Clarity ~ m.c.

•Chapter 15•

***Lauren's POV***

It's the weirdest thing living in a country that feels like summer all the time. It's the beginning of December with three weeks till Christmas and every time I look out the window, let alone go outside I half expect/half hope to see snow on the ground. Back home the record snowfall in Boston was about 27 inches and is like an everyday occurrence during the winter! While here its summer instead of winter with zero percent chance of snow happening any time soon, so I can't expect to be getting a snow day any time soon.

However, it being the summer, schools over and I can now devote 100% of my time into gymnastics. I've been living in Australia for almost a year now, well ten months but it feels longer. Everything is coming up so quickly; in two weeks-the week before Christmas & my birthday- I'll be competing in Worlds witch Australia is graciously hosting this year, in a little over two and a half months I'll be trying out for the Australian Women's Gymnastics team-a week long tryout from February 20th to the 26th to be exact-, and then it's training for the Olympics. I've been winning competitions like crazy; I've gone on to win Nationals and Brendon says I'll be a real threat in tryouts. I'm counting down the days, I'm so excited.

Meanwhile, I've gotten better in every event, especially on balance beam, making me feel more confident with any event I have to do. At the gym I was even asked to help teach the younger girls.

"Olivia you have to be tighter in your core and relaxed in your arms." I instructed the 11 year old, who was working on the uneven bars.

"Laruen do you think you can show us a routine?" another girl, Sophia, asked and all the girls nodded in agreement.

"Now how is that going to help you?" I asked them.

"So we can see how it's supposed to be done and act as a confidence booster." She innocently smiled.

"I don't know. . ." I said thinking about it.

"Please!" they all started begging.

"I suppose." I laughed calming them down and jumped up to the bar showing them one of my old routines.

"Why can't I be like you?" Olivia said in awe like the rest of the girls as I made my dismount, sticking the landing.

"You make it look so easy!" another girl, Ella, commented.

"It takes tone of practice." I told them and they got right back to work practicing.

"Better Olivia." I said as she made her dismount of the bar. I continued watching each girl helping them and giving them advice on their execution.

"Well isn't that nice? It looks like Lauren's trying to take them under her wing and give them false hope about being great, and going to the Olympics." A voice came from behind me. I turned to find Mia and her clique sanding behind me.

Mia Smith, also known as the pain in my existence. She's a wannabe gymnast who does routines with low difficulty levels so she gets good score which is the only reason why she is thought to be a "good gymnast" and thinks she's going to go to the Olympics as well even though she takes the easy way out and has poor executions.

"Oh wait that's you." She laughed.

"You're just jealous that she's going to go to the Olympics!" Sophia defended me trying to walk towards Mia but I put my arm out to stop her.

"Oh look it that now she needs little girls to defend her, how pathetic." She snickered.

"Oh what's that Mia? I couldn't hear you over the fact that I actually qualify for tryouts and you don't." I pointed out and the grin left her face.