Page 64 of Salto

The walls were covered in framed photographs and posters from national championships and the Olympics. For some reason, I hadn’t really taken notice of them as much when I’d been here for the team tryout. Maybe because I’d been so nervous, I hadn’t been able to focus on anything else.

I spotted Rove on several posters. He'd just competed in the last Olympics, and he was in almost all the men's team photos.

But all of them served as a reminder of what this place produced.

My stomach twisted nervously, and I forced myself to tear my eyes from the walls. I really couldn’t psych myself out today.

I hurried down the stairs toward the group of girls already gathering on the floor, trying very hard not to look as out of place as I felt.

It didn’t work.

Eva spotted me immediately.

“Hey, Scar,” she said, her eyes widening. “First official day?”

“Yeah, you too?”

“Sloane and I have been here for about a week,” she said.

It made sense that they would’ve accepted the invite immediately. Any gymnast who was certain about the elite path would’ve taken the opportunity as soon as possible.

Vanta had given me two weeks to decide.

I’d taken all fourteen days.

“I’m glad you decided to come,” Eva said, and her smile looked genuine enough that some of the tension in my body evaporated.

“Thanks,” I said.

A few of the other girls glanced our way, and I reached up to fiddle with the end of my ponytail out of habit.

So much for sliding in unnoticed.

A second later, Vanta stepped onto the floor with Hana and Rove behind him, a clipboard tucked beneath one arm.

“Bring it in, ladies.”

I followed Eva into the semicircle that formed around the coaches.

Vanta’s gaze swept over the team once before finally landing on me.

“We have Scarlet Hale joining us today.”

Heat crawled up my neck when every head in the circle turned toward me.

I gave a small, pathetic wave.

A few girls offered quick, murmured welcomes, but Vanta was already moving on to the next thing.

“Three groups,” he said, clapping once. “Bars, beam, floor. You’ll rotate every hour and a half. Hana will be on floor. Rove will be on bars, and I’ll start on beam.”

Across the circle, I caught sight of Sloane. She was watching me.

Her arms were folded over her chest, her expression unreadable except for the slight crease between her brows.

Definitely not thrilled that I was here.

I looked away first.