Her Offensive Line

Chapter 18

Monday morning found Katie back in the gym with Craig, still working on upping the difficulty on her floor routine. Craig was the reigning World Champion on floor exercise and with his help, Katie felt confident in perfecting new skills that would ensure her a spot on the Olympic team.

"You know," Craig said after she ran through her new pass for what could have been the tenth or the hundredth time, "Nailing that extra half turn is only going to get you so far."

Katie looked up at him from her spot laying flat on her back. She'd stumbled on her landing and let her momentum carry her down.

"As long as it gets me to the Olympics, I'll be happy."

Craig had walked over so he could look down and make eye contact. "You'll be lucky if it gets you there."

Katie sat up with a jerk, her legs sprawled out in front of her and her hands braced on the royal blue fabric covering the spring-loaded floor. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Craig sat down cross-legged next to her and dropped his elbows to rest against his knees, hands loosely clasped together.

"Have you watched video of yourself lately?"

"Yeah. It's been helping a lot improving my tumbling passes."

Craig licked his lips and brushed his dirty blonde hair back out of his eyes. "Have you watched video of yourself from four years ago next to ones from today?"

"No, why?"

"I think you should look at them and decide for yourself. Run through your routine again, including the new passes, and I'll video it. Don't just look tally up points when you're watching, though. Look at the big picture."

The conversation made Katie nervous. She felt more unsure now than when she'd been pushing to consistently land her new tricks for the past few weeks. She kept quiet when she left the gym later that morning and found Nick waiting for her near the entrance. He tried to make conversation as they walked to get breakfast and again when they sat down to eat with his teammates, but Katie was distracted and couldn't manage more than a few word at a time.

Sitting in class later that morning, Katie got a text from Cole. It had been a while since they'd talked –she didn't count the spaghetti selfie he'd sent and to which she'd replied with a winking emoji. She felt her heart contract a bit at the sight of his name on the screen. She was hit with a weird combination of nerves, dread, and excitement to talk with him again.

Cole: What are you up to for lunch today?

She had plans to study for a quiz, but it suddenly seemed like something she could do later.

Katie: No plans. Is this you asking to meet up?

Cole: Mick's in an hour?

Katie: I guess it is... sure, see ya there

An hour later they sat across from each other in a booth at Mick's, an Irish pub halfway between their two schools. Her mind fixed on her earlier conversation with Craig, Katie ordered the Guinness beef stew and dumplings and a side garden salad. After she and Cole handed their menus over to the waiter, she found herself staring down into her water glass, slowly stirring the ice cubes and lemon wedge, watching the lemon seeds swirl and bob.

She jumped when Cole dropped his palm to the table beside her glass, the sudden movement and loud smacking sound startling out of her trance.

"What's up with you," he asked.

"Do you think having cancer ruined my chances at another Olympics?"

Cole withdrew his hand from the table, using it to prop is chin and bracing with his elbow.