Note: This is my attempt at re-writing the series with some deeper insight to the girls. It's "alternate universe," so not all events will match up 100% with the show, although I am using the events in it to give this piece basic structure, it will probably veer away from the show completely. I hope you'll follow the story and enjoy reading it as I've enjoyed writing it. Cheers & happy reading!
Chapter One – The Early Bird Catches the Worm
It was barely dawn when Emily first stepped into the parking lot of the Rocky Mountain Gymnastics training center. The air was still cool and crisp, and she could still smell the dew on the grass. Her stomach was full of nervous butterflies: this was it; her first real gym! After all the time and hard work she'd put into her training, the moment was bittersweet. She felt like she was finally going somewhere, and yet, terrified that she wasn't ready to be there.
The parking lot was empty. She scanned the surroundings. "Parking reserved for Cruz," was one of the signs posted nearest to the door. Keeler and Tanner also had their own spots. Emily recognized the names from watching Nationals the year before on television in Boulder. Brian had recorded it so that she could watch and study their moves over and over. At the time, Emily had never dreamed she'd be training with the girls. And now, her chance was here. She smiled to herself, imagining how things would work out. They'd welcome her to the gym, and maybe next week there would be a "Parking Reserved for Kmetko," sign. She'd have a close-knit group of friends to spend time with, on and off the mat. Wouldn't that be great?
Emily tugged her gym bag over her shoulder and finally started towards the door, only to find that it was locked. "Too early," she sighed and started to walk around the building for some more exploring. She had barely been able to sleep the night before, so getting to the gym early just seemed like the right thing to do. As she stepped off of the pavement and into the grass, she relaxed a little, letting her bag slide down her shoulder and next to her feet. She smiled. It wasn't a playground, but the field behind the gym made her feel at home. Raising her arms over her head, Emily took a deep breath and turned her first professional cartwheel as an elite gymnast.
At half-past six, Payson shook four Ibuprofen out of the bottle in the bathroom she shared with Becca and downed them with a gulp of water from the sink. She'd been working back into her training a little bit at a time, but it was always hard to reign herself in. Already she'd been up for more than an hour, and after only a granola bar and a glass of milk done her usual regiment of stretches in her room. National trials were tomorrow. Kaylie was giving her a decent run for the top spot, but Payson knew she trumped her friend in sheer hard work. And that was the way it should be: the hardest worker should be the one that came out on top.
Payson knocked on her sister's bedroom door. "Are you ready yet? I wanna get an early start."
There were a few footsteps and a huff as Becca yanked open the door. "Don't you ever miss sleeping in?"
On the car-ride to the gym, Payson closed her eyes and imagined her floor routine. She could feel Becca's stare through her eyelids, and her shoulder bumped against the door as car rounded the corner. "Stop staring at me," Payson grumbled. Becca sighed and Payson could hear her sister shift.
"Relax Pay," came the voice of her mother, jarring Payson out of her routine enough to open her eyes. "National trials isn't an excuse to be rude to your sister."
"I'm just concentrating," Payson insisted. The car pulled into a parking spot and Becca clamored out. Payson slid out of the front door and followed. It was Kim Keeler that dropped a coffee cup. It took everything for Payson to stay calm at the thought of being even a moment later into the gym.
"Go, Sweeties," Kim waved her arms at her daughters. "This is not a day for you to be late."
It sure wasn't, Payson thought. With a quick nod to her friend Kaylie, she relaxed a little as she entered the gym.
It wasn't that Lauren was watching Carter when he gave a sly look to Kaylie, it was just that Carter had started his workout with a flashy routine on the rings and, well, it had just been so strong and powerful that she just couldn't resist sneaking a peek. The look made her stomach lurch. She'd been getting more and more suspicious of something going on between her best friend and practically life-long crush, and it made her feel pretty lonely. Of course Carter would choose Kaylie over her. Kaylie was perfect. She was rich, had a mom and a dad instead of just one, talented as ever at gymnastics and beautiful to boot.
She opened her mouth to make a comment as Kaylie and Payson joined her at stretching, but Kaylie beat her to it with a hello. Nervous butterflies hard her quickly burying the comment. Maybe she'd imagined it, Lauren tried to convince herself. Kaylie wouldn't hurt her like that, right? Maybe she was just being paranoid. Kaylie knew how Lauren felt about Carter. She would never betray her best friend.
The talk instead turned to the upcoming Nationals event, and the Rock's triple threat couldn't help indulging in fantasies about the Olympics. Lauren knew she had to shine at Nationals this year in order to pave the way to a dazzling future. First Nationals, then Worlds, then the Olympics. If she could just show everyone how good she was, no one would push her aside or forget about her again. And maybe Carter would finally notice her.
