August 15 2008

If there was one thing that Madison hated more than anything in the Olympics was that the commentators felt like they needed a good story.  They liked to use her family history as the girl who had an immigrant parent who fled from Israel to have a good and safe life for her future family.  Where her mother's future children - meaning Madison and Roxanne, wouldn't have to grow up going to school and having to do practices every month of hiding underneath desks in case of a bomb.  

It was the same story every four years.

And every four years Madison wanted to roll her eyes and pull her hair out from hearing it being said continuously.  Melanie was the same except with a different situation as they used the story of her parents being divorced.  

Everyone loved a good story.

Especially for the Olympics.

It had been four days since Chinese security ministry announced that separatists planned suicide bomb attacks on Chinese cities and kidnapping in Beijing to disrupt the games.  It made everyone on edge but the International Olympic Committee promised everyone that all of the Olympians were safe and urged them to stay in the village.  

*

"Here we have Madison Metcalf getting ready for the floor routine," the sports commentator says with a smile on her face.  "Now we have had the pleasure of watching her since she began the Olympics when she was just sixteen years old.  She already has seven gold medals from the Olympics.  Here you can hear the music start to play to Requiem for a Dream.  One thing we also know about Madison with her floor routines is that is where she loves to have fun.  She always does something unique, something different that none of the other gymnasts bring.  Let's watch," the commentator says telling the audience whose watching it.

The violin started to play and Madison was in position with a smile on her face as she began her dance moves.  She sways her hips side to side and moves her hands along with the music before she gets ready for her first jump.  She starts running to gain some speed and flips her body around two axes at the same time.  Twice front to back, and three times sideways.  

"She just landed the triple double," the sports commentator, Brett, said in amazement.  "Now for those of you who don't know that is a gymnastics move who has yet to be performed by a female gymnast.  She had let everyone know that for her floor routine she was going to do something special that she had never done before and she landed it perfectly.  Her execution was spot as well.  For those wondering back home Madison is the first person ever to land it."

"Look at her," the other commentator, Jordan, said as she let out a laugh of excitement.  "She is just out there and doing her thing.  Now, as we have stated before in prior Olympics, flooring isn't her favorite.  She said she loves the uneven bars."

"Earlier we had a sit down interview with her and she said that family was the most important thing over anything.  And that she doesn't want to be just known as an Olympian.  Listen to this," Anastasia Petrov said.  

"Thank you for meeting with me today," Anastasia greeted the Olympian and she smiled.

"Thanks for having me."

"From one Olympian to another, I have to say you even inspire me as I'm sure you do with everyone else.  What's it like being an inspiration to so many?"

"Wow, honestly, thank you.  It almost doesn't seem real sometimes, you know?  Like I feel like I'm just a normal person who has two very supportive parents who have always allowed me to do the sport that I love.  But then I'll get a message on Instagram saying how much I inspire someone and what they don't realize is that their messages inspire me daily.  I try to write back to as many people as I can but sometimes there's always the ones that get lost in the pile of messages.  It's those messages that make me realize I'm not just doing this sport for myself but to hopefully encourage and inspire millions of others out there."

"I'm glad that you said that because so often as athletes we don't realize the impact we had on someone's decision for their lives and it's very rewarding.  What would you say has been the most helpful for you so far in your career?"

"Definitely my family," she tells Anastasia with a soft smile.  "They've just always been supportive of me ever since I was thirteen years old and told them that I wanted to do this professionally.  But they help me remain humble and to remember that while you can get caught up in the fame and everything that comes along with winning gold, it's important to stay true to myself.  I know I can't do this forever and I don't want to be just known as an Olympian."

"What do you want to be known as?"

"Someone who was able to do what she loves but also likes to give back."

"You work with a lot of charities, yes?"

"Yeah," she smiles as she crosses her ankles together in her seat.  "I work a lot with organizations that help underprivileged kids whether it's playing sports or helping them find what they like they do.  It's all about giving back and I just love playing with them or reading to them.  It's great.  To me, that's the most rewarding out of all of this."

