Page 43 of Salto
“I’ll make time. She can come in before regular practice.”
Vanta shook his head, the conflict obvious on his face. “I need athletes who can handle the workload. If she can’t, it won’t be fair to her or the rest of the team.”
I fidgeted uncomfortably in my seat, my cheeks heating without my consent.
Rove nodded, his jaw tightening.
“She can.”
Vanta didn’t look convinced.
“I see something in her, Nikolai. Please.”
Vanta looked at Rove for a long moment, as if he wasn't used to being challenged by him. A mix of what appeared to be irritation and surprise passed over Vanta’s face.
“You're certain about her?”
“Yes.”
The answer came without hesitation.
Finally, Vanta let out a long sigh and rubbed a hand across his jaw.
“Alright.”
The hope that had vanished only a few seconds ago started to flicker back to life.
“If you want to use your own time to train her before practice, that's your decision,” Vanta continued, pointing a finger toward me. “But I'm giving her one meet to qualify for elite.”
My stomach dropped.
“If she doesn't qualify, I'm considering this experiment over. She'll be cut from the program.”
Silence filled the office.
Then Vanta looked directly at me.
“Do you understand?”
I swallowed.
“Yes, Coach.”
“Good.”
He slid a packet of papers across the desk.
“I guess that settles it. Here’s the new athlete packet. Tuition information, schedules, and waivers are all inside. You have two weeks to get everything squared away and decide if this is what you want.”
I took the packet and stood, shaky-legged.
“Thank you,” I said, taking that moment to escape before he could go back on his word.
I exited the gym and walked quickly toward my car.
When I reached it, I felt like I’d washed up on land after just swimming through choppy ocean waves, and I could finally breathe again.
I leaned against the driver's side door, feeling the cool glass of the window against my back. I looked up at the sky. Late-afternoon clouds had rolled in, casting everything beneath them in soft gray light.
