The elevator doors open into the arena stands.

I step through and look around the crowd, trying to locate my mother, my phone to my ear, where Libby and Joya are practically bursting my eardrum from all their screaming.

“You did it,” Libby is yelling.

“I’d like to think that those lovely star earrings you’re wearing helped,” Joya says, which makes me laugh.

“Thanks, guys,” I tell them, my heart swelling so big it feels like it might burst. “I couldn’t have done it without your support.”

“We know,” Joya says, all matter of fact.

I turn one way, then another, still unable to find my mother or Luca or Mr. Chen.

Then to my left, someone cries, “That’s Esperanza Flores!”

And suddenly, I’m mobbed with fans.

“Can you sign my program?”

“Will you autograph my T-shirt?”

“Over here!”

“No, over here!”

“Me!”

“Me!”

“Not her! Me first!”

I’m totally surrounded. “Um, guys,” I tell Libby and Joya. “I’ve got to go. I’ll call you tomorrow. Love you,” I say, and click END.

Pens and notebooks and various articles of clothing are thrust in my direction. The only way I’ll make it to the other side is to wade through the mob. Good thing they’re friendly. I smile and hug and sign and sign and sign.

“Thank you, Espi!” says one little girl.

“I want to be just like you some day,” says another.

“I’ve never seen anyone jump like that,” says yet another, her voice filled with awe.

By the time the crowd dwindles, there are tears rolling down my cheeks at all the emotion of the day. I wipe my eyes with the back of my hand, and when I look up again, the people I came to see are waiting for me.

“Mamá,” I cry, and leap into her arms, almost knocking her over.

“I knew you could do it, mi hija preciosa, hermosa, bonita.”

“I’m so excited you were here to see it.”

“Oh, me too, mi cielo. Me too.”

When I hug Luca, I whisper, “Thank you for coming with her,” into his ear.

He nods, but he’s too teary to talk.

I hug Mr. Chen next.

“No right angles today, huh, Espi?” he says.

“All smooth, like a circle,” I say back. “I’m glad you’re here. It wouldn’t be the same without you.”

Finally, I get to my new friends: Tawny; Meredith, who’s standing with her parents; Mr. Morrison; and Danny.

My smile turns to a grin. So maybe one of them is more than a friend.

The four of them surge forward. Meredith and Tawny talk over each other as we hug. “We’re going to have to be on the Today show, like, the second we get back,” Meredith is saying.

“Rockefeller Center all to ourselves,” Tawny cries.

“I’ve never actually been to New York City,” I confess.

Meredith rolls her eyes. “That explains why you need a wardrobe makeover.”

“I do not!”

Tawny smiles. “Um, you kind of do. We’ll take you shopping.”

As they plot what stores we should hit first, I turn to Mr. Morrison.

“Nice height on that quad, Espi.”

I smile. “Thanks for your support.”

This whole time, Danny has been waiting patiently at the back of the group, but now he steps forward. “Hi, Espi,” he says.

We don’t hug. It’s like, now that we’ve kissed, we can’t touch each other in front of other people. But I see a medal hanging around his neck. “Congratulations on winning gold,” I tell him.

He grins ear to ear. “You too.”

“I bet you’ll be busy celebrating with the hockey team tonight.”

“I might go for a while. But I have other ideas about celebrating.”

My eyebrows go up. “Oh?”

He nods. “You up for it?”

Tawny and Meredith are pretending not to eavesdrop, even though they totally are. “Definitely,” I tell him.

I’m about to say something else when I notice Hunter out of the corner of my eye. He’s alone, but it’s obvious he’s looking for someone. I go up and tap him on the shoulder.

He spins around. “Oh. Hi, Esperanza.”

“Congratulations on medaling, Hunter.”

“Oh yeah. Thanks.”

There’s a little silence.

“Really? Is that all?”

He looks annoyed. “Well, what were you expecting?”

A little congratulations, I think to myself.

“Nothing,” I say. “Never mind.”

Hunter can barely even look at me. I wonder if it’s because I won gold and he only got the silver. When his eyes finally focus on me again, I say, “You’re one of those guys who’s easily emasculated, aren’t you?”

Confusion crosses his face. “Emascuwhat?”

“Look it up.” I point across the stands. “There’s your girlfriend over there glaring at you. See you on the Today show, Hunter. I’ll be with the gold medalists,” I add, even though it’s a little obnoxious. I just can’t resist pointing that out.

Then I walk back to the place where my family and friends are waiting for me. I give Danny a quick peck on the lips.

“Awwww,” Tawny says.

Luca puts his arm around my mother like it’s no big deal. My eyes get wide, but I don’t say anything.

“Believe it or not,” Luca says. “I found an Italian place just outside the Olympic Village that’s supposed to be delicious. I was thinking we should go.”

“I’m up for that,” Mr. Chen says.

“Me too,” Coach says, appearing from behind everyone.

“I’m in if my parents can come ,” Meredith says.

I smile at everyone. Then I look at Luca. “I think that’s a great idea. The chicken parm will never be as good as yours, though.”

Luca starts blubbering again.

“He’s a sensitive man,” my mother says. “Very emotional.”

“I’m famished,” I say. “Everybody ready?”

I get a chorus of yeses in answer.

“Good. Let’s go.”

“What are you thinking right now, Esperanza?” the reporter asks at the end of the morning press conference the next day.

I hold out my medal to the camera and take a deep breath. “That this gold should really go to more than just me. That if I could copy it, I’d give one to all the coaches and the rest of my teammates from the United States, because they’ve earned it. That if there are any other figure-skating-loving Latina girls out there with Olympic-sized dreams, that this medal is for them too.”

I look into the camera. “I wouldn’t have survived this without my best friends, Libby and Joya, who are watching this from home and who are as good as gold at heart. I never, ever could have done this without the most incredible, generous coach in the entire world, Lucy Chen, a gold medalist in figure skating herself. And if they gave out gold to parents of athletes, my hard-working, amazingly supportive mother would definitely be first in line.”

My mother smiles through her tears when I say this. She’s just a few feet away by the giant cameras, with the rest of the people I care about, who are sharing this moment with me.

I grin and make my final announcement. “And for anyone out there who likes Italian food, come to Luciano’s Restaurant in the great state of Rhode Island for dinner. My gold medal will be on permanent display there, thanks to the kind support of my career by its owner. And if you do come by, maybe we’ll get a chance to meet. I’m there all the time.”

The reporter seems surprised by this offer. “I bet you’ll have a lot of takers on that one.”

“I hope so. And the chicken parm at Luciano’s is worth the trip, medal or no.”

This makes Luca laugh. He wipes his eyes and puts his arm around my mother.

The reporter laughs too. “One last question, Esperanza,” she says.

“Sure.”

“Are your Olympic days behind you?”

I shake my head. “No way,” I say to her.

Then I look from Coach to Luca and from Luca to Danny, then from Danny on to my mother, as they’re all beaming back at me.

“I’m just getting started.”