"I think that's so important what you do," Anastasia told Madison with a smile as they showed pictures on the screen behind them of Madison with some kids at a charity she works with.  "So I have to ask because I know everyone is curious," Anastasia started.  "Are you dating anyone?"

Madison laughed.

"I am dating someone and he makes me really happy."

"Care to elaborate further?" She teased.

"We decided we would wait until after the Olympics."

"Fair enough," Anastasia said with a smile for the camera.  She already knew who she was dating as she had met William earlier that day and understood why they wanted to keep it a secret until then.  If the secret got out during the Olympics, she knew that this would be all the press could talk about and didn't blame them.  "Well, you have just been glowing with happiness these days and I know all of us here are really happy for you," she gushed.

"Thank you so much," Madison flashed her pearly whites with a big smile.

The commentators all laughed once they were done with showing the interview and Jordan spoke up.

"You know what I love about Madison is that she doesn't take everything so seriously all the time.  She can relax and have a good laugh.  I know whoever she's dating must be a catch so I can also say that I'm happy for her."

"It must be hard for them to be able to date anyone really with the pressure of the spotlight on them.  Sometimes we forget that they are just normal people doing extraordinary things," Brett said.

"Yeah, you know, Madison is really great.  She's just so down-to-earth and I know she's gotten hate for sometimes not seeming like she is, but she is anything but entitled and she owes a lot of it to her parents.  She knows that we can't do the Olympics forever and she has the right mind set as she goes into the Olympics every four years."

"She just finished her routine beautifully.  She is now with her coach awaiting her score.  She received a 15.5.  That is the highest of the competition so far.  It will be interesting to see how Melanie does since floor is her favorite."

When Madison got her score she was happy but she could tell her coach wasn't.  He didn't hug her or seem excited.  She thought he would be at least as she had done a new move and landed it.  Madison even got the highest on the floor right now.

She could only imagine what might happen next.  

*

After her competition, she rushed to the bathroom and threw up.  Part of it was due to nerves and the other part was due to what she ate earlier before the competition.  She knew that she shouldn't have eaten it but it tasted so good at the time.  But now she realized how heavy it made her feel and she needed it out of her stomach if she was going to get through the rest of the day.

"Mads?" She heard Melanie call out for her.  "You okay?"

"I'm fine," she called out after she flushed the toilet and came out of the stall and washed her hands.

"You aren't pregnant are you?" Melanie asked, unsure.

"God no," Madison shook her head.  "I'm on birth control.  Besides if I was I'm not sure who would want to throw me in the dungeons more - Coach Mark or the Queen," she said making both girls laugh.

"Wait, they have dungeons still?"

"Well, of course.  But from what Wills tells me, they don't use them anymore."

"That's a relief," Melanie nods her head as they walk out of the bathroom.  "But really though, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Madison lied to her teammate and best friend.  She hated lying to her but at the moment it was the only way she could get by.  As long as she would keep on repeating it, maybe she would believe it eventually.

"Good," Melanie said with a smile.  "Because we don't need anyone, especially you, getting sick... Or pregnant," Melanie finished causing Madison to laugh it off.

"Believe me, we don't that either.  At least not right now," she told her best friend and teammate.  

"Have you guys thought of the future at all?"

"Honestly, not really.  I mean we've talked about the subject here and there lightly but we're just having fun right now."

"Well, just know if you do get married to him some day I will be cheering you on and proud to be an auntie."

"Thanks," Madison bumped shoulders with her as she had a smile on her face.

*

She was back in her hotel room with William as he wanted to be with her as his security was outside her hotel room, protecting the couple from the outside world.  He needed to be with her during time to make sure she was protected and safe.  

