As I turned I found myself in front of a very angry Sasha Belov.

"Payson we need to speak," He pointed to a less populated area then turned to look at Kaylie, Emily and Lauren, "Shouldn't you 3 be somewhere, like the gym, training."

The girls turned back towards Lauren's car, mouthing good luck to me as they went.

Sasha and I walked over to one of the benches and sat down.

"Payson what do you think you're doing?"

"It was for a bet," I said while I was looking down.

"A bet? Payson you are the last person I would expect something like this from. You shouldn't be worrying about something like this, you are an elite gymnast. I would expect for you to be above all of this. I understand this last year has been difficult for you…"

"You have no idea what I have been through," I yelled interrupting Sasha.

"Your right Payson, I don't, but why don't you explain how this came about."

"How about I tell you about how great my first day of school was. In gym class they were tumbling. A girl named Morgan, who is a cheerleader, was attempting to show off her round-off back handspring. My teacher, whose daughter coincidentally is a huge fan of mine, told me to tell Morgan what she was doing wrong and I did. Morgan didn't really like a girl in a back brace telling her how to tumble. After school she asked if I thought I could do it better than her. Well then Emily, Kaylie and Lauren decided to show up and snubbed her with an elite tumbling pass and Morgan wasn't happy about it so from then on she made my life difficult. Last week she saw my interview with Inside Gymnastics and she asked if I still thought I could do gymnastics better than her and I said yes and here we are. At least I won; maybe now she will shut up. I know I'm better than this, but I'm so tired of taking peoples crap," I heard the bell ring as I felt my eyes fill up with tears and I tried to blink them back but I think Sasha saw them anyways because he put his arm around me.

"I know you've been through a lot but, I think everything that has happened will make you a better gymnast if you let it."

I nodded my head even though I didn't really believe it. I have always been good at locking away my emotions but it seems to be harder lately. I have to work on that.

"Sasha," I asked when I thought I could talk again.

"Yes Payson?"

"What are you doing here anyways?"

"You're Mom and I came to see your principle to talk about you training full time again."

"Did Mom…?"

"No she left after the meeting I was just looking around, she didn't see anything and I don't think she needs to know," again I nodded.

"So what's the decision," I asked, almost too afraid to hear the answer.

"After the end of the school year you will go back to training full time."

"Really?"

"Yes, and today at practice you will be doing conditioning for your little stunt you pulled today."

"Yea, I figured."

"I will see you at the gym," Sasha said as he got up.

I got up to and headed to class. After school I walked into the gym for practice. I looked around for the girls. I saw them at the vault and walked over to them. Luckily none of them got in trouble with Sasha. I told them what we talked about and that I was coming back fulltime and they all congratulated me.

"By the way, we need to talk about Saturday," Kaylie said.

"What's Saturday?"

"It's June 5th Payson," Kaylie said.

"So," I said.

"Pay, it's your birthday," said Lauren with an incredulous look on her face.

"Oh yea, with everything that has been going on I forgot."

"You need to leave Saturday evening open, we have a surprise for you, we've already cleared it with your Mom," Kaylie said.

At that point I heard Sasha call my name and I said goodbye to the girls. For the next few hours all I did was conditioning by the end of it I thought both my arms and legs were going to fall off. Finally Sasha blew his whistle and I was able to drop down from the rope I was climbing.

"Ok Payson that's it for today. Since you are now training D level I have decided that along with training your old routines I am going to change some of your old routines. We will start out slowly but I want you to blow them away at Nationals. First we are going to change your vault to an Amanar. On bars we are going to add a Gienger right before your Jaegar and a double twisting double layout dismount. On beam a new dismount. I am not changing your floor because I think your fine as long as you can do your triple full again. I know this is overwhelming but I think you can do it and we will work on it a little bit at a time and if you can't get some of it by Nationals we will leave it out and you can do your old routine. For now we will work on your Yurchenko vault and then getting back your Jaegar."

"Sounds good," I said taking a deep breath.

"I want you to do 15 Yurchenko's then you can go."

I walked over to the vault, putting on my wrist guards as I went. I dipped my hands in the chalk then stepped in the foot chalk. I got to my place on the runway and started running, gaining speed as I got closer to the vault. I did a round-off onto the springboard then a back handspring onto the vault, placing my hands on the vault and pushing myself over. I landed and took a small step. I walked back to the start. I did 14 more vaults then packed up to go home.

The next few days were crazy. It was a whirlwind of studying, exams and practices. At last Friday came. It was a relief to be done. Ike and Heather were the only people at school I would care to see again and we planned to see each other when I could. So I was not sad to see the end of my high school career. These last few days had been particularly bad, with exams and practice and apparently the principle had told the rest of the faculty that I would be leaving to train fulltime so many of the teachers had decided to ask me for autographs, even teachers I didn't know. I don't mind being asked for autographs but I'm just glad they waited till I was almost done so that I didn't get teased. Morgan would have had a field day.

After practice on Friday Mom and I drove to the airport to pick up Dad and Becca. They were coming here to spend my birthday weekend with us; we will put Dad back on a plane Sunday night.

Saturday morning I woke up at 7 am for practice. I got ready and went into the kitchen to grab some fruit. Mom, Dad and Becca were already there. As soon as they saw me they sang Happy Birthday.

