want to hear excuses. Show them you’re confident and want to be here, that you can handle what they give you and have what it takes. Basically, just agree and nod and that will take you far. They know what they’re talking about. I’ve been through a handful of coaches at this gym, and these are by far the best.” He paused, then said something I needed to remember. “And most importantly, there will be days when you’ll want to quit because you can’t take any more. Those days will come and they’ll come often. Just don’t give up, because the reward will be worth it in the end.”
I took in Hayden’s words with a serious nod. He cupped my shoulder with compassion and said, “Good luck,” then pulled the door to the gym open and stepped inside.
Looking through the window, there was only one girl out there, and I thought it was Reagan, but I wasn’t sure since I met her for only a split second the other day. I watched as she landed a front handspring double twisting front layout into a punch front tuck, her arms out in a T landing to balance herself, but she pulled to the right and took a large step.
“What are you waiting for?”
A deep, baritone voice startled me from behind. I jumped, looking over my shoulder as my heart raced. My hand flew to my neck. Where had he come from?
“What?” I stammered.
Konstantin tilted his head to the side, his face expressionless. “I thought you were a gymnast, not a spectator. My time is valuable. Get in the gym now or leave.”
I pulled back, my mind reeling from his unexpected nasty tone. My jaw hung open, silently moving up and down. I struggled with words, trying to find the right response. The way his eyes bore into mine made him unapproachable...And intimidating.
“Where...Where do I put my things?”
He gave me a look that said I should know where my stuff went. He hadn’t assigned me a locker, but I had a feeling mentioning that wouldn’t be good, so I didn’t bring it up.
“Okay,” I responded quietly. “Where to after that?”
“This is just like any other gym, Adrianna,” he said with a bite, rolling the R in my name. “Let this be a lesson learned after today. After you come in, you place your things in a locker, and you get your ass into the gym quickly. I do not care where you start, as long as your feet are on the blue floor every morning by six thirty and you are coming to me. Yeah?”
With wide eyes and parted lips, I nodded at his dick attitude. Coach marched off and I quickly did as he said as my knees shook. Jesus. He acted as if I was late, which I wasn’t, he just hadn’t explained what to do once I arrived.
I stripped out of my hot pink, Juicy Couture two-piece zip-up and pants set and rolled it up, shoving it into a metal locker. I’d stick it in my bag later, the last thing I wanted to do was make him wait any longer. I threw my long burgundy hair into a messy ponytail and made my way toward the gym.
Swallowing back the lump in my throat, I pushed my shoulders back, stepped into the gym and walked over to where the women’s team was. Coach stared me down, tracking my every footstep. His gaze made me feel two inches tall and insecure.
I chewed the inside of my lip as our eyes locked. His black short-sleeved shirt hugged his muscular biceps. His arms were firmly crossed in front of his chest, muscles perfectly rounded, and his stance spoke of authority. He tracked me all the way across the gym. Heads turned my way in the middle of their stretching, so I quickly tiptoed to the floor. I’d have to let Alfred know we needed to get here a little earlier tomorrow to avoid these uncomfortable stares, just in case. No one liked being the center of attention, so I needed to make sure I’d slip in quieter and unseen.
Legs spread out, I leaned forward and lay on the floor, my arms and legs parallel to each other. I expelled a breath and closed my eyes, rejoicing in what my body was doing. I loved the way my muscles pulled tight
I took in Hayden’s words with a serious nod. He cupped my shoulder with compassion and said, “Good luck,” then pulled the door to the gym open and stepped inside.
Looking through the window, there was only one girl out there, and I thought it was Reagan, but I wasn’t sure since I met her for only a split second the other day. I watched as she landed a front handspring double twisting front layout into a punch front tuck, her arms out in a T landing to balance herself, but she pulled to the right and took a large step.
“What are you waiting for?”
A deep, baritone voice startled me from behind. I jumped, looking over my shoulder as my heart raced. My hand flew to my neck. Where had he come from?
“What?” I stammered.
Konstantin tilted his head to the side, his face expressionless. “I thought you were a gymnast, not a spectator. My time is valuable. Get in the gym now or leave.”
I pulled back, my mind reeling from his unexpected nasty tone. My jaw hung open, silently moving up and down. I struggled with words, trying to find the right response. The way his eyes bore into mine made him unapproachable...And intimidating.
“Where...Where do I put my things?”
He gave me a look that said I should know where my stuff went. He hadn’t assigned me a locker, but I had a feeling mentioning that wouldn’t be good, so I didn’t bring it up.
“Okay,” I responded quietly. “Where to after that?”
“This is just like any other gym, Adrianna,” he said with a bite, rolling the R in my name. “Let this be a lesson learned after today. After you come in, you place your things in a locker, and you get your ass into the gym quickly. I do not care where you start, as long as your feet are on the blue floor every morning by six thirty and you are coming to me. Yeah?”
With wide eyes and parted lips, I nodded at his dick attitude. Coach marched off and I quickly did as he said as my knees shook. Jesus. He acted as if I was late, which I wasn’t, he just hadn’t explained what to do once I arrived.
I stripped out of my hot pink, Juicy Couture two-piece zip-up and pants set and rolled it up, shoving it into a metal locker. I’d stick it in my bag later, the last thing I wanted to do was make him wait any longer. I threw my long burgundy hair into a messy ponytail and made my way toward the gym.
Swallowing back the lump in my throat, I pushed my shoulders back, stepped into the gym and walked over to where the women’s team was. Coach stared me down, tracking my every footstep. His gaze made me feel two inches tall and insecure.
I chewed the inside of my lip as our eyes locked. His black short-sleeved shirt hugged his muscular biceps. His arms were firmly crossed in front of his chest, muscles perfectly rounded, and his stance spoke of authority. He tracked me all the way across the gym. Heads turned my way in the middle of their stretching, so I quickly tiptoed to the floor. I’d have to let Alfred know we needed to get here a little earlier tomorrow to avoid these uncomfortable stares, just in case. No one liked being the center of attention, so I needed to make sure I’d slip in quieter and unseen.
Legs spread out, I leaned forward and lay on the floor, my arms and legs parallel to each other. I expelled a breath and closed my eyes, rejoicing in what my body was doing. I loved the way my muscles pulled tight
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