Clarity ~ m.c.

•Chapter 43•

***Lauren's POV***

The past few days have been incredible; I can't believe what has happened. I still feel like I'm shaking, I'm still in complete shock that I won silver in the All-Around Final; I was only beaten by a .200 deduction by one of Dominique's teammates beating me and then a Russia gymnasts beating Madison for bronze. But by giving our all, we've made it pretty clear the Australian team is a threat this year.

It's now time for the Team Finals and my nervous are through the roof. Eight teams, seven to beat for gold that's what it comes down too; those eight teams being United States, Australia, Italy, Great Britain, Russia, Romania, China and Brazil (who got in by the skin of their teeth). Starting off on balance beam with Italy, all five gymnasts will compete in each event and the team with the highest combined score wins.

It was a full on war, fighting for gold. We were executing our routines nicely, but the tiniest deductions were keeping us from gold and the pressure was starting to get to me. After going through the first three events-Balance Beam, Vault, then uneven bars- we were on the final event, floor. These were the standings going into the final event:

1. United States

2. Australia

3. Russia

4. China

5. Great Britain

6. Italy

7. Romania

8. Brazil

Warming up on the mat I could feel my mussels growing tired as I became weaker in pain. A million things were running through my head. This pain was becoming harder and harder to work with and if I mess up the slightest bit, it will be our down fall from gold.

"How are you feeling?" Brendan asked me as he walked over to me as I walked off the platform from warming up for the floor exercises; probably seeing the distress and agony in my face.

"Terrible, this pain is getting worse, I'm last on floor and I'm going to mess it up for us, I know it." I said panicked, the words flowing out of my mouth not being able to stop.

"Lauren calm down, you're putting way too much pressure on yourself; you're not going to mess it up for us." Brendan reassured me.

"I don't know if I can do this, in warm ups, practicing the Arabian-" I started to talk about my routine and where I was messing up, Brendan stopped me.

"Do you remember what I told you when I told you that you had to take the citizenship test and you got upset?" Brendan asked me.

"What?" I asked confused. "What does that have to do with this?"

"Just answer the question." Brendan chuckled.

"You said a lot of things that day." I responded.

"Yes, but this was when you thought you couldn't pass the test to make the team and got down on yourself." He told me. I thought really hard, thinking back to that day.

"How? It's impossible to pass a test about a country I know nothing about!" I argued.

"With help, we'll change practices; every time you come here while you practice we'll quiz you on things without giving up time for practice. At home get your family and friends to help, you're always hanging out with Michael and the guys', right?" Brendan asked. Brendan has meet Mike, Ash, Calum, Luke and Geordie before, plus I talk about them all the time, so he knows who they are.

"Yeah" I shrugged.

"Well ask them to help you, if you want the Olympics as bad as you say you do then push through this."