Ok here's another chapter for you guys! Thanks so much for all the reviews! I'm so glad you like this story. Enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think!
"Sasha?" Payson asks tentatively. Sasha looks up from the papers at his desk and sees Payson standing in the doorway.
"Yes, Payson?" he asks. "Come in," he adds, tensing up only slightly at the thought of he and Payson being alone in his office. He's made his decision but that doesn't mean being with Payson isn't tempting. Payson steps into the office, stands in front of his desk and takes a deep breath.
"I'm leaving the Rock," she says. Sasha drops the pen he's holding.
"What?" he cries. Payson squares her shoulders.
"You heard me," she says defiantly. "I'm leaving. I've thought about it, and I've made my decision. I wanted to tell you first, but as soon as I'm done here, I'm going to tell my mom that I want to go to a different gym." Sasha gets up from behind the desk and stands in front of Payson.
"And what exactly are you going to tell your mom is your reason for the sudden need to switch gyms?" Sasha asks. Payson considers this for a minute.
"I'll tell her that I'm tired of all the drama," Payson says slowly, looking Sasha directly in the eye. Sasha sighs as he runs a hand through his hair. "Well, that's all I wanted to say. Goodbye, Sasha." Payson turns on her heel to leave.
"Payson!" Sasha says forcefully, spinning her back around to look at him. "Don't do this," he pleads, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I know you're angry at me, and you're doing this to spite me, but if you leave the only person you'll be hurting is yourself. You've worked so hard to become an artistic gymnast and you're making so much progress. Going to a different gym, switching coaches; that would be throwing all that away. If you really want to go, fine. But you can kiss your Olympic dreams goodbye." Payson's eyes brim with tears and Sasha knows she sees the reason in his words. She steps away from him and sits on the couch.
"I don't want to leave to spite you," Payson admits with a sigh. "I want to leave because it's too hard being around you. My mom has always accused me of wanting things too much. Whether it's a gold medal or fitting in at school, I always want it way more than other people around me." Payson shrugs. "It's just the way I'm wired I guess." She falls silent.
"And what does that have to do with me?" Sasha asks, breaking the uncomfortable silence. Payson looks at Sasha, the intensity of her gaze surprising him.
"Don't you get it Sasha?" she asks with a bitter laugh. "I want you too much." Sasha just stares at her, unable to make his mouth form words. "I know, I know, you're my coach and we could never be together, I realize that," Payson continues. "But just because it can't happen, doesn't mean I'll stop wanting it to happen." Payson laughs again, this time the laugh is tinged with tears. "Sasha, you are smart and determined and good-looking and you have an accent" Sasha laughs at that. Girls always love the accent. "You care about gymnastics just as much as I do and you believed in me when no one else did. Not even me." Sasha sits down next to her and takes her hand. She looks at him and smiles sadly. "In a nutshell, you're the perfect guy for me," she says earnestly.
"Payson," he whispers, placing a hand on her cheek. He wants to tell her that he feels the exact same way, that she is perfect for him and that he can't stop thinking about her. But he can't. "Please, don't go," he says instead. He knows she can sense the emotion behind his words. He rejected her yesterday, but now she realizes that he wants her just as badly as she wants him. She leans closer to him.
"Then give me a reason to stay," she breathes. Sasha shouldn't do this. He should get up off the couch, push her away, something. But he's tired of trying to be responsible. He wants things too much, too, another thing he and Payson have in common. And right now he wants to kiss Payson Keeler. So screw doing the right thing. He leans in, smiling as soon as his lips gently brush hers. She smiles back and kisses him with more force than he thought she had. She pushes him back against the arm of the couch. She's halfway on top of him. He wraps his arms around her slim waist and deftly pulls her hair out from her typical bun. It falls out in golden waves covering both their faces. Payson giggles like a school girl and Sasha is ashamed to admit that he giggles right along with her. He can't help it, he just feels so euphoric. Until,
"Oh my God." They both freeze and turn to see a shocked Emily Kmetko standing in the doorway.