CHAPTER 7 - ROCKY DECISIONS

This is a short chapter. I'm a little blocked but wanted to get at least this much up!

Sasha opened the front door of the Rock. It was the day after the invitational that the Rock had won by a sliver, instead of the huge margin they'd been hoping for. Most of the girls were quietly training by themselves.

A deliveryman followed him in. He wheeled in a large box. "Are you-" he shifted his clipboard to read the name, "Sasha Belov?"

Sasha sighed. "Unfortunately so," he replied, taking the pen and signing his name. "Any idea what this is?"

They man shook his head. "I just deliver the mail, bro."

Sasha smiled. "Have a good day, then," he said, waving as the man wheeled his empty cart out the door.

The man rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatever."

Sasha pulled a box cutter out of his desk. He sliced the large box open. An invoice sat on top. He picked it up and began to read.

GK ELITE

SPECIAL ORDER WOMENS LEOTARDS BLACK/RED

24 $278

TOTAL: $6,672

BILL TO: SASHA BELOV C/O THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN GYMNASTICS TRAINING CENTER

He lifted the leos out one by one and began to read the names embroidered in crystals on the back. KEELER. PARKER. TANNER. CRUZ. STRAIN. KMETKO. God, Emily. Sasha knew as well as most of the Rock did that the Kmetkos could never afford a leo that expensive. The invoice fluttered to the floor. Sasha's face went white. Who had ordered the new leos? And who had committed the parents of Rock elites to paying $300 just for one competition leo?

Payson.

"PAYSON KEELER! MY OFFICE, NOW!" He roared across the gym. Payson was in the middle of her bars routine, and slipped off when she whipped her head around to face Sasha. She hit the mat with a thump. All the gymnasts froze. Payson? Payson was in trouble?

Payson trudged towards the Rock office and reluctantly climbed the stairs to come face to face with a furious Sasha Belov. He gestured her to come in to the office, and then slammed the door shut.

"Payson, when I asked you to choose the new competition leos, I distinctly do not remember asking for you to change the Rock colors or to design a leo that cost THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS!" His face was red and he was shouting. Payson winced. Sasha noticed she was shivering.

"I-I thought red and black would be cooler colors," she replied quietly. "Lauren likes them too."

Sasha was bewildered. "And did you ask anybody if they were willing to shell out nearly $300 for them? Or did you just assume the Rock's surplus would cover it?

"I-"

"Because Payson, the Rock's surplus all went to cover the Chinese national team coming here. We don't ask our gymnasts to pay dues so that the elite girls can wear custom-made leos once." He spit out the words. "We use them to make a better gym, to give everyone the best chance they can to go to the Olympics. And also, Payson, did you do any research before you chose these colors?"

Payson remained silent. She knew it wasn't really a question. She dreaded what was coming next.

"Because if you had, you'd've known that University of Georgia Gymdogs have recently opened a training center for elite athletes. And their colors are black and red. I don't think GK Elite is going to take these back, so you'd better hope and pray that we don't compete against them this year."

Payson nodded timidly. She'd given up all hopes of redeeming herself. But Sasha wasn't close to finished.

"Payson, I don't expect this from you. I expect - well, excellence. And responsibility for your team. And you should know better than anyone that Emily can't afford this." Payson blushed. She was thoroughly humiliated.

Sasha softened. "Payson, you're never like this. Is the pressure getting to you?"

Payson shook her head slowly. "Sasha, I just...it's almost, fun, to be loved for something other than gymnastics. It's fun to put on a pretty dress or take nice pictures." She turned bright red as she spoke. Sasha bit back a laugh.

"But you don't want to leave gymnastics behind, do you?" he asked. "The reason you had the surgery? The reason people love you?" As much as it stung, it was the truth.

Payson shook her head, more firmly now. "No. I love gymnastics, I just don't know if I can keep on being all gymnastics, all the time." She squirmed in her chair.

Sasha took her hand. "You can have more than one life, Payson," he said. "And it's all right to take endorsements and be a star - as long as you remember what made you one."

Payson's arc is ending! The next arc will begin in the next chapter, either Lauren or Kaylie. I'll write whatever comes to me. :)

Wanna see the leos Payson picked? Click here!

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