Into the Spotlight

Welcome to fierce world of Equestrianism. Bella and Edward are two of the sports newest and hottest stars, both fighting for the final London 2012 Olympic team spot, both trying to avoid falling for each other. AU AH

Hey everyone. This is my first time writing Twilight fan fiction, though I have previously written for Teen Titans on a separate account. I decided I would keep the two separate to make things easier.

I am really stuck on where to locate this story. I am British so really it would make sense to have it in the UK because I understand the competitions and how the teams are selected etc. But then again I don't want to because the series is set in the USA. That is unless someone who has knowledge of how the US competitions work who wouldn't mind helping me out?

The first three chapters are written, and they'll all be uploaded within a few hours so you can actually get a feel for the story.

I don't own anything.

BPOV

I glared out my window with a scowl. It was cold outside, still dark and far far too early for my liking. But then again whoever said becoming an Olympic athlete was easy?

That's right. I'm an Olympic athlete. Well not technically yet, but I've been shortlisted for the final spot on the London 2012 Olympic team. There's only one person standing in my way, though their identity still has yet to be revealed, much to my annoyance. I'm so close to it I can feel it.

I pulled on my old breeches, scuffed riding boots, and a dark thick hoodie before making my way down to the only place that made me truly happy.

As I flicked the lights on, I was greeted by a chorus of whinnies and snorts as seven heads of all different colours stuck their heads over their doors inside the American style barn. The nearest to me, a magnificent chestnut reached his head out towards me and whickered softly.

"Hey there boy," I crooned as I stroked his face, and he nuzzled me in return, and gazed into his big soppy brown eyes. This was Napoleon, my star horse who I was going all the way with. He was a big, powerful homebred Selle Français, and we'd done everything together up until this point, from witnessing his birth as an eleven year old, to breaking him in as a fifteen year old and now to competing him internationally at twenty one.

I tore away from our silent exchange, as the other horses were becoming increasingly louder and more impatient for breakfast by the second. I dashed into the feed room, measuring and weighing each horse's food precisely to the gram. They were competition horses, who all needed to be in perfect shape, which included having the right diet. Within minutes all was silent within the barn and only the sound of munching could be heard. It was a peaceful sound.

I was filling hay nets when I heard crunching on the gravel outside. I glanced at the big clock in the feed room. At 6:30AM, it could only have been one person -my lead groom, and best friend, Mary Alice Brandon. She was short and slight, and at only 5'1 she was far more suited in a jockey's yard. Her short dark pixie hair cut looked perfect now, and I knew with some resentment it still would by the end of a long day. I briefly thought about my long brown hair, shoved hastily into a messy bun on top of my head.

"Morning!" she cried chirpily, her mood obviously not at all deterred by the lack of sleep or the bleak weather. I mumbled a hello in reply. "How long do we have?"

"We need to leave here by midday at the latest, just in case we hit traffic on the way, so we arrive in plenty of time and get settled in," I explained as weighed a hay net. Though I tried not to think about it too much, the next few days were going to be the most important of my life. It was maybe the final chance to prove myself to the Olympic committee that I was worth that place on the team. I shook my head. Now wasn't the time to be getting worked up about what might and might not happen.

"That's fine. We should get exercising out the way first, then when Emmet arrives we can finish our chores before we do final preparations," she said with a smile, as she walked into the connecting tack room, emerging a few moments later with a bridle and a lunge line in her hand. I weighed the final hay net and returned to where the horses were. There was a long morning of exercising each and every horse ahead of us.

It was 9:00AM when Emmet McCarty's Jeep pulled up. He was another groom; though not a rider he was an excellent horse handler, and a trusted member of my team. He was big guy, tall and wide with thick bands of muscle. To anyone else he may have looked like someone you'd avoid, given his great structure, but to me he was like the brother I never had. Maybe it was the thick curly hair or the dimples, but he was just a big cuddly bear to me. I waved to him in greeting.

"So Bella," he began, jogging next to me as I lead a bay youngster out from the barn. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I'm about to throw up. I'd rather not talk about it right now," I replied, trying to steady my hands on the lead rope. I couldn't let my nerves get the best of me now; for God's sake I'm not even there yet!

"Don't worry, you'll do great, and if not, there's always 2016," he joked, flashing his dimples.

"Gee thanks," I mumbled, as Alice approached us and we walked over to the fields. I unclipped the filly's lead rope inside the pasture, and watched as she galloped to join the rest of her friends.

"Anyway, I'll go get started," Emmet said, beginning to walk away before stopping stand still as if he just had a great thought. He turned back to face me, a grin plastered on his face that he only got when he was pumped up for a great competition. "Oh yeah Bella I heard who it is you're up against for the final spot, could be tough but I reckon you'll smash it."

"What?" I couldn't quite believe it. It had been announced? How did I not know? It was me who they were up against, so shouldn't I be the first to know? I finally got over the shock enough to be able to form words so I could finally get answers for my questions. "Where, when, how?"

"They were discussing it on the radio when I drove up here I assumed you would've been told... It seemed like it had only just been announced a few minutes before, the radio hosts seemed very excited about you two," he said with shrug, as he took a few steps back toward us.

But my most important question had yet to be answered.

"Who?"

He hesitated. This couldn't be good.

"Edward Cullen."

Edward Cullen.

There you have it! First chapter, very messy and just an intro but I've had this idea for a while and I just wanted to write it down.

Just to warn you, name may change because I'm not happy with it. Any suggestions are more than welcome.

Shall I continue?

HannahLouiise