A/N- Hey everyone! Here is a new story that I've been writing for awhile, and I decide to post it on wattpad. Leave me a comment telling me what you think of the first chapter!
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I wake up to the sound if my alarm clock blaring. I roll over and see its 6 am. I groan and get out of bed, walk to the bathroom and brush my teeth, wash my face, and throw my hair up in a messy bun. I walk back to my room and get dressed in some jeggings, a t shirt and a light pink hoodie. I pull on my uggs and then get my gymnastics bag packed. Yes that's right. I'm a gymnast. Level 10 to be exact. I'm 16 and a junior in high school. I've been asked multiple times to be homeschooled, but I just want to go to school like any other normal girl. But gymnastics is first priority. I train right after school for 6 hours, and 3 hours on Saturdays. I'm training for the elite USA team. That's my ultimate dream.
I rummage through my drawer full if leotards and pick out my favorite one, a silver one with pink swirls and sequins on it. I stuff it in my gym bag, along with a sweatshirt, yoga pants, hair ties, bobby pins, deodorant, pre wrap, sports head bands, an ankle and knee brace, wrist guards, grips, sneakers, and a water bottle. I swing my gym bag that says "Orlando Elites" in blue lettering, over my shoulder. My gyms colors are blue, white, and black. I pack up my binder and other school supplies in my pink jansport backpack. I grab my wristlet with my keys, cash, gym and school parking pass, and my ID. I carry it all downstairs and greet my mom.
"Good morning mom"
"Good morning sweetie! You ready for school?"
"Yup" I answer as I pour my self some cereal.
After breakfast I grab my things, say goodbye to my mom, and get in my car to drive to school. I arrive at school at 7:10.
"Hey Lexi!!" My best friend runs over and hugs me.
I greet her back with a hug.
My best friend, Audrey, is also a level 10 gymnast. Out of the 7 girls on my team, she's the only one that goes to my school so were very close. Audrey is one of my only friends at school, I'm a quiet girl, and keep to myself a lot at school. I don't like people knowing I'm training to be elite, but over the years, people have found out. I have a few friends I talk to in my classes, like Vanessa, Lily, and Hailey. But none if them understand my life. They all think gymnastics is just a sport, and I can easily just skip a practice to go to the mall. But there wrong, gymnastics is everything to me, my life, my passion. I train 33 hours a week, I strive for the best I can be.
When the last bel rings at 2:05 I couldn't be happier, finally it's time to go to practice. I say goodbye to Lily and try to find Audrey. Audrey doesn't have her own car yet so I drive her to the gym and drive her home. I spot Audrey walking towards my car. I say hello and we put our identical gym bags in the backseat.
"So Lexi, you ready for this weeks practices?" Audrey asks.
This week my coach and assistant coaches are evaluating all level 10 girls for qualifications to elite trials. Only 2 girls can qualify from each gym in the country. It's a huge competition, where every gymnast in the country that qualify compete for one of the 10 spots on the senior elite team. So this week is very intense and important. I've gotten excused from all homework and tests this week so I can focus purely on gymnastics.
"Yeah I am, a little nervous, but I brought my lucky leotard to wear." I reply.
Audrey laughs "yeah I brought my lucky Leo to. I'm nervous though."
"We're all nervous. But I'm confident that you and I will be the 2 girls to qualify." I answer.
"We'll we'll find out on Friday."
When we arrive at the gym, I take down my school parking pass and put up my gym one. I grab my gym bag, wristlet and phone, and lock my car. I stuff my phone and wristlet in to my bag and walk to the locker rooms. When Audrey and I arrive, 2 of our other teammates are there, Ally and Brielle. We greet each other. I Unlock my locker and open my bag to get my leotard, sports bra, and spandex shorts out. I change into my Leo and then walk to the bathroom to tie and clip my hair back. I walk back to the locker and put some deodorant and body mist on. I take my ankle brace out and put it on. A few months ago I sprained my ankle, and I wear my brace just to make sure it heals right and I don't make it worse. I take my grips, water bottle, and wrist guards out of my bag and out them on the shelf of my locker so they'll be easy to grab when I need them. The other 3 girls, Mackenzie, Brooklyn, and Serena are almost ready so I wait for them.
When were all out on the gym floor we begin stretching. We do out left and right splits, middle splits, over splits, needles, back bends, wrist and ankle stretches, and finally shoulder stretches.
After stretching we begin our warmup, 10 laps around the gym, 3 rope climbs, and lastly, hand stand walks and back handsprings.
When we finish warm up our coaches walk and explain to us how this weeks evaluating will go. Today we will work on individual skills on beam and bars. Tomorrow well work on individual skills on vault and floor, then compulsory routines on all events, and finally our own routines on all events.
"Alright, I want Lexi, and Audrey on beam, Serena and Brooklyn on bars, and Ally, Brielle and Mackenzie do your conditioning routine, we'll rotate in 30 minutes." My coach, Lena orders.