That's why today was so important. She knew that she had enough fire to beat Kaylie this year and claim the second spot in the line up for Nationals. Lauren had gotten to the gym half an hour before the other girls because she knew Carter would be there. She was all stretched out and the first elite to step up to an apparatus. Of course she'd chosen the beam. She mounted and began to walk through her routine, all while scanning the room for Carter.
Damn it! His back was to her as he chalked up. Lauren's heart sunk a little. She knew she had all day to impress him, but she couldn't help feeling a little impatient with the threat of Kaylie taking him away from her.
"Lauren!" A sharp call from her father broke her out of her thoughts. Lauren rolled her eyes when her father told her to point her toes. He was no gymnast, but at least he had her success in mind. She gave him and her coach, Marty, a quick smile, and then focused herself. Back handspring, layout, wolf jump. She rounded the beam and took a deep breath with her arms over her head. For one moment, she closed her eyes. Carter, I hope you're watching, she thought. This one's for you.
Her feet hit the mat, perfectly square. She didn't even need to shift for her salute. She heard Marty call for her good work across the room and smiled to herself. Kaylie had the good looks and sunny personality. But Lauren had the drive.
Kaylie's head buzzed while Marty rallied everyone for a pep talk. It was the last full practice before National trials. Her dad had been on her case about a few pounds again, and all she wanted was a few days to relax. Kaylie loved gymnastics, but she hated the pressure that went with being an elite. She'd never really had the motivation that Payson or Lauren had. What she wanted was a life. The chance to enjoy herself like her brother Leo did. But with Leo off at college, the pressure had all been on Kaylie to succeed at gymnastics. She was lucky she had natural talent at the sport, or she wouldn't be able to keep her head in the game.
Kaylie sighed, barely able to focus on Marty's words. She wished gymnastics made her feel as happy and excited as Carter Anderson did. Just the thought of him made her smile. She'd been seeing him secretly for nearly a year now. But it was getting harder and harder to keep a secret as they grew closer to each other. Kaylie had a hard time focusing on her routines because she'd rather be with Carter. This was probably be the reason they stressed the 'no dating' rule so hard at the gym. But Kaylie just couldn't help it. Nothing in the world made her feel as good as a simple kiss from Carter. With everything else coming down on her with so much intensity, she wasn't about to give up that little bit of relief.
She felt Payson and Lauren come around her as the meeting broke up and everyone started to go off to their first rotations. The first stop for elites today would be floor, so the girls had a few moments to themselves as the other gymnasts cleared. Kaylie shook herself out of her trance, realizing that Lauren was going on about how the three of them would dominate at Nationals again. She couldn't help but smile. Her best friend loved to run her mouth. Kaylie figured hearing it out loud made Lauren feel a little better when she was nervous. They all had their silly little ways to deal with nerves before an event. Lauren's was to make herself sound confident. Kaylie didn't mind. Using Lauren's confidence had always given her a platform to jump from with her own strength.
Her attention was taken from Lauren as she noticed another gymnast tumbling across the floor. Her first instinct was that it was Vanessa, a Level 10 girl that was vying for a top spot on the National roster this year. But after second glance, Kaylie realized that this girl was not at all shaped like Vanessa. This girl was extremely thin, a little taller, and had way more moves. Was she new?
Emily felt eyes on her as she did a second tumbling pass across the floor, and her cheeks grew warm. She didn't quite have a routine so solidly yet, so she was focusing on her tumbling skills. She turned, took a deep breath, and did one last pass. Round off, handspring, two and a half punch front. Emily let out the breath of air she'd been holding and started away from the floor.
And then, suddenly, someone was talking to her. Emily's mind buzzed. "You're Payson Keeler, right?" Emily's stomach did it's own flip as she realized it was true. Payson Keeler! Right there in front of her! Before she could stop herself she was babbling on. "I saw you at the Northern Open!" Her face flushed when she realized that Payson thought she meant she'd been competing. "On TV." The conversation dissolved into nervous laughter and it was Marty that rescued her. It was good to finally see a familiar face.
Marty had been the one to find her at the Y in Fresno, California. It had been the last of many places that Emily had learned gymnastics bit by bit. In Fresno, she'd trained under a former gymnast from the National team. No one that had ever gone to the Olympics, but someone that had been able to teach her enough power moves that she was finally noticeable. Emily's family had no real solid form of income, so Marty managed to find her a scholarship that would help her train. So her family packed up everything they owned, and headed for Boulder.
