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Unfortunately, Darcy didn't get to see much of Ireland on the bus from the airport to the Olympic Village. The crowds, noise, buildings, vehicles, television lights, flash cameras, and general hullabaloo nearly caused her sensory overload. She feared the other participants might notice her nerves, but they were too excited to pay much attention.
Once they finally found their suite of rooms in their dorm in the village, things were a little more orderly. The twenty team members had been assigned the entire end of one floor. Despite the unsettling scent of fresh paint in the air, the rooms were cool and welcoming. Darcy's especially, since Cheryl was there waiting for her with a big smile on her face.
There was no time to talk, what with all the whooping and horseplay up and down the hall, but once the team had unpacked, the group went for a walk around the village as night fell.
When Cheryl finally got a chance to ask how Darcy was doing, all she said was she felt fine. She did look all right to Cheryl, though maybe she seemed a little more restrained than normal. Cheryl sympathized. She felt the same tension, although her way of handling tension was to become even more outgoing than usual.
That was not an option for Darcy. Naturally quiet and reserved, she was also a total stranger to Earth culture and competitive athletics, not to mention being the object of a man hunt.
Cheryl stayed as close to Darcy as she could the first few days, keeping an arm draped around her shoulders and peppering her with helpful hints and wisecracks.
Cheryl detected she still had a sense of humor, even if she was scared out of her wits. She also was honest enough to be thankful she and Darcy wouldn’t be competing against each other in any event. While she loved her odd little friend dearly, she really didn’t want to know which of them might best the other.
The schedule for the next day included an orientation meeting, a team meeting, and a publicity tour of the Dublin area. The day after that there was only one event: the opening ceremony.
