I wonder were this is going to head... Oh, well if nothing comes out of meeting this girl then I guess I won't be too upset. But this is fun. I finally get to get back to some kind of normalcy that I was used to have before the Olympics." thought Apolo.

"I wonder were this is going to head... Maybe Apolo isn't as excited as I am to meet him. At least this I can hold my friends in suspense when I tell them about tonight. Tosca and Amanda is gonna be so jealous!" I thought.

"Hey Apolo! Where are we headed? I hope you know that you have a day off tomorrow, so you can stay out as long as you want." said Jimmy, one of his burly bodyguards.

"No way! I have got a day off? What is there to do in Chicago? We should find a tour guide to show us around the city or just go shopping..." Apolo said, his mind wondering with possibilities.

"I can't believe you didn't think of asking me to show you around! I could be your guide! I know so much about Chicago!" I said playfully.

"Well I was going to ask you, but I wasn't sure where this was headed. But if you are offering then sure."

"Of course I will show you around! But let's not have any high expectations on tonight. Let's just have fun. You never know what is gonna happen."

"That is true. I know that I am not gonna be spending a long time in Chicago but you never know. I could fall in love with you right here and we could have a lot of tonight!"

"Well I am not that easy!"

"Hey I didn't all that now..."

"Well that is what it sounded like...," I said playing along with his joke. We both laughed. There was a brief silence.

"Ya wanna know something?" I asked Apolo. I paused before I said something that I might regret. But this might be the last time I meet him so I decided not to hold back my thoughts.

"Okay surprises me."

"I do know who you are. This isn't the first time I have seen you, before I met you tonight. I had a press pass because my mom works for NBC. Actually I went to the Salt Lake during the Olympics and I went to almost all of the events. I went to my first speed skating race and I saw you. Your composure on the ice and your story interested me. I wanted to meet you before but I didn't even know what to say to you. I felt kinda stupid. I hope that doesn't freak you out. I didn't want you to think that I was some kind of obsessed fan or something. I heard about all of those teenage girls following you around so..."

He sat there kind of stunned for a second, but he started to relax. He started to smile.

"That is okay. Even if I met you earlier I don't think I would have been freaked out. I would have hung out with you. And I mean as I said earlier the Olympics were shown all over the world, and you were bound to see me or any other athlete non stop."

"Really? If I were you I would be freaked out by all of the attention that comes with being an athlete. I mean don't you get sick of the cameras in your face? And the media constantly asking you about your past and the why people call you Chunky? How about if you have a girlfriend and how she feels with you traveling all the time? I mean I saw how they grilled each athlete and on top of that, my mom was one of those annoying reporters.

"When I qualified to go the Olympics I was excited and nervous y'know? But I knew that I was going to be targeted because of all of the races that I was going to be in. I knew what I came to do. I have to be focused. But I am glad for the media attention because I want everyone to be interested in speed skating. This sport is so great and such support, without it I don't know where my life would have headed. I was so confused and tired of being tired. I knew that as soon as I got focused that I could do anything that I wanted to. I figured out how to be me and I was comfortable with it. Plus I get to meet all of these great people and all these opportunities."

I looked out at the streets passing by through the tinted window. I took of my shoes for the first time tonight. It felt good. I crossed my legs Indian style on the seat that Apolo and me were sharing in the limo. I never thought about how much this sport had changed his life so much. Some of the change bad, but most of it for the better. I remembered that not only did I like Apolo for his good looks but because he was comfortable with who he was, he was knew what he wanted in life, and exactly how he was going to get it. I felt lucky to finally meet him.

"You are awesome person." I said, still looking out the window.

"Thanks." said Apolo.

There was another short uncomfortable silence. It was the kind of silence that showed that the conversation was at a different level. It was the kind of level that there wasn't anymore to be said, but for the subject at hand to be thought about and processed. Suddenly, Apolo grabbed my arm. "Since I am so hungry and we haven't discussed were the heck we are gonna eat, lets stop here."

"Stop where?" I exclaimed.

"How about here. Hey driver! Can you pull up here so we can walk around to look for a place to eat? Unfortunately, our so called tour guide isn't much help." Apolo said sarcastically referring to me.

"Fine be that way. I still know all the best places to hang in Chicago. I own this city!" I said laughing as I flung my shoes over my shoulder and walked away indignantly (But I was still kidding.) I felt like walking around barefoot for awhile.

"Fine take my hand and lead the way!" He closed the door behind us. And the driver locked the door.

"What about your guards?" I asked.

"They have wanted to go to sleep since I got to the club."

"Oh yeah what happened to your buddies that you came with?"

"They had all left before I saw you on the floor. They apparently went to a party that my buddy Shani was having at his house and his parties get pretty wild. I figured once you go to one of his parties you have experienced them all. Shani is my dog. But he is one crazy mofo'.

We walked down a surprisingly busy street. It was still pretty cool out. All the better reason to get closer to him. I decided to break up the comfortable silence.

"So... How 'bout taking me to one of those parties?"

"I don't know if you can handle them, they get pretty crazy..."

"Then I guess you don't know me as well as I thought you did!" I let go of his hand while trying to hold in a laugh. I pretended to walk away from him.

"Kathy wait! I was just kidding!" he said believing me.

"Man! Don't you speed skaters know how to take a joke? Ya' know ha' ha'?" He ran up next to me and wrapped his arms around my waist."

"Okay... Okay that was funny...ha' ha'... Okay would you believe when I say that that this is the most fun that I have had in awhile?" he said, whispered into my ear. "Well would you believe me if I agreed with you too?" We both laughed and he promised me that we would take me to one of Shani's parties next time he came to Chicago.

Chapter Three