The Search For Shattered Pieces *Complete*

Chapter Twenty-Two: Death Drop, Discipline, and Dilemmas

Chapter Twenty-Two: Death Drop, discipline, and dilemmas

Lyra:

Coach stares at me so hard I'm seriously about to break out into cold sweats, that, or he'll succeed in boring a hole through my head. 
"You wish to end practice early, little doll? And you want my permission to allow this friend of yours to sit in on our session today?" He finally says, his voice flat, monotone, giving away nothing.  I swallow, hard, and nod my head.  And, although my insides are beginning to quiver, I maintain eye contact with him, and keep entirely still, stiff, my body ramrod straight.  "You are aware, little doll, that Nationals will be upon us before you know it, da?" I nod, curtly, but otherwise remain silent, and soldier still.  Hell, I'd make a drill sergeant proud.  "You are committed, two hundred percent, aren't you?  I would hate to have to remind you of the promises you made to me, little doll." I suck in a quick breath at the words, gritting my teeth, hard, as shivers begin to run up and down the length of my spine.  No.  I definitely don't want him to remind me of my promises either, as I'm pretty certain that I'd hate whatever techniques he'd apply to do so.

   "No boys, coach, I mean, Maksim!" The words spill from my mouth before I can stop them, and I immediately cringe when they do.  Holy hell and hurricanes, whatever freaking possessed me to spit that out? I bite my lower lip and try to read his face, I come away with nothing.  God, he's probably a master poker player.

   "Oh?" Maksim says, and there is a wealth of hidden, tense, weight behind the one word.

   Shit sticks and Scrabble.  I was going to have to tell him...come clean about my decision.  How could I tell him what I needed to tell him without really telling him.  Heck, what a conundrum.  I begin to gnaw on my lip as thoughts work, and run furiously through my brain.  Okay.  Just remain calm and collected, oh, and maybe I should work on my poker face as well.

   "You were right, Maksim, entirely correct when you told me that boys are a horrible distraction.  But...uhmmm...I didn't truly understand," my breath hitches when I see his eye tick, and his mouth draw even more taught, "...I didn't...didn't truly, I mean, the serious importance of your statement didn't really sink in until, until...recently.  But now, now I know you were so right, Maksim.  And...and...I've rid myself of any lingering, possible..." I take a deep breath and press on, "...any possible weakness.  There will be no distractions, Maksim, you have my word on this.  I only ask that you allow me to end practice early today, this one day, and permit my girlfriend to sit in for a little bit.  It wouldn't even have to be for too long, sir," I rush to add, and I notice that his face seems to relax a little at that statement.  "...And...and...if need be, I'll make up any of my missed hours tomorrow, in fact, I'll double them, sir." I blink slowly, surprised when a large, bright smile finally breaks across his face. 

   "You constantly surprise me, little one.  And I do like what I am hearing moy milyy." (My sweet one). He cocks his head to the side and continues to stare at me with unnerving intensity.  Suddenly he chuckles, but the sound is neither light nor easy, but deep seeped gravel, filled with dark, heavily laden unspoken meaning...what that meaning could possibly be, I have no idea, but the promise of it is there, and impossible to ignore.  "YA sderzhu vashe obeshchaniye, malen'kaya kukla." (I will hold you to your promise, little doll) After another weighty minute or two, he nods his head.  "All right, all right, little one.  I will grant you this one concession, with the promise that you will give me your missed hours tomorrow..." A large smile curves his lips then, "...two fold.  It is as you said...double the work to pick up the slack from today."