golden girl (b.t.c.)

chapter four

wednesday, january 7
"it's good, el, it's pretty good." coach daley said.

"but?" eliana sighed.

"your extensions aren't enough. open up more. do it again." she motioned to the bars. eliana has just stepped up to the spring board when the door to the lobby slammed shut and a loud voice boomed.

"eliana! my little champion!" coach easton yells.

she reeled back, confused. "i thought you weren't coming until next week."

"surprise!" he laughed and came into the gym area. "whatcha up to?"

"the usual. gymnastics." eliana deadpanned.

"perfecting the bar routine, i see?" he said. "i hope you're taking my advice."

she nodded and repeated it. "amateurs practice until it goes right. professionals practice until it won't go wrong."

"exactly!" he grinned. "alright, let me see it." he went to stand next to coach daley, and muttered a few things to her.

eliana took a deep breath and jumped up to the high bar. after a perfect routine, she let go of the bar and twisted into her dismount, sticking the landing once again. she checked the clock again, willing the time to go faster so that thursday could come. 3:30. only two more hours to go.

"hello?" coach easton waved a hand in front of her face. "el."

she shook her head and turned back to him. "sorry."

"you need to have complete focus if you want to defend your title this year." coach daley said. "i don't know what's with you today. you keep checking the time." she pulled out her phone. eliana's buzzed in her bag, and she looked over, resisting the urge to check it.

coach easton shook his head. "you aren't in the right headspace, el."

"i know, i'm sorry, i just have something else on my mind." she waved her hand. coach daley looked up at her. "i think i know what it is."

she held out her phone, showing a headline on some tabloid website.

Teen gymnastics champion Eliana
Dempsey seen with Newsies tour
dancer Ben Tyler Cook

there was a picture beneath of the two of them going into the theatre together. eliana's jaw dropped. coach daley turned her phone back and started to read from the article. "two-time world champion eliana dempsey was seen last night at the opening night of newsies on tour in chicago. sources say she was getting friendly with ensemble member ben cook before and after the show. cook, who plays race, is arguably one of the most famous members of the tour, and just turned 18 this december." she scrolled down a little, then kept reading. "according to a source at the stage door, cook helped dempsey over the barrier separating the actors from the fans, and the two went inside the theatre together after the show."

coach easton gave me a look. "boys? really, eliana?"

"boy." she corrected. "just the one."

"i don't think it's a good idea to be dating someone." he said.

"he's going to distract you from your training." coach daley added. "you can't see him again."

eliana shook her head. "what? no!"

"it'll be best for your career." coach easton agreed. "you do want to win again this year, don't you?"

eliana picked at her fingernails. "of course, but-"

"no buts." coach daley said. "distractions don't make champions."

eliana looked down at the ground and chewed on her lip, before taking a deep breath. "i said no."