Okay just a quick A/N - I only got one review on the last chapter, and fair enough, I am grateful I got one at all, but I really would like a few more. If you read this, it would really mean so much if you reviewed it for me. I am doing previews for those who review with an account! If you don't have an account, I can't do much for you, but maybe I'll figure out a way. This week has been so busy for me, and I've not really had a chance to post! I apologise for the long wait, I won't keep you waiting much longer anymore. My update day is either going to be a Friday or a Saturday, if you could tell me what you think in a review, what works best for you, etc, that would be grand! I write all my stuff well in advance, so right now I'm working on Chapter 15. I wondered what you guys thought should happen in the next couple of chapters? It's majorly based around Season 1 of the show, but I'm open to other ideas too. If you've got any, I'd love to hear about them in a review! So that's my A/N over, sorry it dragged! If anyone has any ideas, leave me a review! :)

Also, I'd love for you loyal readers to follow me on twitter and tumblr:

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tah!

Oh and finally, a quick review reply:

othfan1919: I know I already replied to your review, but I thought I'd reply again! hehe! Thank you SO much for your comments; they really do mean the world to me! Thanks for your awesome comment, not a lot of people approve of my writing, but I'm glad you do. I wasn't quite sure what you meant by not writing in paragraphs, because I'm not entirely sure on how else to write..maybe you could tell me in your next review? Ha, just assuming you review! Thank you for your comment, I'm glad you like what I'm doing. If there's anything you think I can do better or you have any ideas for me, please feel free to let me know in a review! Thanks for your comments once again!

Alright..on with the fic, here's Chapter 11! :)

Chapter 11

I was working my normal shift at the café, and another customer came in. I was taking some dishes out to the back, so as I placed them on the counter to take his order, I asked him if he wanted a table or over the counter. He told me he was actually looking for Karen, but I told him she was in Italy for cooking school. He asked about how 'that boy of hers' was doing, and I guessed he meant Lucas, so I told him he was doing well and asked if he wanted to leave a message as Karen calls in every once in a while, and he said no, just to tell her an old friend stopped by. He left the café without leaving a name or anything to let Karen know who he was. I thought nothing else of it, and concentrated on the rest of my shift.

After my shift had finished, Nathan and I went for a walk around town before practice. He told me about a family meal that was happening later that night, and how much he was dreading it. He'd described it as a possible massacre waiting to happen. He liked his grandma; she'd stood up for him against his dad when he was younger. He told me he didn't like his grandfather, and told me to imagine where his dad had come from. I thought about how scary his dad was, and reckoned his grandfather must be even worse. We walked along the street without uttering a word to each other for a minute; before Nathan spoke.

"You should come tonight, maybe you'll make everyone behave" He said, looking at me as I looked back at him.

"I'll come if you want me too." I laughed, thinking he was serious.

"No, I wasn't serious. I wouldn't put you through that." He replied, maybe this dinner was going to be worse than I thought.

"Of course, if you're asking, my answers yes." I smiled, knowing he'd need somebody to keep him sane at this family dinner.

"Well then I'm asking." He smiled back, giving in to me.

"Well then I'm coming." I replied, walking closer to him, giving him a quick hug before letting go. I got ready for practice while I was at the café, so Nathan had decided he would drop me off to practice today, so he got to spend a bit more time with me. He walked me to the car and held open my door for me as usual, before getting into his side of the car and driving me to Hillview. The journey was short, and the conversation was falling around whether Nathan was ever going to come back to practice.

I hadn't attempted my double Arabian on floor as of yet; ever since Nathan left for some time out I hadn't been able to focus properly. I couldn't let it show through; I had to show the National Committee that I was ready for the big meet in China, and I should be the one to lead the team; not Rachel. Tom had told me yesterday that if I didn't pick up my drive and determination in practice; I would be buried at National practice. I knew what he meant really; I had to attempt the double Arabian. It was one thing pulling it off a few times before; but I had to show that I was consistent; determined; focused. I didn't want to end my relationship with Nathan; he'd been nothing but good to me. But I couldn't let him distract me from my dream. I was going to be the World champion; I would be the Olympic champion.

