kiss, I glance to the side, and embarrassingly enough, my parents are right there. Leo gives way to them, and Mom reaches me first, hugging me fiercely before Dad comes in over the top and completes the circle. I can’t hear what they’re saying, but it doesn’t matter. I just hug them tighter.
Taking pity on the poor Olympic volunteer tapping my ankle from below, desperate for me to come down, I release my parents and jump out of the stands. I follow the volunteer, a girl not much older than me, who looks super relieved she didn’t have to, like, pull me down herself.
I march out with Ana-Maria in front, Sun Luli behind, waving to the crowd with both hands.
Mrs. Jackson is waiting at the entrance to the tunnel with my medal ceremony clothes, like she did for the all-around. “I thought you’d be needing this today. I”—she hesitates—“I’m so glad it’s gold, Audrey. Truly.”
Her eyes are a little glassy, and her smile trembles a bit.
There’s no time to respond; I’m being guided away again, this time back out into the arena toward the floor, where Chelsea and Dani will compete in a little while for the last three medals of the Games.
The arena is dark, spotlights twirling around as we approach the floor, and then finally the lights come up, and the crowd cheers when they see us emerge from the darkness.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the announcer says, translating his last words from Japanese. “Your Olympic balance beam medalists!”
We’re led to the podiums and my heart leaps as I stand behind the highest one.
“Winner of the bronze medal, from the People’s Republic of China, Sun Luli!”
She moves up onto the podium and waves to the crowd.
“Winner of the silver medal, from Romania, Ana-Maria Popescu!”
Ana-Maria steps in front of the podium and kisses Sun Luli on each cheek before moving to the second-highest step.
“Winner of the gold medal and Olympic Champion”—my breath catches; that’s me—“representing the United States of America, Audrey Lee!”
Chills run through my every nerve ending as I hug Sun Luli and then air-kiss Ana-Maria on each cheek, adding a hug for good measure. She expected to win this gold, and I know better than anyone what the agony of silver medal regret feels like.
Finally, I step up onto the top podium and exhale. I’m trying to take in everything. I think I actually manage to see my parents up in the crowd, Dad waving an American flag around like a maniac, Mom openly sobbing. This is for them too.
The official from the IOF congratulates me in slightly broken English and presents me with the same Japanese apple blossoms we were given for our other medals. Then, finally, a bronze medal is around Sun Luli’s neck and a silver around Ana-Maria’s, and when I bend ever so slightly to allow the gold medal to be put around my neck, everything clicks into place.
This is how it was always supposed to end, from the depths of despair to the highest mountaintop, all in the space of a week, and I can’t believe I managed to make it happen.
