Ella smiled with relief after reading the message Kate had sent her.

Sierra was okay. She always had been. Whatever situation fate tossed at her, she was marching out fine, with admirable strength and inspiring smile.

Ella was a bit envious with that trait, for she was not as strong and as graceful as her friend. Ella could not handle defeat, even if she fought with all her might. Even if people said it was alright. She would need weeks of isolation to get over it. The thought of being not good enough to win was too much for her to bear.

That was the reason she accepted the bet with Renzo. He was an excellent athlete but not serious in competitions he was in. The same goes with Josh. Ella hated them for it. She wanted to understand why they were wasting their talents. Because Ella was willing to give anything just to be as good as those two were.

In the next couple of weeks, she will be competing in an international competition. Last year, she went home a loser. This year should be different. She never wanted to taste back to back defeat.

When Ella confronted Renzo, she was somehow hoping that he would get mad and take the burden of competing internationally from her. Everyone in their university knew that Renzo and Josh were better athletes than she was, but because of their unpredictable attitude, their coaches could not rely on them when it comes to international competitions. They had never taken any match seriously. When they were about to win, they would lose interest in the game and will end up being defeated.

Aware of their annoying attitude, Ella still pestered Renzo until he finally talked to her. But instead of getting mad or answering her questions about his maddening attitude, Renzo offered a confusing bet.

He told Ella that she did not only want answers to her questions. She also wanted to learn from the very best athlete in their school. Hence, he offered a bet that Ella would find impossibly hard to reject.

The consequence of losing was not that bad. Spending their lunchtime with Renzo and his friends until their graduation day was a strange request, but a free training from Renzo himself was an offer Ella could neither question nor resist.

Without hesitation, she agreed. But even though Ella loved the losing side of the bet and she was already expecting defeat, giving up without a fight was still unacceptable to her.

She gave everything on that tennis match against Renzo. It took them fifteen matches before the draw had been broken and Renzo triumphed. It was hateful yet satisfying. She proved to herself how good Renzo was if he gets serious all throughout the game.

She gained an excellent trainer, but because of what happened to Josh, Renzo could not train her.

“OUCH!!!” Ella angrily bellowed while holding her hurting head that had been whacked by a towel. She furiously turned around but was stunned when she saw Renzo standing there, holding a towel.

“Why are you sulking in a corner instead of practicing?” he strictly asked her.

“Why are you here? Is Josh okay? Where is Sierra?” Ella asked back, her surprise turned into anxiety. She was glad that Renzo showed up, but she was worrying more about not seeing Sierra with him. “Dis she return with you? Is she in her class?”

“Your friend needs to stay with Josh," Renzo seriously answered. “As for me, I can’t do anything to help my friend. That's why I went here to make myself useful. So, will you train or not?”

“Sierra will be okay, right?” Ella asked, still worrying.

“Of course, she will. Dan is with her,” Renzo answered with confidence that seemed convincing. “I also told her that I will bring you and Kate to our house later, after training.”

“Your house? You live in the same house? You, Dan, and Josh?” Ella curiously asked.

“I'll answer all your questions if you win against me,” Renzo smiled mockingly at her. “If not, you will have to find the answers all by yourself.”

"Fine,” Ella snapped at Renzo. “Don't give me any answer."

"What's with that attitude?" the mocking smile on his face vanished and was replaced by a serious and intense gaze. "You are already admitting defeat? Are you not confident enough with your skills?"

"I'm not doubtful of my skills," Ella admitted with a frown. "I just know how good you are."

"So?" Renzo asked, towering over Ella.

"So what?" she asked back, trying not to feel further intimidated.

"Are you gonna keep losing against me?"

"Of course, not!" Ella exclaimed. "I hate losing twice in a row."

"Then why are you saying that you can never get any answer from me?"

"Fine!" Ella impatiently bellowed. "I'm gonna win against you and get all my questions answered!"

"That's what I'm wanting to hear," a challenging smile curved on Renzo's lips. "Let's start training."

^##################################^

Sierra rolled onto her right and pulled the thick blanket closer to her body. She could not remember her bed, pillow, and blanket to be that comfortably soft and warm. She could not also remember the temperature on their apartment declining that much unless her friends decided to leave the windows open.

“Kate, Ella, close the windows. It’s cold,” she sleepily muttered.

“Are you the patient or me?”

That familiar voice sent shivers all over her body. She instantly opened her eyes, bolted up, and stared at the other side of the bed, with shock. Josh was comfortably sitting there, his back leaning on stacked up pillows, and the lower part of his body was covered with the same blanket Sierra was using.

^##################################^