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"You have all worked very hard in training. Today is the day when you will be put to the test. Remember, we will be watching, so put on your best performance in these meets," Martha said in her heavily textured Eastern European accent from where she stood before the girls. They were standing across the floor of the HP Pavilion, the site of the 2012 Olympic Gymnastics Trials. The entire week had consisted of two training sessions a day in the arena, conditioning, physical therapy, and very little downtime. They had lined up before Marta in their usual height order so often that they didn't have to think twice about it now. For JJ, it was always easy… she was at the very end of the line.

"Thank you Marta, coaches, and national staff, goodbye," the girls all replied in unison, getting a nod of dismissal from their esteemed leader. They all relaxed, turning towards the stairs as they followed each other across the floor. As the smallest girl in the group, JJ was at the back of the pack as they headed down to the sidelines to grab their bags. She took a deep breath as she waited for the throng down the stairs to dissipate.

Martha Karolyi had ruled the USA Gymnastics women's artistic program with an iron fist since she had taken the reigns from her husband, Bela, in 2001. She had high expectations for all her girls, and even higher expectations for the select groups who made her teams. She was a stern leader, but nonetheless, JJ had craved her praise and encouragement from the very first time she'd met Martha. Martha's approval was almost worth more than any Olympic gold medal.

Finally making her way down the steps, JJ remained silent as she headed straight for her backpack. Even as the other girls talked lightly amongst themselves, she was lost in thought.

Tonight would be the first night of competition. And for the first time she could ever remember… she wasn't just nervous. She was a little worried. Her stomach felt uneasy, and her nerves were set on edge.

"You ok kiddo?" Nick asked softly, breaking her from her self imposed silence. "You look a little pale"

"I'm ok," she breathed, pulling her team warm-ups on slowly as Nick sat down in the chair beside her. "Just… nervous, I guess"

Nick stayed silent for a moment, nodding understandingly as he cast his eyes across the arena. Directly across from them was the huge siding panel that read U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM TRIALS, hung in front of the dais where Martha Karolyi would be sitting with the selection committee that evening.

"It's a big moment," he concluded softly. "You've done the training. You've put in the hours… tonight is your opportunity to go out there and perform what you've been practicing all year. But most importantly, JJ?"

JJ looked up from zipping up her backpack, meeting her coach's reassuring gaze.

"Tonight, you should enjoy it," he said, a gentle smile crossing his face. "You should go out there and have fun… because yes, the Olympics are putting a lot of pressure on you, and I don't blame you… but you're here because you love gymnastics. It's time to show the world just how much"

It took a moment for his words to fully sink in, but when they did, she broke into a somewhat relieved smile. Picking up her bag, she slung it over her shoulder.

"I will," she said softly, getting a grin in return out of Nick. "I'll make it the time of my life"

"Hey Will, are you coming to grab some dinner with us before we go to the arena?"

Poking his head around the bathroom door, Will found Jason looking expectantly towards him.

"Yeah, just give me a minute to get changed," he said. Jason gave him a thumbs up, turning back towards his suitcase to search for something to wear.

Retreating back into the bathroom, Will quickly tugged his T-shirt over his head.

He didn't know why he was always so unsure around JJ's brother. Jason was a nice enough guy, with a tendency for light teasing every now and then. He was built like Michael, tall and burly, with a crop of dark blonde hair that had quite famously made him the teen heartthrob of his grade at East Allegheny High. Even with the tormenter he could be, he was fiercely protective of his family, but none more so than his little sister.

Well… actually, he did know why he was so jumpy. But this weekend wasn't the time to think about that.

Will swallowed thickly, running a hand through his hair before turning and heading back out into the room.

"I've been thinking of getting Jayje some of her favourite candy for after the meet on Sunday, as like… a little celebration of 'hey, the worst part is over'. Unfortunately, I'm a shit big brother, and I have no idea what she likes," Jason mused.

"Jolly Ranchers," Will blurted out. Jason looked up, cocking an eyebrow in confusion at his sister's friend.

"Ok… thanks," he said softly, breaking into a small grin before turning to look at the clothes piled on his bed. "Excited to watch Jayje compete tonight?"

Will hesitated slightly, shifting his weight to his other foot. "Yeah… I mean, Nationals last year was really fun, so this should be twice as good"

Jason gave him a friendly smile, tossing some of the clothes into his suitcase. "So, JJ never told us how you went with your college acceptances. Where did you end up deciding on?"

"I kinda suck at school… like, I do ok, but I'm no honour roll student, that's for sure," Will chuckled, the tension in his shoulders relaxing off as he spoke. "I did get accepted into a few out of state colleges, but in the end I decided on the University of Pittsburgh… I like it in Pittsburgh, so I wasn't too keen about the idea of moving away"

"Fair enough," Jason said with a nod, pulling his phone off the charger and shoving it in his pocket. "Do you know what you're going to major in?"

