Page 63 of Salto

And another.

Suddenly, I felt his fingers gently tap my ab muscles.

“Relax here, Red.”

I let out a strained laugh.

“You seriously expect me to relax right now?” I was getting tired. Presses were physically demanding, but I guess that was the point of the exercise.

“Just try,” he said, his tone softening for the first time all session.

I gritted my teeth.

“Support your back,” he said. “Are you flexing your abs because they need support? Or because you're afraid?”

It was then that something clicked in my brain. Yes, it hurt, but if I stopped bracing, would something really bad actually happen?

I would feel more pain, sure, but it wasn’t like it would harm me.

Slowly, I forced myself to release the tension I was holding.

The pain there got more intense almost instantly, and I sucked in a sharp breath.

“Feel that?” he asked, recognizing the shift instantaneously.

I wanted to tell him to shut up, but instead I held the position.

The pain was still very much there.

But for the first time, it wasn't controlling everything else.

“Yes,” I managed to say.

I did feel it. But if this was what I was going to be doing every day, it was going to be really hard not to start hating these sessions.

Pain was going to be my new best friend.

After a few more times of executing the skill correctly, he let me rest.

I stood up and tightened my ponytail, trying not to glare at him.

It wasn’t him that was causing the pain. I would have to remember that.

“These are controlled situations. The real test is going to be whether you can learn to do this quickly. Instinctively.”

I nodded. “I think it's starting to make sense,” I admitted.

A small smile of satisfaction touched his lips, but it was gone almost as quickly as it appeared.

“Good,” he said, already shifting back into coach mode. “Now let's move into a hollow hold.”

CHAPTER 24

When I finished my session with Rove, he dismissed me to warm up with the rest of the team for regular practice.

By the time I stepped out of the dance room, the gym had come alive.

Music played in the background, springboards ricocheted, and the smack of feet hitting landing mats filled the space.