"Happy 17th Birthday Pay," Mom said giving me a hug. "We are going to have a family dinner to celebrate tomorrow, but we are going to go ahead and give you your gift this morning, it's in the driveway."

"Why is it there," I asked. Feeling confused.

"Why don't you go have a look," Dad said.

"You guys are so weird," I said as I grabbed my bag and headed out.

Becca grabbed her bag to and followed me out. I stood in shock looking at my gift while Becca and my parents came up behind me.

"So what do you think Pay," Dad asked putting his arm around my shoulder.

I couldn't think. I just stared at the brand new silver 2010 Chevy Equinox with a huge purple bow on top.

"Is this for me," I asked when I was able to form a sentence, "can we afford this?"

"Well that's something we need to talk to you about," Mom said as she put an around me and Becca, "financially we are a little better but we decided that I need to go back to work. I will be working at The University of Colorado in Denver 8am-7pm Monday-Thursday. So we will need you girls to help out more. Payson, you will be responsible for getting yourself to practice. Avery's mom will pick Becca up at 11:30 am to take her to the gym. Then at 5 you will need to pick Becca and Avery up and drop Avery off at her house. Then come home and you will put on dinner. I know this gift is coming with some responsibilities and we feel bad about that, but we really need your help."

"I understand and thank you so much," said while giving my parents a hug. They both gave me a kiss. I really did understand. My surgery had cost a lot of money and we almost lost the house. I needed to do whatever my parents needed me to do. But I'm confused, if you have to work because you need more money than how could you afford to buy me a new car."

"Actually Steve Tanner helped. He really knows how to get a deal." Dad said. "He even kept it at his house so we could keep it a surprise."

"Do you want to drive you and Becca to practice today," Mom asked.

"Yes," I said excited to try out my new car.

Mom handed me the keys and I got into the driver's side. Becca ran around to the passenger's side. Fifteen minutes later I parked in our parking space. Inside The Rock I went over to the girls. They wished me a Happy Birthday and I told the girls about my new car, of course they already knew about it. Sasha called us to practice and after that we didn't have much time to talk. At 2 Sasha let us go. As we were leaving Kaylie told me I had to wear a dress tonight and be ready at 6pm and they will pick me up.

I got home and relaxed until it was time to get ready. I looked in the closet trying to decide what to wear. I didn't have many dresses to choose from and I finally decided on the purple dress I wore to that party in LA. I blew dry my hair and then Becca helped me put it up in hot rollers. While I was waiting for my hair to curl I put on some makeup. I took out the curlers and flipped my head upside down on shook out the curls. I parted it on the side and put on some hairspray. I heard the doorbell ring as I was putting on some jewelry. I left my room and found the girls in the hallway.

Mom and Dad made us pose for some pictures before we left. We went out to Lauren's car and got in. They still wouldn't tell me where we were going. We drove into downtown Boulder. Lauren turned onto a street filled with trendy restaurants and stores. Lauren drove up to one of the best restaurants in town, we got out and one of the valets took the car. Ike and Heather were standing outside the restaurant.

"Happy Birthday Payson," Heather squealed as she ran up to hug me.

"Happy Birthday Pay-Pay," Ike said also giving me a hug.

"Are you guys ready to go in," Emily asked. "It looks like there might be a wait."

We all headed for the door when my cell phone rang, I looked down to see that my grandma was calling.

"It's my grandma," I told them, "I better take this. I'll meet you inside."

I opened my phone as the others went in. Grandma wanted to wish me a Happy Birthday and to ask when Mom and I would be moving back to Minnesota. After a few minutes I hung up the phone and was about to go inside when I recognized the guy walking to the Italian place next door.

"Nicky," I called before he got to the door.

"Hey Payson," he said as he walked the few steps over to me, "wow you look beautiful. What's the special occasion?"

"The girls and some of my friends from school are taking me out to dinner for my birthday."

"Oh yea, it's June 5th, well Happy Birthday."

"Thanks Nicky. It's funny we seem to be running into each other a lot."

"Yea we do and last time you were about to tell me something before you ran off," Nicky said taking my hand.

"Yea," I said looking down trying to decide what to say, "You see Nicky…"

"Pay-Pay," I heard a voice say. Nicky and I both turned, I was glad for the interruption.

*Nicky's POV*

Pay-Pay? What the hell kind of nickname is that? I looked over to see some scruffy looking kid walking over to us. I noticed he was a couple of inches taller than me, but I was much more built. I felt Payson's hand leave mine. The three of us stood there for a minute a red blush creeping across Payson's cheek. She looked so pretty blushing.

"Oh I'm sorry. Ike this is Nicky, he used to train at The Rock too and Nicky this is Ike my friend form school."

A friend from school? I wonder if this was the same guy she had lied about dating before? Maybe she was dating him now. She no longer had the no dating rules. He doesn't seem her type, he looks like a slacker. But maybe he is her type, maybe I wasn't.

"We better go in," this Ike guy said, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Yea we better go," Payson said, "It was good seeing you again Nicky."

"You to Payson."

Ike stuck his hand out for me to shake. I grabbed with more strength than I really needed. That Ike guy just smirked, which just annoyed me more. I felt my anger go up when he led Payson away from me and put his hand on the small of her back. As they were walking towards the door Payson turned her head and waved at me. I waved back; frustrated I turned to go to the restaurant next door to meet my parents. This was the second time Payson was going to tell me something but then didn't, next time I will make sure she does.