I am sooo happy, the last chapter that I wrote got the most reviews for any one chapter that I have ever posted. Aiming for 10 or more this chapter. Thanks to my reviewers addict.to.reading, EdwardpwnsJacob225, i.heart.twilightxx, sli723, back-off-trinity, OnceUponATime170, CammieSwan1785, Belle95, ANGELOFTHEBLACKROSES. A special thanks to EdwardpwnsJacob225 for her very enthusiastic review. You guys, along with everyone who favorited or alerted me, are the reason for another personal triumph three chapters in three days. YAY Me!
Disclaimer: So I visited J. Jenks and when he asked me what my new name would be I said Stephenie Meyer- so yay! Now I own Twilight and Edward… Wait what do you mean I don't? (Breaking Dawn joke with a friend)
After I brushed my teeth, washed my face and got a quick breakfast of low calorie yogurt and a mocha lite coffee, I was feeling a little more human or at least as human as anyone, let alone a teenage girl could be at 4:45 in the morning. I ran back upstairs ignoring the elevator to go grab my work-out bag and walked in the room just as Alice's alarm went off. She muttered something that was muffled by her pillow, but sounded like a profanity as she knocked it off the table beside her bed.
I dithered for a moment before going over to her bed and gently shaking her. We had a mandatory team meeting this morning and a team practice right after that.
" NO, Jazz, I don't want to get up yet." She pulled her comforter over her head.
" Alice." I shook her again. " Alice we have a meeting in…" I looked at the clock again, " 10 minutes."
She jumped out of bed, almost knocking me over. " Oh, CRAP! I HATE jetlag, I never wake up in time." She was running around in a whirlwind throwing things all around in her haste to get ready. " I don't even have time to eat anything now," she muttered finally coming to a full stop dressed and pulling her short spiky hair back with a barrette.
" Here," I held out one of the two oranges that I had grabbed for a snack later. She took it with a grateful smile, then glanced at the clock again, yelped and ran out the door, me on her heels.
We made it to Conference room B (thankfully all the rooms had signs in many languages to tell the members from what different countries what rooms they were in) just in time. Coach Carlisle looked at Alice as we slid into our seats at exactly 5:00 and just shook his head at his daughter.
" It's a good thing we're in shape," she whispered to me. " Otherwise we might not have made it." I smothered a giggle with my hand.
" Now that we are all here," Coach Carlisle looked pointedly in our direction as he began. I flushed in embarrassment as my five other teammates and the three alternates laughed. The fourth alternate, Lauren Mallory just glared at me.
Oh, so she was still bitter. I had just beaten her in Qualifications and since then she maintained a frosty attitude and a loudly voiced belief that I beat her purely on luck and that she is the better gymnast. She walked around telling anyone who would listen that I wasn't good enough, just a novice and that I would be the reason we lost if they didn't sub her for me.
" Ignore her," Alice murmured. " She's washed up and she knows it, now that I think about it she never was really all that good to begin with, your much better.
My confidence was bolstered by her comment and I tuned into what Carlisle was saying with a new determination to do better than I ever had before.
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" That's good, now center your weight, that's good and spring into the air. Use the balls of your feet to get more height. Better… again. Perfect. Ok, now basic dismount and then go warm up for your floor exercise. I made a 1-½ twist back flip and stuck it. Then I grabbed a piece of floor near the chairs and began to stretch.
Carlisle was an amazing coach, already I could feel more balance and regularity in my routines and it was only the first day. Next up for practice was floor and floor was my favorite. It was where I got to showcase both my dance and gymnastic skills.
" Bella, your up," Carlisle called in his slightly British accented voice. I jumped to my feet in an unusual show of enthusiasm causing Alice to laugh. It was cool, we had just really become friends last night and already she seemed to know me better than most people who had known me for years.
The second I raised my arms, signaling the start of my routine, everything else fell away. This was where I belonged; this was why I was here. Every doubt and insecurity, every bad evaluation and every doubting press release faded as I flipped and twisted through the air and over the mat. In pure joy I jumped and leapt, tumbling; a huge smile brightening up my face as I stuck my last tumble. The world slowly came back as I realized people were staring. Carlisle, Alice, and a few of the English gymnasts were looking on in disbelief.
" Bella, that was absolutely breathtaking, barely a mistake." Carlisle's British accent was even more prominent that usual due to his amazement. Alice nodded; smiling so hugely that I was shocked her face didn't split in half. One British gymnast looked at her coach in worry. I bit my lip and looked shyly at the ground, wishing that my hair was down so I could use it as a curtain to hide behind.
" All right team, gather round," Carlisle called to the rest of the USA gymnasts. " Go back to your room and shower and rest up for our gracious British hosts are taking us out to dinner tonight as a welcome. Lobby, 7:00, don't be late," he called again as we gathered our stuff to leave.
" Is it just me, or was he looking right at us when he said that," I giggled to Alice as we made our way out of the gym and down the street to our hotel.
" Girls should always be fashionably late young grasshopper," she joked.
" Yes, oh wise fashion advisor," I retorted, as she slipped her arm through mine.
Review, and let me know what you think- aiming for 10 or more people, help a girl out.
XOXO,
Meg