Clarity ~ m.c.

•Chapter 31•

My eyes immediately shot open upon hearing my name being called. I was practically in disbelief for a minute. It didn't fully hit me until Grace started shaking my shoulders screaming and cheering that we made it.

"I did it." I said quietly and she pulled me to stand up and I followed her to the front where coach was standing and the other winning gymnasts were.

"Congratulations girls." Coach Dougherty told us as soon as the five of us were standing in front of him. "Ladies and gentlemen, our Women's Olympic Gymnastics team." He spoke back into the microphone.

I felt on top on top of the world. The five of us all turned to each other for this big group hug even though this is the first time we actually meet each other.

I did it. I really did it!

******

***Michael's POV***

I've been texting and calling Lauren all day trying to get her to answer but she won't. It was starting to get close to midnight or so and all of us we're still pumped because of the show. Well everyone except me. As soon as I got of stage and calmed down after being so excited it came back and hit me what happened with Lauren. I frantically started calling her again and there was still no answer.

On the tour bus I decided that I would try Skypeing her. As it was ringing waiting for her to pick up, I prayed that she would.

"Oh my god, Dominique guess what!" Lauren shouted really excited at the computer, but it immediately changed when she saw it was me.

"Hey." I said trying to force a smile.

"I thought you were Dominique." She said quietly, she looked really excited but at the same time really upset. Looking at her room through the screen there were boxes and suitcases on her bed and on the floor.

"What's going on?" I asked trying to make small talk and keep the conversation going since she was talking. She didn't answer. "I've been calling and texting you all day, why didn't you answer we have to talk." I said taking the chance.

"I have nothing to say to you." she said sounding disgusted that I was attempting to talk to her.

"Why not? What did you mean by your text Lauren?" I demanded.

"I think it's pretty self-explanatory if you ask anyone." She commented.

"God damn it Lauren what is going on! Why won't you talk to me! What did I do?" I yelled.

"Did you think you could get away with lying to me?" She yelled back.

"What are you talking about?" I asked confused.

"Why didn't you just tell me you weren't coming home?" she demanded. Fuck.

"I was going too but you got really excited about us coming home and I didn't want to upset you." I explained to her. "Then when I was going to fix it we got caught up in all this stuff for tour-"

"Oh so you forgot to tell me!" I asked sounding really pissed off. "Well that makes it so much better, that's the best thing to forget to tell you girlfriend."

"I'm sorry!"

"If you just told me the truth instead of me finding out through all your parents that you weren't coming home I would have understood Michael!" she yelled.

"Please don't get mad." I said and that was the stupidest thing I could have said, because she got madder.

"Are you serious?" she asked like it was a joke. "Michael I'm upset that you didn't tell me the truth and then lied to me saying that you were still going to come home! I'm tired of constantly being kept in the dark, how could you tell everyone else that you weren't coming home and not me?" she interrogated me. "You promised."

"I didn't want to hurt you or upset you that we weren't going to be coming home." I tried to explain but she looked at me like she couldn't believe what I just said.

"You didn't want to hurt me?" she repeated. "It's a little too late for that." She said. "I've had enough of people lying to me, not coming back and hurting me."

"Lauren-" I tried to reason with her.

"No Michael, don't even." She stopped me. "I told you to give up on me Michael . . . Now you don't have a choice."

"Lauren . . . please don't. Please don't tell me what I think you're doing." I begged.

"I'm doing what I do best remember?" she said tears filling her eyes and her voice cracked. "Pushing people away." She said now tears rolling down her face.

"Lauren, listen please don't-" I begged her to stop.

"I made the team by the way." She stopped me again. "Yep I'm going to the Olympics; just thought you would like to know because I would never forget to tell you or any one that." She said and it was a complete punch in the gut.

"Lauren I'm sorr-"

"Good-bye Michael." She said and closed her laptop shut ending the call.

I could physically feel my heart breaking; it hurt like a bitch like I was just shot. I forgot how to breathe. I just stared blankly at the computer screen unable to do anything. I leaned my head down into my hand and started to cry . . . not being able to do anything else.