final push . 18+

I . The Beginning

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"hello, my name is tiyanna or known as tia and i'm a retired gymnast." a moment of silence echos the hall, students looking at me and each other. "why did you retire miss?" i smiled, and let out a small chuckle before removing one side of my tshirt.

"you see this scar here? this scar was from a injury i did during the tryouts for the olympics." a smaller girl, stands walking towards me and clutches my lower half into a hug, i lower myself and smile "oh sweetheart." i utter in a new embrace.

i sigh, wiping tears from my eyes before realigning myself. i let the small child take a seat again and resume. "would anyone like to know the story?" all the students yell, i take a seat in front of them, some sitting next to me and one particular child sits on my lap.

"does anyone know what a floor routine is?" all students nod, i continue and have the visions of my story wind in my head, little did i know explaining my story and how i ended up retiring from gymnastics, a boy a few miles out was in a final rugby game with the remaining injury that finally ruined his body and caused him to retire.

"and that day, i shook my doctors hand and with that i hung my leotard up." i clap my hands before all the children move back around. the teacher walks over hand on my shoulder, that teacher, she used to be my main coach for my team. and now she's my closest friend and my favourite memory. "can everyone thank tia for talking with us today?" all the students hug me and wave goodbye.

"children go place your shoes on, and michelle shall take you to your parents." the teacher pulls me to the side smiling, the smile she gave me after bringing home all the trophies. before a word can slip through my lips she embraces me tightly, "i'm sorry, it all ended this way." i smile into her arms. "it's okay, sam. sometimes things have to end."

"can you come back thursday, and talk with another set of students?" i pull away and smile, nodding my head in approval. "i'd love to." we both wonder to the children tying their laces on their shoes being collected by parents. "mum, look this is tia." a small child grins pointing to me.

her mum looks at me showing a sorrowful smile. "hello, you are that gymnast, aren't you?" i smile, grabbing a sheet of paper from the desk. "were, i was yes. i'm sure you're wonderful daughter will love to explain my story i told today." i smile looking to her daughter.

i hand over the sheet to the mother, after watching her daughter perform in all routines, it reminded me of myself and how young i started. "bring her to the higher training sessions, i see myself in her." her mother smiles, rubbing my arm. i wave to the young girl as she leaves the gym. "goodbye my dear, see you soon."

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somewhere in england, but i can't place it. near or far but i hate the part of town, memories rewind. "shit." he fell, grasping to his shoulder, he stood gently, accelerating through, tackling on though he thought to himself this is it

that feeling i felt months ago, when i had to push my last push, why do i feel that feeling right now again? it must be nothing, my eyes focus back into reality again while im driving through the street back to my apartment.

i read the news before going to bed, my name appears a few times and then i see his. he took a hard tackle and his shoulder tore, just like mine. he was meant to play international, he was meant to play for bristol and one day england.