"Probably criminology and justice… my end goal is to get accepted into the police force," Will replied, a shy sort of smile crossing his face. "I've always admired the work my dad does… can't see myself doing anything else"

Jason grinned. "Well, for what it's worth Will, I reckon you'll make a great cop one day. Not to mention, it gives a certain pull with the ladies"

Will chuckled as Jason led them towards the door of the hotel room.

"No-one in high school took your fancy, hey?" Jason asked as they stepped into the hall, pulling the door closed behind them. He glanced down at his phone. "Mom and Dad are waiting in the lobby"

"Ok," Will said softly. "And… n-not really. I mean, I dated a couple a couple of the girls in our grade, but I never saw any of them going anywhere past high school. Maybe… maybe I'll meet someone in college, who knows"

'If only Jason knew who's really taken my fancy,' he thought to himself as they strolled down the hall.

"Stay single man," Jason replied, making him laugh. "I love Katie more than life itself, but she honestly does my absolute nut some days. Just stay single. You and your Xbox, that's all you'll ever need"

Laughing, Will shook his head as he shoved his hands into his pockets and followed Jason's lead down to the lobby.

She'd been horrendously nervous when they'd walked out for the national anthem. Her hands had shook, her stomach had been aflutter with butterflies, but she had sucked it all up right before her first event, the floor exercise.

She wished she'd been able to start on beam, but as it was, that was where she was now standing to close her meet for the night. The arena was electric, the crowd more energized than ever, and it had made it so much easier for her to follow Nick's advice about enjoying herself and performing her best. Her floor had been the best of her career, with high tumbles and clean landings that put her well in contention behind Aly on the event. She'd blocked harder than ever off the vault table and landed almost upright with a smile. And her bars, for some reason touted as being weak, had soared higher than she'd thought possible, scoring a strong score just below a mid 15 that had surely presented her as a strong case for the Olympic team.

She snapped back to the present moment just in time to see her green flag go up in the air. Plastering a smile on her face, she presented to the judges.

"Come on JJ, you got it!" she heard McKayla call from somewhere across the arena. Most of the other girls had finished for the night. She was one of the near to last gymnasts to go.

She took a deep breath, her custom, before running towards the springboard and punching hard from it.

"Oh!" Sandy gasped, grabbing Michael's hand tightly as JJ's feet hit the beam with a loud CRACK.

Michael chuckled, patting his wife's arm. "She's on, it's alright"

Immediately executing her double spin, she finished it tightly, before turning back towards the end of the beam with a little choreography.

"I hate this part," Sandy moaned as JJ lined herself up on the end of the beam.

Will watched, almost transfixed as JJ swung her arms back and then flipped easily across the beam. With a hard punch, she launched into a full twisting layout, landing it securely on the end.

He let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, clapping with the rest of the watching crowd. He had never seen her compete that move live. At Nationals the previous year, she had simply done a layout, out of nerves and being fresh off an injury.

Her choreography was clean, her leaps well extended. Her second flight series, two connected front aerials followed by a tricky little skill called an Onodi, left the audience captivated. Her switch ring leap brought forth an audible gasp, even from Will and Sandy.

To Sandy, it was breathtaking. Even though it was a skill she had seen JJ do many times in her career, it blew her away just how beautiful JJ made it look.

Nothing left but the dismount.

Her mind was clear, wholly focused on the task at hand. With a deep breath, she swung back, before leaping onto her hands. Flipping seamlessly down the length of the beam, she launched off the end into a high full twisting double tuck.

When she hit the mat at the end, she swore the arena was going to explode. Beaming from ear to ear, she saluted the judges again, before jogging over to the stairs where Nick was waiting.

"I think that was even better than when you won your world title," he laughed, lifting her down from the podium and giving her a tight squeeze. "You competed well tonight kiddo, well done. Good work"

"Thanks," she said happily. "I just followed your advice"

Nick grinned, leaving her side as the girls started to come up and congratulate her. "See, I'm always right!"

Rolling her eyes, JJ shook her head as she turned to accept a hug from Kennedy Baker.

"That was so good, I'm proud of you!" Aly gushed as she approached from her other side. Pulling away from Kennedy, JJ accepted a tight hug from her best friend.

"One more night… we got this," Aly said softly, smiling widely as she squeezed JJ tightly.

It was in that moment that the nagging worry she'd had for the past few weeks drifted back into her mind.

What if they didn't make the team? Or, even worse…

… what if Aly made the team, and she didn't?

TERMINOLOGY GUIDE

Onodi – from standing, the gymnast swings her arms as if she is going to do a back handspring. Jumping back, she executes a half twist before her hands touch the competition surface, turning the move into a forward skill. From there, she comes down onto one foot and stands up, as if out of a walkover. Named for Henrietta Onodi of Hungary, who competed at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games. She is the 1992 Olympic vault champion.

Switch ring leap – the gymnast propels forward. If she is a right leg leaper, her left leg swings forward first, before kicking backwards. At the same time, she drives her right leg up into the air and throws her head back. Her back leg is bent at the knee. The name 'ring' derives from the shape created by the release of the leg and head. Difficult to perform on the balance beam as it requires loss of sight of the beam.