Wow, I'm sorry it's been so long! Not forgotten I promise :)

Amongst the rapid confusion of the morning, the screeching alarm clocks, the hasty billows of sheets being thrown off, there was the anxious cue of four impatient girls in the bathroom, scrapping back hair and hurriedly passing a brush over stale teeth before they were embarked into the Keeler's car to tumble, still sleepy eyed and stifling yawns into The Rock.

At least the others seemed to have forgotten last night's dealings with a certain mister Russo, thought Payson as she waved hello to Sasha and Summer loitering on the stairs. He'd called her as well as the others into training today, hinting that he had some grand news to expose to everyone at the Gym.

"Everyone," Sasha called, addressing the gym as a whole. He gave a little self-important cough and a beam at the disgruntled gymnasts in front of him. "Since we had Denver over here a while ago," he began, "we've just been asked to another invitational with them. At Denver."

Instantly, there was an exploded mixture of surprise and disgust from his young protégées, most of them excited at the thought of beating Denver, yet unwilling to enter the rival camp.

"Only beating Denver would justify going there, " muttered Kaylie darkly as they wandered back over to their apparatus.

Payson had to struggle to contain a little smile which was tugging at the corners of her mouth. She couldn't help thinking that there were other reasons besides gymnastics which would make her go to Denver, even if she couldn't compete.

"You're right," smirked Lauren, adjusting her grips with a set expression, "we can teach Kelly Parker a lesson."

Emily laughed as she threw down her water bottle.

"And the others who left to desert to Denver."

"Oh they're not all bad…"

Payson's wandering thought, which she hadn't really meant to utter out loud, was met with the scathing looks and disgusted eyes of her three friends.

"Ok, Ok!" she exclaimed, putting up her hands in defence and quickly moving away, laughing.

As she made her way to the fountain she saw Sasha beckoning from the office.

"Thanks for coming in today Payson," he smiled, ushering her into his office.

"No problem, you know, anything but school!"

Payson chuckled awkwardly, staring round at the gymnasts pictures on the wall. Something jarred inside her and she couldn't help thinking it should be hers too.

"Listen, there's something else I wanted to talk you about," Sasha started, his voice startlingly gentle and concerned.

That was odd. Payson saw that he was hesitant, twirling his pen nervously on his fingers until it tumbled out onto the floor. Down below, in the midst of the jumping and running, the power coursing through veins and muscles and brains, Kaylie looked up at Payson and Sasha's shadows in reflected faintly in the blinds.

"I wonder what he's saying?" she mused to Lauren who was passing by.

Lauren looked up, disinterested, and was about to walk away when Emily dismounted from the beam and joined their little clump.

"The real question," murmured Emily flexing her wrists, "is why Nicky Russo was at Payson's house last night."

She gave a wicked smile at the surprise and amazement that passed across the other girls' faces.

"What!"

"How do you know he was there?"

"I recognised his car," she replied, gesturing at them to lower their voices and calm down, "from the time I went to Denver."

Emily shuddered as if at the memory. Lauren and Kaylie exchanged their shocked looks before glancing up again to the office.

"Well well," smirked Lauren as she twirled her hair in her fingers, "looks like she doesn't really need our help after all."

Please review :D