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Unfortunately, none of this was an excuse for me not to go to practice. I was a little fussy, it was true, but I wasn't doing anything too much in training and I made an effort to try to be present, however, when I fell off the base for the third time, Soloman got angry.

“You look terrible today, Veronica!” He complained. “You're messing up the basics!”

I snorted, annoyed by his voice already. Soloman was a nice guy, but sometimes he let his diva soul out and those moments were unbearable.

“I know that…” I mumbled.

“Look, I don't care what your problems are outside, here we all need you to be present.” He continued to complain.

“I need a break!” That was the only thing I said before turning my back to him so he wouldn't see my burning eyes. I was embarrassed that I was messing up everything. I was exhausted from feeling down and being sad. And the worst: letting all of this interfere with my training performance.

I walked towards the restroom and only inside I let the tears run down my face, mixing with the sweat and the little mascara I had applied in the morning. It was like the world was falling apart inside my head every time I opened my eyes to a new day. The image of the photos appearing on my cell phone screen still haunted me. I saw the comments below in a mixture of cruelty and absurd perversity. I felt exposed and completely fragile.

“Hey...” Kendra's voice resounded inside the bathroom.

I ran my fingers quickly under my eyes, wiping away the tears. “Hi...” I looked at her while my breathing was still ragged. “What do you want?”

She seemed analytical. Observing myself with care, pity and intrinsic questions.

“Veronica...” She sounded thoughtful, as if she had been analyzing the words a thousand times before letting them flow out of her mouth, which, for Kendra, was a surprise. I never thought she thought before she spoke.

“What? I'm going back to practice, I just need a few moments.” I mumbled, a little unwillingly.

“Look, that’s basic stuff…” She began and I couldn’t resist rolling my eyes.

“I know, Kendra!” I was already exacerbated, nervous and raising my voice, while more tears dared to run down my face.

“Then why aren't you doing it right?” She replied in the same tone. “I know you could do that damn sequence with my eyes closed, Veronica. Why don't you do it?”

The eyes were pure fire. She was teasing me because she knew what it would evoke in me, hatred. And one thing was certain: if we didn't do things out of our own free will, we could do them out of anger.

“I thought you deserved the place you earned on the best cheerleading team in the country...” She dared to add. “But maybe not, maybe you just played the race card.”

My eyes felt heavy for a moment as I blinked twice, trying to believe what that idiot was saying. I took a step forward, standing in front of her, then lifted my chin and let my nose almost touch hers.

“I earned my place on this team.”

She smiled. Sadist.

“Getting in isn't that difficult, don't be silly. Even more so for an athlete of your caliber. It's really difficult to prove that you really deserve a place in the Daytona starting team...” The long fingers, with short nails painted red, touched a strand that had come loose from my ponytail and pulled it behind my ear. Kendra leaned forward, placing her mouth close to my earlobe. “Will you be on that stage in April or will you just be watching me be much better than you? Like always.”

I pushed her back, but she didn't flinch. In fact, the bitch laughed.

Laughed in my face.

“Go practice like your life depends on it, Veronica. Leave the rest of the world outside. And if you have to, hate me.” I couldn't understand the reason for that speech, until she added: “Because, honestly, there's really no competition here for me, and seeing you wasting away is too depressing even for my level. I need you to at least try to live up to me, sweetheart.”

I bit my lower lip hard. I wanted to punch her.

“You are so fucking egocentric.”

She shrugged.

“It will be a shame to see you around the stage in April…” She teased one last time. “But you know, right?! The choice is all yours.”

That bastard always brought out the worst in me. I hated her so much for that. But I hated even more when people doubted my ability to be excellent at something. I was an excellent top girl and flyer. And I needed to keep being that, not just keep it in a high school glimpse. I refused to be those people where the peak of life was between 15 and 18. With each new stage, I would find a new peak. And this time it was only Daytona and the championship that mattered to me.

I thought about answering her, but I didn't. I wouldn't thank her for being a jerk while she reached the right place to give me the determination I needed for that moment.