"Why don't you train with these young ladies today?" Marty gestured towards Payson, Lauren, and Kaylie. Emily felt another nervous wave of butterflies, as Lauren didn't seem the least bit happy about having another girl forced into their group. Emily frowned. She should've realized that they would already be so close.
Lauren's thoughts were rushing. She was practically in a blind panic. How could she focus on beating Kaylie tomorrow if now she had to worry about the new girl, too? She could barely focus on her floor routine and kept stepping out of bounds on her double back.
"Lauren, focus!" Marty wasn't happy. But he could never understand. Lauren only had herself to rely on. Well, herself and her dad. She'd worked so hard all year to obtain a perfect mental balance. She knew where she stood with Payson and Kaylie and exactly what she had to do in order to contend with them. And now that was all scattered! She knew nothing about this new girl! What if the new girl beat her AND Kaylie? What if she caught Carter's eye? And then she and Kaylie would both be left behind!
Her stomach lurched as she realized that Kaylie was chatting it up with the new girl. Of course she was! Leave it to Kaylie not to think about what this could mean. Lauren knew she had to protect her best friend. And Payson, too! Sure, Payson had her focus down solid, but Lauren didn't know if this new girl could shake Payson out of the top spot. And then what? Payson would be broken hearted and never be able to get her focus back for Nationals.
Lauren knew that her friends wouldn't think it through. They were far too trusting of strangers. And of course they did! Both Kaylie and Payson had whole households. They didn't know what it was like to be abandoned and have to fend for themselves. They didn't know what it was like to have no one else to rely on. Lauren felt like a lioness backed into a corner. She felt her spine grow tense. She had to attack in order to protect herself.
And that was what she did. She knew she came off as harsh, but it was all she had. "You trained at the Y in Fresno?" it came of as a snap. If this new girl was going to break Lauren's mental game, Lauren was going to break her game right back.
Kaylie swallowed hard as Lauren mounted the beam. The girl was her best friend, but Kaylie couldn't help feeling a little uncomfortable with Lauren's defensiveness to Emily. Kaylie hated to fight. She just wanted everyone to get along. So she did what she did best: damage control. "Don't let her psych you out. She can be a little… intense."
She could she the nervousness in Emily's face as Lauren blew through her routine. "It's okay, I get it."
It was later in the bathroom that Lauren opened her mouth again. Luckily, Emily was still on beam. "We've been through a lot together, us three," Lauren worried. "That girl just showed up. What are we gonna do?"
Kaylie picked at a callus on her finger. "I don't know, Lo," she frowned deeply. She didn't want to have to worry about it. She knew Lauren got upset about the slightest intrusion to her mental game. It was just another layer of pressure. Lauren was like a cat, walking around with the hair on her spine raised. Kaylie wanted to go home, have lemonade by the pool, and forget about it.
She finally got a chance to chat with Lauren during the vault rotation. "Why are you getting all cuddly with her?" Lauren wanted to know.
"She just got here," Kaylie sighed. "We'd better beat her, or we don't deserve to be the top three."
"Well I say we don't take it any chances. I say we make it as uncomfortable for her as we can. Ice her out. We can be friends with her later."
Kaylie frowned and turned her attention back to Emily. She hated having to be so defensive. She didn't want to have to turn her attention to anything else. If she had to focus on Emily, too, she was never going to make it through tomorrow. Lauren took delight in Emily's failed attempt at her vault. Kaylie felt a knot growing in her stomach. She really needed a vacation.
Lauren strutted off as Emily approached. Kaylie's heart sunk even lower. Lauren was forcing her to choose between her best friend and her hatred towards conflict. With a deeply apologetic smile, Kaylie said "Sorry," and followed Lauren towards the bars.
Emily was completely alone by the time she finished up on bars. Marty joined her at the dismount with a sympathetic smile. "Nice work today, Emily," he patted her arm. He told her how the Rock was like a small town, which had been easy to see. A small town with a lot of gossip and a close-knit little circle of friends in the middle of it.
Emily's heart sank. As she turned her attention to stretching out, she scolded herself for letting herself dream about having a group of friends at the gym. It was silly, of course. She'd always relied on herself. She didn't need friends. She could do this on her own, just like she always had.
From across the gym she could see Kaylie talking with her parents about endorsements. Lauren's father was going over her floor routine with her through the small screen of a camcorder. Mrs. Keeler hugged both of her girls, excited to hear about their day. Emily thought about her own mother, probably off shopping already. She really was alone in this place. She wasn't sure why she'd ever expected Boulder to be any different from Fresno. If anything, Boulder was worse.