He traced her Olympic tattoo she had on her left side that she had gotten after she won her first Olympics.  While it seemed like it was the obvious choice of a tattoo that an Olympian would get, it was always something that was special to them.  She also had shalom written in Hebrew in small print on her rib cage.  It reminded her to always be at peace with any decision she made.  Her mom was against tattoos at first as they were against her religion, but after Madison's dad talked to her and the meaning behind the ones she had, she was okay with them and let Madison do what she wanted in her life.  The last tattoo she had was a small heart tattoo on her pointer finger that had gotten with Melanie as a best friends tattoo.  Madison classified her religion as Jewish but she wan't like her mom and her sister definitely wasn't.  Roxy was anything but conservative and Madison loved her for her wildness she had.  

He noticed that she had lost some weight since the time they had been apart and he chewed on his lip on whether or not he should even say anything.  He knew it was normal to lose weight but he literally thought she was beautiful just the way she was and she was already at the normal weight she needed to be for her height.  

"Are you okay?" He asked softly, not wanting to create any tension, as he could see a slight peek of her ribs, which wasn't normal for her.  He knew her body so well in the past year that they had been dating that of course he would notice if anything seemed different.

"Yeah," she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.  "I'm fine.  Why?"

"It's just, I notice you've lost a little weight," he said as his fingers danced along her sides which made her tense her up.  "I love you and I just want to make sure you're okay."

Should she continue protecting her coach when she knows what he's doing is wrong?  She bit on her lower lip as she contemplated and William could see the turmoil in her eyes as if she were having a battle within herself.  Madison knew that his mother had an eating disorder and she wasn't sure how much more of this she could take.  It was a constant battle that she felt like she was dealing with whenever she saw food.  She was starving all the time but at the same time she hated eating because that would mean that she would need to throw up afterwards.  Instead of saying anything, she got up and slipped his white undershirt he had worn from earlier and grabbed a piece of paper out of her gym bag and walked back as she sat back on the bed and handed it to him.

He sat up in the bed as his back was supported by the headboard and looked at what to be something that her coach had typed up as he read it.  He would make expressions with his face as he read where his eyebrows would raise and furrow in concern.

"Who the bloody hell does Mark think he is?" William seethes as he throws the paper with anger in front of him and gets up.  "He's making you develop an eating disorder!  Have you?"

"I've been doing it a few days now," Madison confessed which made William close his eyes as he tried to calm down again knowing this was more than just pent up anger and frustration at her coach.  

He cared for his girl and didn't want anyone to hurt her.  He placed his hand gently on her wrist and brought her in closer to him as she laid on his bare chest and looked up at him through her lashes.

"Are you mad?" She asked nervous as he tucked a strand behind her ear and he shook his head.

"At you no.  At your coach - fuck yes.  Does he know we can turn him in?"

"I'm not sure I want to," Mads confessed again and William sucked in a deep breath as he stared at her in shock.  "Hear me out?  I know what he's doing is breaking so many rules coaches have but I want to finish out the Olympics instead of dealing with lawyers and all the legal troubles."

"Mads," he started off gently.  "If you don't say something think about how much more you'll be hurting yourself and potentially other girls."

"I know," she murmured.  "But I just can't," she choked out as tears started to well in her eyes.  

William had to admit for the first time he was disappointed in her.  He didn't want to see his girlfriend go down the same road his mum go down and he wasn't sure what he could do or say to change her mind.  Instead, he bit his lip and nodded his head.

*

It was now time for the medal ceremony as the three individuals made their way to the room where it was being held.  

"All of you will come out together and you'll stand behind the podium's first," the woman told the girls and they nodded their heads in understanding.  

Madison was queen on the floor and won gold for it while Japan's team won gold for the floor.  Coach Mark was disappointed in his team whenever they didn't win gold for team events.  Right now they were doing individual medals and that was Melanie, Madison and Ai Liú from China.  

Madison ended up winning gold for individual vault along with her floor routine and they won silver for the team vault.  It was the ceremony today for it the individual events.  William along with Madison's family was there, cheering her on, but he wasn't sitting with them.  Roxy was filming the whole thing as she always did.  She was so proud of her younger sister.  Obviously, she wouldn't be posting the whole thing on YouTube for copyright issues, but it was nice to have.  