I couldn't be happier starting on beam, beam is my best event and I'm currently the best beam worker in Florida. I walk over to the chalk bucket with Audrey and we chalk our thighs, feet, and hands so we don't slip. "Good luck" Audrey whispers as we're chalking up. "Thank you, you to" I reply
"Alright Lexi your up first. Lets see a middle split mount, then a straddle handstand mount." I nod, those two mounts were the basic mounts for level 10.
I walk up to the beam, place my hands and grip the beam to pull myself into my middle split on the beam. I did it with no balance checks or mistakes. Next, I grip the beam and pull my legs up in a straddle handstand, I then straighten my legs and come down to a straddle on the beam. I did it flawlessly, no form breaks, balance checks, and perfectly pointed toes. I smile to myself as I come off the beam.
"Nice Lexi, alright we're going to start with basic leaps and jumps, show me a straight full wolf jump full, split jump half, side split leap and a tuck full." My coach orders.
I obey and hop on the beam to perform my leaps and jumps. All my splits reach 180 degrees and all have good height.
"Alright now we'll move on to basic skills, I want to see a forward and backwards roll, an illusion, a handstand, cartwheel, front and back walkover, and a Valdez."
I hop on the beam and begin my rolls, each one is done perfectly. I perform my illusion, where I have a little wobble but not much, I move on to my cartwheel, handstand and walkovers, which are skills I can do in my sleep. I finish off with my Valdez, once again performed flawlessly.
"Nice job Lexi, now I want to see some tumbling series. Show me a double back handspring back tuck, a double back hand spring back layout, double layout step out, side aerial, and a front aerial."
I jump on the beam, and prepare to go into my first tumbling pass. I continue on till I finished the tumbling skills . I finish pretty happy with myself, a little balance check on my side aerial and unpointed toes on my double layout.
"Alright lets see some dismounts. Do a double back dismount and a 11/2 twisting dismount."
I go to the edge of the beam and prepare for my double back handspring into a double back. I get plenty of height and land it with a tiny step forward. I get back on the beam and go to the middle of it for my round off into a 11/2 twist. I stick the landing. Audrey claps for me.
"Alright Lexi, nice job. That's all for beam today, go on the 2nd high beam and practice your routine. Audrey, your up next."
I say thank you and walk to the locker room for a quick break. I get a long drink of water and redo my messed up ponytail. I tighten my brace and walk back to the beams to practice my routine.
"Alright we're done with 1st rotation, I want Lexi, Audrey, and Brooklyn to go do conditioning, Serena and Brielle on beam, and Ally and Mackenzie on bars" Coach Lina orders.
I walk over to the ropes with Brooklyn and Audrey and start climbing in a straddle position. Our conditioning routine is 5 straddle rope climbs, 5 piked climbs, 50pull ups, 3 minutes in a flexed arm hang, 100 sit ups, 100 push-ups, 3 minutes in a plank, sache for 5 minutes, run for 10 minutes, 70 burpees, and finally we do handstand holds against the wall for 5 minutes.We must finish that routine every practice before we can leave.
When the 2nd rotation was over, I went to bars. I was a little nervous for this, because it is my worst event.
"Alright Lexi, I want to see simple skills first, a pullover, kip, hip circles front and back and standing on low bar."
Okay, that's easy enough, I've been doing those skills since I was 7 I though to myself. I ace everyone.
"Good, I want to see some giants"
I do a kip and stand on the low bar so I can get to the high bar, I swing myself to give myself power and finally get around the bar, I straighten my arms and legs and point my toes.
"Good form Lexi! Lets see a double back dismount."
I re grip and prepare for a dismount. I release and bring myself into a tuck position, I flip around twice and land perfectly.
"Good job Lexi! That's and easy dismount, lets see a double full."
A double full is my dismount I'm training, it's pretty much ready to compete though. I get on the high bar and do some giants before I release and do my full's. I land it with a tiny step backwards.
"Nice Lexi, that's almost ready to compete! Alright now lets see some releases."
I get on the high bar, do my giants and do release skills. I catch the bar with plenty if strength each time.
"Good job, alright Lexi, that's all for now. Go finish your conditioning, Audrey your up next."
When practice was over, I pack up my bag, slip on my yoga pants and gym sweatshirt, I didn't bother taking a shower because I was only going home. I say good bye to all my teammates, and my coaches. I get out my keys and hop in the car to drive home.
"Hey Lexi, how was practice?" My mom greets me.
"It was good, we're starting starting evaluations for elite trials this week. We did individual skills for bars and beam today."
"How did you do?"
"Pretty good, stuck most skills."
"That's awesome sweetie! Did you talk to your teachers about being excused?"
"Yeah I did, they said it was fine, as long as I make some of it up over the weekend, and come in before school to take the tests I miss."
"Alright that's good. Dinner is on the table, were having chicken and sautéed vegetables."
"Alright mom, I'm going to put my gym bag and backpack away."
When I finish dinner, I go up stairs to take a shower. I get out and dry off, wash my face, brush my teeth and get changed into a tank top and pink polka dotted pajama bottoms.
Before I go to bed I always stretch first. I go into my side and middle splits, a seal stretch, a backbend, and finally my pike. When I finish, I crawl into bed and fall into a dream filled world.