[Author's Note: It is Nationals time! Were your guesses correct? Continue reading to find out. For your reference, Alexis and Mary are made up.]

"Girls, quiet down! I need to do roll call and announcements." Sasha requested as he looked over the group of girls on the coach bus. He had five girls competing for spots on the National team and three competing for Junior Nationals. "Ariana? Here. Kaylie? Here. Payson? Here. Emily? Here. Lauren? Here. Alexis? Here. Becca? Here. Mary? Here." Everyone was on the bus ready to roll.

"This weekend is going to be long and tiring. I need all of you on your 'A' game. You are representing yourself, me as a coach, and the Rocky Mountain Training Center. I have the final list for the Elites on the apparatuses you will be competing on. Be aware, if I feel that at practice today, I need to make adjustments, I will." Sasha announced as he held the piece of paper that contained the final list. He read the list in his head one more time to ensure it was correct.

Team Captains

Payson and Ariana

Balance Beam

First: Lauren, Second: Payson, Third: Kaylie, Fourth: Emily, Alternate: Ariana

Floor

First: Payson, Second: Ariana, Third: Kaylie, Fourth: Emily, Alternate: Lauren

Uneven Bars:

First: Emily, Second: Payson, Third:Ariana, Fourth:Kaylie, Alternate: Lauren

Vault

First: Ariana, Second: Payson, Third: Kaylie, Fourth:Lauren, Alternate: Emily

With one final glance, Sasha handed the paper back to girls and took his seat. The one and only chaperone look at him and smiled. She was the mother of one of the juniors, and she would be making sure the juniors stayed in line while he was working with the seniors. The juniors were not competing until Day Two of Nationals, so they were not his main focus at the moment. The bus began to roll out of the Rock parking lot, and they were on their way to Nationals. They had a three hour drive ahead of them. Sasha looked back to examine the seating arrangement. Payson and her sister were sitting together behind them was Emily and Ariana. Lauren and Kaylie sat across the aisle from Payson and Becca. Behind Kaylie and Lauren were two junior elites, Mary Montgomery and Alexis Jordan. The senior elites were examining the paper carefully. Sasha leaned back into his cushioned seat and closed his eyes. He listened carefully to the hushed whispers of his seniors. Their reactions is what he expected. Payson was no longer number one in every event. Emily was now first in bars, and Ariana took first in vault.

They had arrived at Nationals, and nervous excitement filled everyone. "Put your game faces on when you get off the bus. We will be checking into our hotel rooms, and you will have fifteen minutes to get ready. We are going to get lunch, and practice starts at 1." Sasha announced through the bus's loudspeaker. A groan came from Lauren about the time restrictions for getting ready. "There is a suite for the seniors, and another suite for the juniors and Mrs. Jordan." Sasha explained as they pulled up to the hotel which also happened to be the location for Nationals. The bus pulled to a halt, and Sasha headed off as they girls filed off behind him. A few hotel workers were already unloading their belongings to take up to their suites. "No interviews girls." Sasha reminded as they started down the roped off red carpet. Interviewers were shoving microphones in any gymnast or coach who set foot on it. Sasha took the lead with Ariana and Payson directly behind him. The rest of the girls filed in two lines; one behind Payson and one behind Ariana. They entered the building and avoided the press. Sasha gathered their keys from the front desk and handed each girl a key. "Each suite has two bedrooms. The first has a twin sized bed and a set of bunk beds. The second bedroom has one king sized bed." Sasha explained before going to get settled into his own hotel room.

"I want my own bed." Lauren declared as they entered the suite. "I will take top bunk. I'm use to it. Back in California, I shared a room with my brother, Since he is handicapped, I got top bunk." Emily offered. "Ariana, would you want to share the queen with me? Kaylie and Lauren can argue who gets bottom bunk and who gets the twin." Payson suggested. Ariana nodded and headed to the bedroom with the queen in it. They could not unpack until their luggage was delivered, so Ariana used the restroom and redid her ponytail. They only had fifteen minutes until lunch, so she could not waste time. Lauren, on the other hand, wanted to try to redo her whole look in fifteen minutes. "Come on, Lo. Sasha is going to be pissed. We have two minutes." Kaylie shouted as she pounded on the bathroom door. "I am not ready, nor will I be ready in two minutes." Lauren said as she smeared eyeshadow across her left eye lid. "We will leave without you." Payson warned. "Fine. Let me finish my eye shadow, and I will be out." Lauren huffed.

They did not have long for lunch, so Sasha and the five girls headed to the Subway down the street to get food. Mrs. Jordan and the three juniors were going to explore the town for the afternoon. They would regroup at dinner. Lunch was quiet as each girl quickly ate their sandwich and mentally prepared themselves for practice. When they all finished, the group headed back to the hotel to train. "Stretch out, we are starting out on floor." Sasha said when they entered the arena. The girls headed for the chairs by the floor apparatus and dropped their stuff. Each girl stripped out of their warm up suits and headed for the floor. The two other gyms they were competing against entered the space. Payson's eyes met the doorway and locked on. Marty Walsh was leading his new team in with Kelly Parker as the team captain. Marty glanced over, and Payson shot him a fierce look. The man had promised to make her an Olympian, but he left her after Lauren got jealous of Emily. Now, he was coaching her biggest competitor. "Pay? Payson?" a voice echoed behind her. "Payson, you ready to practice your tumbling runs?" the voice asked. "What? Oh, yes, I am stretched out." Payson snapped back and realized it was Sasha who was trying to get her attention. The four other girls were already tumbling across the springboard floor. "You got to show him what he is missing out on." Sasha nodded towards Marty.

[Author's Note: Not the greatest chapter ever, but it leads on to better things. Please leave reviews as you wait for chapters to come.]