These chapters are 'deleted scenes' from a previous submission 'Lose Control'. These can be read as standalone pieces, but might make more sense in context if you read Lose Control first!

This chapter appears between chapters four and five of Lose Control.

"Payson," Kelly hissed, grabbing her teammate's arm and leading her to a quiet corner of the gym. Podium training at the Olympic Trials was in full swing and by the end of the week, the team to represent the United States at the Olympics would have been finalised and announced in front of the entire nation. Everyone was on edge. Payson scowled as she followed Kelly, reluctantly, to a quiet corner of the empty arena.

"Look, Payson, something's going on with you, I don't know what—and frankly, I wish I didn't care, it's none of my business—but I do. You need to get your head in the game," Kelly began. Payson's frown deepened. She had acted on autopilot since Sasha had left four weeks prior, speaking, sleeping and eating just enough to get by, but her gymnastics hadn't suffered—if anything, Sasha's abandonment had driven her to perform better than ever. She had never been as physically strong and able, and over the next few days, the selection committee was about to see that.

"I know I've been awful to you since you beat me at Junior Nationals when we were twelve," Kelly continued. Payson nodded in agreement. "And you know it's no secret that my mom is a raging psychotic bitch," Payson nodded again. "I just wanted to say… I'm sorry for the way I treated you."

Payson raised an eyebrow.

"Look, I know it's not an excuse. I'm trying here, okay?" Kelly pleaded. She blinked hard; Payson could see she was at war with herself as she chose her words carefully. "I just—I've never had friends, or a real team before—whenever I saw you at meets or practices with the other Rock girls, I just—God, Payson, I so badly wanted in on that. My mom would have killed me if I did anything other than psych you guys out, Christ, I mean, she practically beat me if I got anything less than gold…"

Payson opened her mouth to speak but Kelly held up a hand to stop her.

"And I know it's not an excuse, okay, I have raging bitch-genes from my mother and I'm sorry. I hate myself for being like this, but I just—I've never told anyone this before, but you inspire me, Payson. You're my biggest inspiration. You've always been there to push me harder, to be better, and you were always there to remind me why I compete, even if you didn't know it. I don't want to go to London without you, Payson, and I don't want to see whatever is in your head consume you and break you down."

Payson's frown softened. Kelly's eyes were deep and pleading, almost glassy, and Payson knew that whatever animosity she had once held for her rival had to be pushed aside if they wanted to share a podium in London. In another life, she could have been friends with Kelly Parker—instead, they had shared a bitter rivalry for six years.

"I don't expect us to have slumber parties and paint each other's nails or anything, but can we—do you think—maybe we could start again?"

Payson thought for a moment. Kelly had become something of an ally since the World championships and the public fall-out with her mother, but starting afresh meant something completely different. They could be friends—hell, they could be anything they wanted to be, together—between the two of them, they could decimate the rest of the gymnastics world on the most public stage of all in London. That thought had been her only motivation for the last ten weeks. It barely took a moment for Payson to make up her mind.

"Okay," she nodded. A pretty smile bloomed on Kelly's face, so natural and spontaneous it made Payson smile too. She realised she had never seen a true smile from Kelly, and from the way her face ached already, she realised she hadn't smiled for a long time, either. She held out a hand and Kelly shook it firmly.

They returned, side by side, to the rest of the group in the middle of the gym.

"Hey, KP," Payson said. Her eyes twinkled with the vaguest hint of what Kelly had taken to calling 'the old Payson'. "Can I get all that in writing?"