We sat in the car park for a minute, discussing the events that lay ahead. When I saw the others starting to pull up around us; I made sure nobody was looking; before giving Nathan a quick peck on the lips and told him to pick me up after practice so I could get ready. I gave him another kiss, making it last for a bit longer this time, and smiled before telling him I'd see him after practice. As I got out of the car and walked towards the door of the gym, I looked back to Nathan who subtly blew me a kiss before driving off.

As soon as I entered the gym, I was greeted by my friends waiting for me. Lucas was staring at me with a questioning look, Brooke had a sly grin on her face and Peyton was trying not to laugh. I asked them all what they were doing standing around when they could be training, and nobody gave me an answer. I questioned them again, emphasizing that I wanted an answer. Brooke was the first to speak up.

"Tutor girl! How could you not tell us?" She exclaimed, trying to keep her voice down.

"Brooke, what on earth are you on about?" I replied; looking at her with a confused expression surely painted onto my face.

"You and boy toy! You're totally going on a date tonight, aren't you?" She exclaimed once more. How could she know about this?

"No, Brooke, we're not." I responded, slightly panicked that she knew.

"Tutor girl! Why do you even try to hide it! You're so hooking up with Boy Toy." She replied.

"Brooke, listen. I'm not 'hooking up' with Nathan. I'm not doing anything with Nathan. He's tutoring me; that's all, okay?" I said, looking up at Lucas and Peyton. If Brooke could figure it out, these two would be in on it too. "The same goes to you two. Nothing is going on between Nathan and I. You need to keep quiet, because if Tom gets any rumor that we're dating, he'll freak. We're not dating, but who am I to say he'll believe that? Just keep quiet, okay? For me, please?"

"Alright, fine. You're no fun. Anyway when is Nathan coming back to practice?" She questioned, looking at me as if I'd know the answer. I told her I didn't have a clue and to stop gossiping so I could get ready and train. It sounded a little harsher than I intended it too, so I apologised to Brooke and headed to the locker room to put my bag and tracksuit away, so I could start training. I walked out to the floor once I'd discarded the tracksuit and bag I was wearing to my locker, and set my eye on the floor. I had to step it up. I couldn't keep putting it off because Nathan wasn't there to encourage me. As I walked to the corner of the mat where I'd be starting my routine, I thought about how Nathan would encourage me if he were there. I know he would. He may not be there right now, but he's there in my heart.

I stood in the corner, waiting for my music to start, waiting for that beat to kick in, waiting for my time to shine again. As the music began, I started to move. Running enough to gain enough power to start my opening tumble: a double layout punch front, I performed and executed the move perfectly, as I knew I would. A short dance sequence to move from one corner to the next before I could perform my next tumbling pass was then performed, pointed toes where possible, hands and fingers pointed shapely where possible, no bent knees or flexed feet to earn a possible deduction. Once I reached the next corner, it was time. I stood and did a small motion sequence with my arms before giving myself the best run up I could, before performing my double Arabian.

I closed my eyes and imagined Nathan standing beside the mat, spurring me on and encouraging me to do well. I can do this. I thought to myself, before executing the move better than I ever had done before. I had to keep my emotions in check else I could get points deducted for losing focus. I silently cheered that I'd managed to pull it off without Nathan standing there, before performing another clean, well-executed dance sequence to move around a bit more, before moving into the corner for my final tumbling pass of the routine, a back flip into a triple twist. As expected, I pulled it off without a hitch. To complete my routine, another short dance sequence on the floor, finishing off with a pose.

I stood up as I regained my breath, and smiled to myself knowing that I didn't need Nathan to pull off my routine. I squealed in excitement as I realised Lucas was watching me instead. I ran over to him and hugged him in excitement, grinning widely like a Cheshire cat as he picked me up and span me round, telling me how proud he was of me for pulling it off; especially since he knew I'd been having with it lately. He put me down and let me get back to practice, but not before telling me he was really proud that I'd pulled it off, and I'd managed to do my routine better than I ever had before. Tom then congratulated me on doing so well; but said I needed to just clean up my transitions and dance sequences a little, but other than that; I was sure to win the gold on floor at the China meet. If I made the team, that is. I may well be the National Champion; but it didn't stop the National Committee not taking me to London for the last meet. None of us Hillview girls made it into the team they took to London. We gave the practice of our lives, but they were playing the game by their rules, not the rules that should be.

