Victor remained standing for a moment before leaning against the desk.
"I wanted to check that you're settling in."
"Everything's been fine."
"Good. We try to make this a place where people can train without unnecessary drama."
Nia looked at him.
"That's good."
Victor paused.
"Daniel tells me you've had some experience."
Nia smiled faintly.
"Some."
"Do you compete?"
"Not anymore."
Victor nodded.
"Do you mind if I ask where you trained?"
Nia was quiet for a moment.
"Northstar Performance Center."
Victor's expression changed slightly.
"Outside Baltimore?"
"Yes."
He glanced at Daniel.
Daniel looked at Nia.
"That's where I thought I'd heard your name."
Nia did not respond.
Victor returned his attention to her.
"Northstar has produced some excellent athletes."
"It has."
"Did you work with Samuel Reed?"
The room became still.
Nia looked up.
"Why do you ask?"
Victor exchanged a glance with Daniel.
"Because Samuel is here."
Nia's expression changed.
Not dramatically.
Her shoulders did not tense.
She did not gasp.
But something in her face became distant.
"Here?"
"He came in this morning," Victor said. "He's in the back office."
Nia looked down at her hands.
For several seconds, she did not speak.
Then she asked quietly:
"Does he know I'm here?"
Victor nodded.
"He asked about you."
Nia stood.
"Can I see him?"
"Of course."
Victor opened the office door.
Samuel Reed was sitting near the back window, looking at an old photograph on his phone.
When Nia entered, he stood.
Neither spoke immediately.
The years between them seemed to occupy the room.
Samuel looked older than she remembered.
His silver hair had thinned. His shoulders were slightly rounded. The limp in his left leg was more visible than before.
But his eyes were unchanged.
They were the same eyes that had watched her step onto her first competition mat.
The same eyes that had corrected her footwork.
The same eyes that had once told her she was ready to fight for a title when she did not believe it herself.
"Nia," he said.
She swallowed.
"Coach."
Samuel took a step forward.
"Look at you."
She smiled weakly.
"You're still walking like you expect people to attack you from behind."
He laughed.
"And you're still noticing things nobody asked you to notice."
For a moment, the tension eased.
Then Samuel opened his arms.
Nia stepped into the embrace.
He held her carefully.
Not like a coach holding a fighter.
Like someone who had missed a person.
When they separated, Samuel studied her face.
"I didn't know you were in town."
"I wasn't planning to be."
"How long have you been here?"
"A few weeks."
"And you joined this place?"
"Yes."
Samuel glanced around.
"Interesting choice."
Nia smiled.
"I wanted somewhere ordinary."
Samuel nodded slowly.
"I understand."
He looked toward Victor and Daniel.
"Would you give us a few minutes?"
Victor nodded.
"Of course."
Daniel followed him out.
The door closed.
Samuel turned back to Nia.
"I saw the photographs on the wall."
She looked toward the hallway.
"Which ones?"
"The old regional championship pictures."
Nia said nothing.
Samuel continued.
"Your picture is still there."
"I know."
"You know?"
"I saw it when I came in."
Samuel smiled.
"Then you knew I would recognize you."
Nia shook her head.
"I didn't expect you to be here."
He studied her.
"Why didn't you tell them who you were?"
Nia sat down.
"Because I didn't come here to be that person."
Samuel remained standing.
"And who is that person?"
Nia looked at him.
"The undefeated champion."
Samuel's expression softened.
"That was never all you were."
She looked away.
For a moment, the room was quiet.
Then Samuel sat across from her.
"Are you still carrying it?"
Nia did not ask what he meant.
She knew.
"Some days."
Samuel nodded.
"That's honest."
Nia folded her hands.
"I thought changing gyms would help."
"Has it?"
"I don't know yet."
He looked at her carefully.
"Then perhaps you should give it time."
Nia glanced toward the training room.
"I don't want people treating me differently."
"They will if they know."
"That's why I haven't told them."
Samuel leaned back.
"Then don't tell them until you're ready."
Nia looked at him.
"You're not going to tell them?"
Samuel smiled.
"I have no intention of announcing your record to a room full of people who don't know you."
She relaxed slightly.
"Thank you."
Samuel nodded.
"But I do have one question."
"What?"
"Are you training because you want to return to competition?"
Nia looked at the floor.
"No."
"Are you training because you miss it?"
She thought about that.
"Maybe."
Samuel waited.
Nia finally said:
"I think I'm trying to remember what it felt like to move without being afraid of what happens afterward."
Samuel's expression became serious.
He understood more than she wanted him to.
He had been there during the final tournament.
He had seen the injury.
He had watched the press conference.
He had helped her pack her equipment when she decided to walk away.
He knew that the end of her career had not been a simple decision.
"Then train," he said quietly.
Nia looked up.
"Without a scoreboard?"
"Especially without a scoreboard."
She smiled.
For the first time that evening, it reached her eyes.
Outside the office, Madison had been pretending not to watch.
She was filling her water bottle when she noticed Victor and Daniel return to the training room without Nia.
Brooke approached her.
"Where did she go?"
"Office."
"With Victor?"
"And some older guy."
Tessa joined them.
"Who?"
Madison shrugged.
"No idea."
Brooke looked toward the hallway.
"She looked different when she saw him."
Tessa nodded.
"She did."
Madison took a drink.
"Maybe he's her old coach."
Brooke looked at her.
"How do you know?"
"I don't."