A/N I really miss Emily on the show. I know the actress is pregnant and all so she had to go but I kind of wish they did more with her pregnancy than just running off the face of the earth. this is what I thought Emily's reaction would be watching her teammates at worlds. Its really short but hey it will do. Please let me know what you think.
"Guys quiet!" I yelled.
The room went silent. Of all the days for my God mother to have company, why did it have to be today? I sat on the couch and watched as Sasha guided Lauren up to the beam. She looked nervous and not the good kind of nerves either. Butterflies began to stir in my belly as she saluted and mounted the beam. This was it, this was what she had been dreaming of all her life.
She did her first stunt. I held my breath as she wobbled on the beam. Well there went three tenths of a point. When she was lining up for her dismount she looked calm and collected. Nothing like the Lauren I knew. Where was her flair, her sizzle? This wasn't Lauren. Her landing was horrible, one giant step off the mat. Sasha led her back to the team area, probably trying to get her calm.
What was wrong with everyone there? Kaylie looked pissed for some reason. When she was doing her vault no one was giving her any support, none. How could anyone do well with that amount of silence? Why wasn't anyone cheering for her? Even Payson was quiet.
After three rotations I was in a state of shock. What was wrong with them? Payson had just totally massacred her routine on the floor. This was their last chance. They were in sixth place and Kelly Parker was the last one up on bars. She needed to be perfect. I closed my eyes. This was too nerve-racking to watch. For the first time that day I heard Team USA cheer for their teammate.
"As incredible as it sounds, that performance by Kelly Parker has just moved USA into fourth place," one of the commentator announced.
I couldn't contain myself, I jumped to my feet laughing and cheering. "Go USA!"
"I take it they won?" my God mother asked.
"Far from it, but they at least qualified."
It was time for the Gymnastic World Championship finals and her I am sitting on the couch watching it. After all the hard work and years of preparation to get there I was stuck at home eating a bowl of chips watching my friends go for the gold. What is wrong with me? I should be out there with them. I should be cheering there on my teammates. I should be the one running to do my next vault. God how I wish I was there.
Again Lauren was up first on the beam. I held my breath as she mounted the beam. Would she do better than the day before? And then there was that smile, that sassy, flirty, Lauren Tanner smile. As soon as I caught glimpse of those pearly whites I knew she was okay. She would do great today. With her near perfect routine, the US moved into fourth place.
They were doing so much better today. Their confidence had shot through the roof. When I woke up this morning I had dreaded watching today's competition but it looked like they were proving me wrong. Everything was going great… until Payson twisted her ankle during her first vault.
I knew what Payson was thinking, I have to do this, I have to finish this. As she limped to the start line Kaylie stopped her and the two hugged. At that moment I wanted to reach and join them. More than anything I wanted to be there for Pay, for all of them. She saluted and ran. Her vault was excellent. I couldn't help but yell when she stuck a one footed landing. Not only did Payson do a nearly perfect vault but that run put USA into second place behind China!
Team morale was high, everyone was excited. What I wanted to know was though, who was going to take Payson's place on floor? I slid out of my seat and crawled closer to the television, Kaylie? They were going to send Kaylie in? Why not Kelly? Floor was her best apparatus. Sasha must have some sort of ace up his sleeve.
The whole time Kaylie was doing her routine I couldn't breathe. It was as if I was standing right there with the others. My hands were squeezed into tight fists in anticipation. She was doing great. When she was done I knew they had done it! Take that Gengi Cho! USA has the best women gymnast in the world.
Tears filled my eyes as our anthem came on. Was this worth it? My hand touched my belly. I had given up my life's dream for this. Was it really worth it to watch my friends live my life? I knew what I was doing was a good thing to give up my own dream for a new life but deep down I knew that I should have been up there. I had earned my spot on that team, I had pushed myself so hard. That should have been me up ther with the others, not Kelly. I wanted to be there so bad. I had given up that dream though. I had given up on it but it was for something as equally as special.