There was no reason that we didn't get to go to London; other than the National Committee playing the game by their rules. Surely, I should've gone, I'm the National Champion. They can't pick the 6 best girls out of the 12 on the National team without picking the National Champion. What sort of sense does that make? It doesn't make sense. China was probably going to be the biggest meet of the year before Worlds, I had to compete. The girls that go to China will be seen as the ones to watch at the Olympics, and if I don't compete, I'll be seen as Haley James; the girl that won Nationals by fluke.

It wasn't a fluke. I worked so hard to win Nationals, for years; it had been Brooke, Peyton and I as the top 3 that went to Nationals. It was always that order. One year, I came second at National tryouts. Peyton was shocked; she didn't think I had it in me. Brooke was a strong gymnast, one of the best, if not the best. Her spot at number one was always seen as untouchable, but I managed to take it from her. I worked my ass off to make sure that I placed at Nationals; I wasn't going to lose to Rachel Gatina again. Every year, she placed, and if I did, I came below her. So to win Nationals was a huge step for me. I didn't think I had it in me; apparently I did. My gold medal hung proudly with all the other medals and trophies I'd won during my time in gymnastics in my room.

National Team practice was tomorrow and Wednesday. The first day was just like practice; the National Team Coach would act as our Tom for the session, and the second day the National Committee would be watching the practice; to make their final selection for China. If we didn't compete to the best of our ability during both practice sessions; our place on the team that goes to China would be in jeopardy. Considering I hadn't made the team that went to London; and they triumphed just fine without me; I had to prove they made the wrong choice leaving me behind. If I wanted my place on the team that went to China; I had to prove myself. I kept practicing my floor routine, it needed work. I hadn't been practicing it for the past couple of days, and I'd missed out on vital time to perfect it. If I didn't get it up to scratch now, I never would. After a while; Tom convinced me to practice on another apparatus, specifically the beam. The beam was Peyton's strong point, she was known as Queen of the Beam. It was no wonder why; nobody should be able to do what she can do on four inches of wood.

Practice had gone quicker than I thought, and when Tom announced the end of the session, I stared at the clock in disbelief. Time had gone quicker than I thought; Nathan would be outside waiting for me as usual. I finished up my routine on the uneven bars before dismounting and heading to the locker room. I didn't bother putting my tracksuit back on; I didn't want to keep Nathan waiting. I grabbed my bag from my locker, slung it over my shoulder, and headed out to Nathan. The car park was pretty much empty when I got to Nathans car, so we were safe for a while. I gave him a quick kiss and smiled, showing him my appreciation for picking me up.

"By the looks of you, I'm guessing you had a good practice today." He joked, pulling out of the car park.

"Very funny." I replied sarcastically, I knew I looked a state but I couldn't keep him waiting. "But, yes, it was great. I pulled off my double Arabian and the rest of my floor routine cleaner than I ever have before, for the first time without you there coaching me."

"Oh so you don't need me after all! I guess I'll just have to stop being your private coach then won't I." He laughed, pulling into the driveway of my house.

"No, you can't stop coaching me! I've only managed to do so well because of you. You made me better." I smiled, leaning in to kiss him. He granted my request and brought our lips together with the slightest of touches, before pulling me onto his lap and kissing me slowly. I kissed him back with just as much passion, smiling into his mouth as I did so. He took my hair down from my tightly pulled, gelled back ponytail I tied it up in for practice and ran his fingers through my hair as we kissed. As much as I was enjoying the make out session in his car, anybody could've walked out and seen us, so I pulled away. "Come on, I need to get ready for this dinner my boyfriend invited me too." I laughed, grabbing my bag and hopping off his lap, out of the car.

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