Chapter 34

The stands were already packed as we made our way into the stadium. Jean had wanted to wait until the stands were full to get to our seats, so we didn’t have to push through a bulk of people, but I was worried that would mean we’d be making a late arrival. So instead, I opted to be very early. Jean didn’t love that, but I’d already made it clear I wasn’t going to compromise my support for Kat, and it was up to Jean to keep me safe while I was doing it.

We were in our seats before the swimmers even came out, which meant I got to watch them march out and start preparing for the race. I was focused enough on them that I almost missed a group of girls making their way to me, with Malik moving to intercept them.

“Malik, it’s fine,” I said.

They had Olympic programs and pens in their hands, which I assumed meant they wanted autographs. They were also clearly teenagers and didn’t seem like much of a threat. Jean didn’t look thrilled, but gave Malik a nod, sending him stepping aside.

“Can you sign, please?” one of the girls said, holding out the program.

“Sure. What’s your name?”

“Miko.”

I smiled and signed it, personalizing it with her name, which was something Warren suggested I do as often as possible, since it cut down on the resellers who would try to get me to sign stuff with just my signature so they could resell it. I didn’t really care that much if people tried to make money off reselling my stuff like that, but he told me that those people could become very aggressive and push actual fans out of the way, dominating my time, so it was better to make it harder for them to do that.

I’d been surprised when we’d stepped off the plane to find just as big a crowd waiting for me as the one we’d left behind in Asheville. I’d become used to, well, somewhat used to, fans in the US, but I’d been surprised to find just as many fans here. Maybe even more. We’d had a crowd outside the hotel the morning after we arrived, and there were at least a few people there every day waiting for autographs and pictures.

I don’t know if I was just lucky or if ARC had been doing a lot of Asian marketing, but I hoped it meant that sales were doing well here too. I signed her’s and the programs for her friends, who were giggling and smiling the whole time.

“Arigato gozaimashita!” they chorused, bowing slightly before scurrying back to their seats, giggling excitedly.

I turned my attention back to the pool, watching Kat pace. I could see she was nervous. I didn’t blame her for that. Her schedule was grueling. After talking to her coach and the people from US swimming, who’d asked her to be in three separate relays, she’d decided to drop out of the fifteen-hundred and eight-hundred freestyle races, which were her weakest events, mostly because of the schedule. With the relays, she was in seven races, each of which would have heats, semifinals, and finals, assuming she got that far, meaning potentially, she was swimming twenty-one times over less than a week’s time, not counting practice sessions, each of which she had to swim at her fastest pace possible.

Considering she’d barely qualified for the fifteen hundred and that would be the most tiring race she could swim, it was decided that would be too much and could affect her overall performance. Instead, she was going to focus on where she really shined, sprinting. Even with that, her schedule was packed.

The first half of the week was mostly the shorter races and some relays, with her best race, the fifty-meter, kicking off today. It was later in the week that I was worried about since she’d have her first four-hundred-meter heat on Wednesday, with the final not until Friday, when she’d be her most tired.

Not optimum, but she’d have to deal with it.

After what seemed like an eternity, and about a dozen more small groups coming to ask for autographs, things looked like they were starting to happen. Jean, helpfully, positioned Mana to block anyone else from coming for autographs as things got underway. I appreciated it, not that I minded signing things for fans, but I wanted to be able to give my full attention to Kat and I couldn’t do that if I kept signing things.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the swimmers for Heat One of the Women’s 50-meter Freestyle, and the inaugural swim of this year’s games.”

The crowd cheered as Kat and the rest of the girls made their way to their starting blocks. The announcer read off the name of the swimmer in each lane, with Kat in lane four. Each girl waved as their name was called and sections of the crowd cheered for the person representing their country.

I couldn’t help but notice that one of the cameras was pointing up toward me as the girls got on their starting blocks. I assumed it was to get my reaction as the race went on, since there wouldn’t be enough time for them to switch a camera to me. But it meant I had to keep it together and couldn’t go nuts if things went bad.

Which, for a second, felt like what was going to happen.

The starting gun cracked and the eight swimmers shot into the water almost, although not, simultaneously. I’d seen Kat swim enough times by now to recognize that she went into the water slow, a little bit behind her opponents. Maybe it was the nerves of a first heat or the crowd watching her, but she’d been slow and was behind everyone else.

And with only one lap of the pool, that was dangerous.