Free Balance (Off Balance Book 1) by Lucia Franco Page B

past the brink of sanity to not only master the elite level skills, but master them perfectly. And even with that, I do not know if you will get to where you need to be by the time you want. This is going to be complex to manage. A challenge. I am not sure I am capable of moving mountains.”
    My jaw moved, but I was utterly speechless, trying desperately to form words but nothing came out. Kova’s green eyes stared harder, waiting for me to respond.
    “I am not getting any younger, Adrianna.”
    Sucking up my stupid emotions, I needed to be positive, because despite his hurtful words, I was a strong, confident person.
    “I want it more than anything. Gymnastics is my life. My dream. Let me prove it, please. Give me one chance to show you. I won’t give up and I’ll work harder than everyone else in the gym, and you’ll never hear me complain.”
    He stayed quiet, assessing my answer and said, “Bring me your schedule tomorrow, I will see where I can fit extra time in for you. You may have to come in on your day off, maybe do a half-day just for conditioning. I will go over it with Madeline, then call your father and tell him the joyous news.”
    Ignoring his jab, I responded eagerly. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”
    I quickly learned Kova was a difficult man to read with his prolonged silence, but agreeing to whatever he said got me the approval I sought in his eyes.
    “What is it that you are going for?”
    Confused, I asked, “What do you mean?”
    “Do you plan to compete in college? Retire before or after college...I need to know what I am working with.”
    “I want to go to the Olympics.”
    A deer in headlights. It was the only reference that came to mind as Kova stared at me. He didn’t think I could do it. It was obvious.
    Snapping his head to the side sharply, Kova cracked his neck. The sound echoed throughout the room, and I cringed. “You do realize how many young girls have the same ambition, right? How difficult it is to achieve?”
    “I do.”
    “And you are aware only five girls in the entire country will make the women’s team? That the alternates hardly ever get called up.”
    “Of course.”
    “And they are normally making the US Team around fifteen-sixteen years old?”
    I knew where Kova was going with this, and truthfully, I didn’t want to hear it. I’d had enough kicks to the gut for the night.
    “I’m well aware I’m older than normal to begin the elite path and that my chances are low because of my age, but I have the fight and drive to make it happen. I have passion and determination. I don’t care what anyone else thinks. If I don’t push for it, I’ll regret it. Everything I need is at my fingertips. I can do it...I know I can. I will practice until I can’t get it wrong, until my hands are bleeding and my feet are raw. I’ll go to the Olympics, and nothing is going to stop me. Especially not my age.”
    Seemingly impressed, Kova nodded slowly, taking in my words. “Go home. I will see you tomorrow, Adrianna.”

 
     
    T he moment I stepped out of the shower and dressed in my pajamas, I called Avery to vent. The entire meeting with Coach Kova replayed in my head, making me sick to my stomach. Even though I should’ve been heading to bed for tomorrow’s early practice, I knew my best friend would still be up. I gave her a play-by-play of my day and the results of my shitty evaluation, feeling bad for myself the entire time.
    “ Go home, that’s basically what he told me,” I complained. “I’m shit, Avery. A joke. I can’t believe it. And here I thought I was good enough to be on a senior team. He clearly doesn’t want me testing for elite, doesn’t think I’m good enough, yet he has no choice to.”
    “What do you mean he has no choice? So he gave you all that shit for nothing, but at the end of the day, he has to train you?”
    “Yes. There are junior elite and senior elite gymnasts. It’s all based on age and you have to qualify by testing elite