"It doesn't matter…"
As Payson Keeler pulled her arms around his neck, the first thought going through her head was that there would be hell to pay when Lauren saw them. Although Lauren had come clean and told her that Max had asked for her in the hospital, she knew Lauren's capacity for jealousy, and she could almost feel the target hitting her back at that moment.
The thing was, she couldn't bring herself to care. Max Spencer was just the right guy. He told her she was beautiful. He took those pictures and put them on the wall at Spruce Juice. Max Spencer was the right age, the right type. Of course, Payson knew the real reason why she was wrapping herself around Max, and it had nothing to do with a fluttering of her heart. It was rather simple actually. Max chose her over Lauren.
HE didn't. When HE came back to the Rock, Lauren was the only one who he cared about, which made Payson feel like what she had said wasn't the reason Sasha came home, but that there was something else entirely that had pulled him back, something blonde, bitchy, and manipulative. Either way, HE didn't care about Payson anymore. Gone were the ballets, the canvases, gone were the moments and the embraces and all that was left was LAUREN. And Max chose Payson over Lauren, which made Max just right in Payson's book.
"Thanks for opening up so early coach, I really need to work on my vaults, now that I'm seen as the new Kerri Strugg, I need to live up to it, Jake said he would have opened up for me but he came down with a stomach bug last night, and told me to tell you that he wouldn't be in today at all." Payson ran over to begin her run into her Produnova, the new move Jake, the assistant coach, had added after they had returned back from Rio. Of course JAKE had added it. Sasha never worked with Payson anymore. She never even called him Sasha anymore.. just "Coach".
Phone ringing
Sasha Belov couldn't believe his ears. Not only was a phone ringing on his gym floor, but what made it worse is that it was four bloody thirty in the morning. Who would be calling Payson at this hour of the morning? Sasha, assuming it was Kim calling reached down to answer as he screamed over to Payson… "Payson, How many times have I said no cell phones on the floor?"
"Hello, Payson's phone, Sasha speaking". What the bloody hell? "I'm sorry, Payson is busy training for the OLYMPICS" "Yes, I'll tell her you'll call her back sometime in August 2012, and not a moment sooner."
(two hours later)
"Umm, coach, can you figure out what I did wrong on that last vault? It felt like my line was a little off center…"
"Payson, why was that complete and utter wanker calling you at four thirty in the morning?"
Oh shit. It was Max. She had been so obsessed with landing this new vault, she hadn't even bothered to go check her phone for messages. "Well, COACH, Max and I have been running together every off morning for the last few months. Since you and Lauren have been so busy, I needed someone to train with me, to push me."
"Payson, have you lost your mind? You expect me to believe he was calling you at four thirty in the morning to go "RUN", What do you think I was born yesterday? All that boy wants is to get you alone for the five minutes, although I'm sure PUSHING you is certainly on that boy's agenda. I thought you knew better than this, I thought you wanted to be an Olympian, not a statistic."
"I guess I'm just used to dealing with people who make promises, leave me and ignore me and forgiving them. Wouldn't you agree COACH? Payson felt the tears welling up in her eyes. Didn't he realize he had already taken himself away from her? Wasn't that enough? Just because he didn't love her, did he have to make sure no one else ever did either?
"Payson…"
"No, you listen to me one minute Belov. He has never left me alone..."
Sasha's head was pounding in rage, "No, Payson, he just goes and fucks Lauren Tanner when you're busy at the gym."
The sound of Payson's hand slapping his face echoed throughout the otherwise empty gym, "Sasha, he chose me over Lauren Tanner… unlike… " and with that, Sasha watched her retreating, running back to the doors of the Rock, and slowly, he sank down to the mat, and began to cry.
Soft knocking on door
"Payson?" The image of Max Spencer poked his head through the door, obviously concerned. "Hey there," Max practically coos as he wraps Payson up into his arms, " are you alright? Becca called me when she heard you crying, asked me to come over and check on you before your parents get home from the reunion."
"Yeah, I'm fine Max, I just needed some space today, it's been…"
"Payson Keeler, say no more. I promised your mom and dad I would take some pictures of them later this evening, so I'll probably poke my head back in before I go, but if you need me before then, you know where to reach me."
"Max, could you… could you take me with you to Denver Elite? I had a really bad training today, and I just really need to focus on my gymnastics, and I can't do that here anymore."
