[Author's Note: After much thought, I decided to time skip to the next week. I want to get this moving a little faster, and I cannot do that if I am still stuck on the second day. Since I left off on the Tuesday of the first week of Olympic training, I am moving forward about six days to the next Monday. There will be flashbacks of what I did not write about during the first week. We won't be missing much. I just want to bring Lauren back to training.]
Lauren hated waking up at ungodly hours to train. It was the worst part of being an elite gymnast; reporting to the gym at five in the morning to push her body to the extremes. This morning she felt differently, she was excited to do it. Sure, having a week off from training was a pleasant surprise, but it was for the wrong reasons. Now that her body had recovered, she was more determined than ever to get back to training for the Olympics. Lauren had gotten up at 4:15 A.M to get ready for the day. She left the house with a spring in her step and excitement to train. She would have to take it easy the next couple of days until she and her heart got back into the swing of things. Lauren pulled into her reserved spot and turned off the engine. The smile on her face got bigger as she entered the building. Payson and Jordan were already stretching. Sasha and MacIntyre were up in the office. Lauren climbed the steps that led to the door of the office and knocked twice. Sasha was the one to open the door and let her in. "Good Morning. I wanted to review the monitoring system and the workout plan that will slowly get me back to normal training." Lauren greeted as she took a seat across from her two coaches. "The monitoring system is the same one that we used at training center. You will be monitored wirelessly while you train, and someone will be observing your stats at all times. Today, you can stretch out with the other girls then you will be working on floor, specifically your dance elements. It will provide the least impact on your body. Depending on how your body does today, we decided on what you are working on tomorrow. You are free to go change and stretch out." Coach MacIntyre explained. "And Lauren, welcome back. We missed you." Sasha added as she got up to leave the office.
"Lo! You are back!" Payson shouted as Lauren joined them to stretch. Payson hopped up onto her feet and embraced Lauren in a loving hug. Lauren smiled and wrapped her arms around Payson. "I am excited to be back. If I am going to hold my title of the Queen of the Beam at the Olympics, I need to train." Lauren admitted. Payson let go and looked Lauren over before speaking again. "Are you sure you are the same Lauren Tanner?" Payson accused. "Of course, Pay." Lauren chuckled. The two sat down next to Jordan and got back to stretching. "How are you feeling?" Jordan asked politely. "Better now that I am out of the hospital." Lauren answered. Jordan nodded and stood up. "Coach Mac wants me working on vault in the auxiliary gym since I have been having trouble hitting the two and half twist require by the Amanar." Jordan excused and headed for the auxiliary gym. "What are you working on Payson?" Lauren wondered. "Sasha wasn't feeling the Latin inspired floor routine, so we are starting from scratch. New music, new moves. It has helps that I have regained some of my power. I will never be 100% the power gymnast I use to be, but every day I get a little more back. I am hoping to peak at the Olympics because my body will not be able to handle another Olympic circuit." Payson explained. "Sasha and Mac want me working on the required dance elements of my floor, so I do not strain my body. I know I will not survive another circuit either. My heart can barely handle this one." Lauren said as she entered into a split.
Like Jordan, Colleen was happy that Lauren was back, but she was not as excited as Kaylie. Kaylie attacked Lauren as soon as she entered the gym with Colleen. "I missed you, Lo!" Kaylie shouted as she gave Lauren a bear hug. "Miss you too, Kaylie." Lauren replied back. "You should see my new beam mount. It is looking better and better each day. I will never have D.O.D as high as yours though." Kaylie said excitedly. Lauren smiled and let Kaylie and Colleen change since it was almost time to start working. Payson was already doing turns across the floor, so Lauren joined in and tried to mimic her friend. "Can you teach me, Payson?" Lauren requested when Payson came to a stop. Payson waved her over and had her stand on the white line that marked the boundaries of the floor apparatus. "These are called Chaînés. You will start in second position which looks like this. You are going to spot something in the direction you are heading. I am spotting the clock on the wall." Payson explained before starting a series of turns on the white line. She traveled to the end of the line before coming to a stop. "You try." she encouraged. Lauren did her best to repeat what Payson showed her, but she could not stay on the line like Payson. Her arms were all over the place. "Do me a favor, Lauren. Never attempt that on beam." Sasha joked as he approached them.
Sasha put on the music for Lauren's floor routine. "I just want you to walk through your routine. No tumbling passes." Sasha ordered as he and Payson stood to the side. Lauren started out in the corner and moved her arms before walking diagonally where her tumbling pass would normally be. She continued her routine until the last note dissipated into the air. "Very nice walk through." Sasha commented as he finished jotting down something onto his notepad. "I think will start with your leaps." he added. Lauren nodded and took a sip from her water bottle. "Payson, can you demonstrate how you do your switch ring leap?" Sasha requested. Payson performed the skill as Sasha pointed elements of it out to Lauren such as the arm position or how she got height.
[Author's Note: I feel like this chapter got worse as it went on. I have lost my muse for all of my stories. I hope it comes back because I feel bad for not putting out new chapters as often as I would like. Please, please, please, leave reviews with what you think or want to happen, ideas, or constructive criticism.]