"Ladies and Gentlemen, from Canada, Natasha Smith, for the Silver," the announcer announced and was given the medal as she put it around her neck and Madison smiled.  

"From the United States of America, Madison Metcalf, for the Gold," the announcer spoke as her family, William, teammates, and the rest of the audience cheered for her as she had a big smile on her face as she accepted the gold medal and put it around her neck.  "Please stand for the playing of the National Anthem."

Madison's hand went over her heart as she sang along to the words quietly of the National Anthem.  It never got old winning gold.  Some wondered if it felt the same year after year she received it and she would always laugh and tell them never.  It was something she felt that every Olympian should experience at least once.  But to get to experience it again was something she would never take for granted.

"I'm so proud of you baby," her mom told her as she had tears in her eyes as she hugged her youngest daughter.  

"Thanks mom," she hugged her as she closed her eyes and they rocked back and forth gently.  

Later on, they would be having dinner in the hotel in a private room so that they could celebrate with William.  Since they were advised not to leave the village unless it was for the stadium where the games were held for their safety until the threats were taken care of.  

The other Olympians had noticed that the young prince was in their village and took videos and pictures of him even with his RPO with him.  They weren't sure why he was here but he was obviously meeting someone.  They knew he was a massive sports fan so that was probably why he was here also.  His RPO's were on high alert ever since the threats but he wanted to make sure Madison was okay and told them and his family he was staying.  

When he entered the restaurant, he was led to a back private room where Madison and her family already were.

*

"Hey," Madison got up from her chair and greeted her boyfriend as she rested her hand on his arm and kissed him.

"Hey yourself.  You did amazing out there today.  I'm proud of you."

"Thank you," she could feel her cheeks blushing.  

"You guys are so fucking cute," Roxy tells the couple which made their mom chastise her quietly as it wasn't proper greeting to a prince.

"It's quite alright," William assured her mother hoping he wasn't overstepping but wanted everyone to feel relaxed around him.  Especially since he had been dating her daughter for a year now, he wanted them to not think of him as a prince but just a regular guy.  "I like it actually.  Makes me feel normal," he told her.

"See, told ya mom.  But no she has to go all crazy on my ass," she joked and her mother rolled her eyes and let out a small huff as Madison and William shared a glance at each other as they all laughed.  

"Well someone has to keep you in check," their mom joked back.

Anyone who knew Roxy knew how true this statement was.  Madison loved Roxy and her out there personality but it could be a lot for one person if they didn't know her.  Roxy was going through a divorce with her soon to be ex-husband, Mike.  Madison was glad that they were divorcing.  While she didn't like divorce, it was right for Roxy and Mike.  He was toxic for Roxy not to mention his drinking problem that he's had over the years.  He was doing well for at least five years into their marriage but then the last four he's not only relapsed with the drinking but also started abusing Roxy.  It wasn't until one night that Madison walked in on him hitting her sister that she put a stop to it and called the police on him.  

She didn't care if this story got out to the press and neither did Roxy.  

For a while she did.  She was nervous since she was a famous YouTuber and Madison was an Olympian.  Not to mention that now Mads was dating William.  But William's family had been nothing but accepting of Madison's family and have supported Roxy through out her journey.

Roxy had been going to therapy for a few years now to get over her post traumatic stress from the abuse and the relapsing of his drinking.  Madison was proud of her and how much she has overcome.  She loved that her sister was being herself again.  

The rest of the night the family enjoyed getting to know William more and Madison's mother was opening up to him more.  She could see the love he held for her daughter and that's all she wanted.

--

Also I know instagram was created in 2010 so a couple years after this story takes place but just go with it lol.  This story had the most votes surprisingly on my poll I created so this is the first of two updates I'll be making on it!  After this update I'll work on Little Havana (Mark Sloan fanfic) and my Simon Basset fanfic.  

Also I changed it to Madison winning gold for the floor routine!

Whose your favorite character so far?

Whose your least favorite?