The Lion King In The Human World Part 3

Olympic Village.

FULI

O.M.T! I'm heading to the Olympic village! I'm going to be an Olympian! This is my dream come true! I'm not even sure if this is real life, it could totally be a dream. I've had this dream before.

I pinched myself. Nothing but pain. Aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

All the other Olympians were with friends. I was the only new one in the American sections of this little African city of, I forgot. There's probably a sign around here somewhere. I've been more focused on the fact that I'm actually here.

I went out to take a quick jog around. I zipped up my sweatshirt, put in my headphones, and headed out. 

The sun blazed overhead. The village was quiet, everyone was getting un-packed and getting ready for the opening ceremony. I started running around the village, passing athletes from all over the world on my way.

Once around the village, twice around the village. By my third time around, I saw a blond man wearing a shirt with a French flag on it running the opposite way. I passed him again on my fourth lap, and again on my fifth.

My sixth lap, he fell into step with me. I may be wearing headphones, but they weren't on. It was just a trick to get people to leave me alone. The French guy must have figured me out, he took my headphones.

"Hey," I said, "I think that stealing from someone is an offence."

The French guy smiled. "I just think it's strange that you would wear wired headphones when they're not plugged into anything."

I stopped running, he did too. I took back my headphones. "You still shouldn't take them," I said, "Who do you think you are?"

"I am Azzad," he said, "From France. You are from America, clearly, but your country doesn't tell me your name."

I crossed my arms. "So you take my headphones and then you ask what my name is?" I asked, "Why?"

"You don't see many blonds in the Olympics," Azzad said, "My own team mates won't stop with the dumb blond jokes. I figured the blonds should stick together."

"You do realize I'll be competing against your country soon, right?" I asked. I already knew who I would compete again. There were two French women in my race. "Why do you want to stick with me just because I'm blond? Also, my team doesn't do that, a few of them are blond as well." Especially the gymnastics team, I wonder why.

Azzad still smiled. "I'll wear you down," he said.

I didn't like him. I put on my headphones and jogged away.