"Did Sasha kick you out too? Over a phone call? This is ridiculous… Payson, I am so sorry, I didn't mean to…" Payson couldn't bring herself to correct him. Sasha hadn't kicked her out of the Rock, and although she didn't know that he had kicked Max out, it certainly provided her with the ability to get what she needed. Away from Sasha.
Max continued," Well, how about this, I still have to do those pictures for your mom and dad, but why don't we head out afterward, and talk to Marty about your switching. It's only an hour drive each way, not an unheard of commute, and I can split the driving with you since I moved here. I'd rather not train with Lauren around anyway. She hasn't taken no for an answer for months now, and I just want to be with you and focus on gymnastics."
"Thanks Max, you always know exactly what to say…" Payson says, subconsciously plastering on her best fake smile, as she leans up to kiss Max goodbye. As soon as he shut the door, her tears fell freely. Payson Keeler, This is the LAST time you will let yourself cry over Sasha Belov. Max loves you. Max chose you over Lauren. And Sasha doesn't want you. He never did. You have to let go.
"Payson Keeler" the familiar British tone whispers into her ear, lulling her awake.
"Sasha! What are you doing here?" Payson whispers, the recollection of the earlier events of the day not having dawned on her in her semi-conscious state.
Sasha paced in the room, noticing the pictures of him from Sydney on her mirror, in a state of taped repair where they had been ripped and retaped, obviously more than once."I just wanted to apologize. It was wrong of me to say the things I said to you this morning."
"I'm expecting Max back here any minute. He's taking me to Denver."
If he takes you to Denver you'll never make it back in time to come to the gym tomorrow, it's already 8:30. What the hell is Max Spencer taking you to Denver for… "He's taking you to Denver? For what? A date?" Sasha fumes.
"No. He's just driving with me so I can transfer to Denver Elite. I don't think we can train together anymore. At one point in time we made a great team, just like you and Nicolai, but now… " Payson cuts herself off before she says anymore, not wanting to start another argument with Sasha in her home, one that would surely send her parents running in, questioning why Payson was changing gyms without telling them first.
"Now…." Sasha's British accent thick with rage stated, as he motioned for her continue.
" Now, I think it is best if you leave Payson's room before I have her father call the authorities." Payson looked up to see Max standing in the doorway, looking certain with himself, although shocked to see Coach Belov in his girlfriend's room, obviously feeling like a knight in shining armor, leaping in to rescue the damsel in distress, and knowing what was coming next, she leaped up between the two men, reaching Max just in time to prevent Sasha from landing a right hook on Max's face.
"Sasha!"
Payson, realizing how perilous the situation is rapidly becoming turns quickly to face Max, "Max, just give me a little bit. Tell Mom and Dad that I'll be back in a little bit." Payson spins around to Sasha, "You, COACH, come with me," Payson fumes lightly, "We're going for a ride.."
Three hours outside of Boulder, Payson and Sasha pull into the gravel drive that leads to the gymnastics camp. As Payson puts on the emergency brake, she turns the key, turning the car off. She steps out of the car, walking towards the campground without a word to Sasha, although the crunching grass behind her tells her that he understood, and followed.
"So, Payson," Sasha grunts, "Do you want to explain why you're leaving me?" Sasha doesn't even try to correct himself and ask why she's leaving the Rock.
Payson sits down on the logs, and takes a minute to breathe in the surroundings of her own personal church. Slowly, after a few deep breaths, she meets Sasha's eyes. Seeing the fury behind his grey orbs, she finally feels the walls she so carefully bricked up piece by piece crumble around her. Without breaking eye contact, she begins, "I miss you. I just couldn't go another day. How can I feel so alone when I'm in the same room with…with the one person I want the most? The only person I have ever… loved. Why, Sasha? Why did you just ignore me?" Payson felt her anger building up, and by this point she was screaming, "You promised me, you and me, that you would believe for me, that all I had to do was show up, and yet you haven't spoken to me in weeks, you've all but left me again. For Lauren of all people. Only this time, I can't hop a plane to get you and bring you home to me because you are sitting right next to me, and I can't stop …"
Sasha doesn't even let her finish the sentence, he just walks over to her, lifts her up into his arms, and after settling her into his lap, he says "That's the way that I loved you too."
A/N If you haven't ever seen it hop on over to youtube to check out Anna Piffle's "That's the way that I loved you" Payson/Sasha video, which was the core inspiration for this one shot. Thanks Anna.. I LOVE your work!.