"But why not have some fun?"Maddie shrugs."There's no rule against it, right?"
"The federation doesn't officially care," I say."But I don't want to look likethatgirl.That could ruin my reputation.And reputation, and contacts are the biggest things I'll get out of this job."
"And you care too much to treat him like a fling anyway."
"Do I?"I murmur.
Who am I kidding?Of course I do.
I'm an adult.I don't treat sex like it's sacred.But I still don't think I can separate it from feelings.I could pretend for a while...but it would get me in the end.
"I guess I do," I sigh.
"So, you're screwed," Maddie sums up.
"I can still resist," I offer weakly.
"I saw him win the Super-G on Friday.And I saw him scanning the crowd like he was looking for something.Or someone.”
“So I'd say… resistance is cute.But doomed.Good luck, honey."
Chapter 6
Unspoken Things
Playlist:
Zac Effron, Zendaya: Rewrite the Stars
Robie Williams: Can´t Stop Christmas
Reiteralm, Austria, December 5
Katharina
He's still in his race suit as we sit in the lounge.I pretend not to get distracted by the way the slim, flexible material hugs his muscular frame, just within my reach across the table.The sun is warming us, so we sit outside.Reiteralm in Schladming is where the racers come to train.Although it's not that high, the locals know how to prepare the terrain well enough to attract world-class skiers.They even advertise it on their website:
Meet your heroes and get some autographs.
The skiers are a major attraction.Luckily for them, training usually happens early, before the tourists peel open their eyes over their first morning coffee.
I sip mine and finally decide to speak.He carved out time between sessions to give me answers.Let's not waste it.
"So, what I need," I begin, "is something that makes you human.You were human enough as a youth—partying, making dumb videos with your friends, saying inappropriately weird things.But you calmed down.Which is good."
"Is it?Because you all act like it's a tragedy that I'm not a rogue anymore."
"Are you a rogue?"I raise my eyebrows."Does it hurt you to behave?"
He thinks for a moment."I don't think about it.I didn't change the way I live because of the press or the image.I want to win.And to keep winning at this level, you need discipline—mental and physical."
