Out of Bounds (The Summer Games #2)(22)

June dismounted from the high bar, stuck her landing, and squealed.

Erik clapped. “Great, June. Did you feel how fast that last twist was? It needs be like that every time.”

June nodded gleefully before turning to us. Her expression changed quickly, turning supercilious. She sauntered off the mat and walked right up to me, clapping her grips so chalk particles spiraled through the air, nearly choking me.

“You’re up, Brie.”





I called my mom later that night when Molly and the other girls were downstairs finishing up dinner. She’d been trying to get ahold of me since I’d arrived, but I’d been busy, not to mention a part of me wanted to put distance between my life in Seattle and my life back home. I could almost feel normal here, light, free from the pressures mounting in Austin.

“I checked your bank account today.”

I cursed under my breath, annoyed with myself for giving her access to it in the first place.

“Oh?” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant about it.

“You promised me you had enough money to get through until Rio.”

I could feel my throat closing up. I hadn’t thought about the balance in two days, but I knew it was still as abysmal as when I’d left it. I’d counted the drinks at the bar the night before, tallying up what it had cost Lexi to pay for them. She didn’t ask us to reimburse her, but I’d been nervous the whole night that she would.

“And I do,” I replied, pulling confidence out of thin air.

My mom sighed, and the weight of it nearly broke my heart in two.

“Mom, I swear. I still have some cash on me and besides, everything here is pretty much paid for.”

The cash was a lie, but the rest wasn’t.

“They’ve got food and everything for you?”

I smiled, because for once I wasn’t lying. “Yes. Tons of healthy stuff that tastes like high-protein cardboard, and they aren’t charging me for rent, obviously. The airfare to Rio has already been covered, so don’t worry. I don’t need much money while I’m here, I swear.”

This time when she spoke again, I could sense a lightness in her tone. I figured she was relieved to know I wouldn’t be asking for any money.

“And you know what?” I continued. “When I get back from Rio, we’re going to celebrate on me,” I said, smiling at the image of my mother and me dressed up at a fancy restaurant. We never ate out while I was growing up. I hadn’t even been to a real restaurant until I went with a friend’s family when I was thirteen. I’d been embarrassed to admit that fact at the time, so I sat in silence, marveling at how the price of just one meal would buy us groceries for a week. I’d feigned a lack of appetite and ordered a small salad that I was embarrassed to learn only came as a side to an entree. I shook the memory from my head and turned to look out the window.

“I don’t want you worrying about any of that while you’re there, Brie. Just focus on gymnastics. I’ve been picking up a lot of extra hours while you’ve been gone.”

I ground my teeth together. My mom deserved more than this life. She deserved more than bland food and long, thankless hours. She was the most selfless person I knew and it wasn’t fair that life had dealt her such a shitty hand.

The USOC rewards $25,000, $15,000, and $10,000 for each gold, silver, and bronze medal earned at the Olympics—hardly life-changing money for most professional athletes, but any one of those sums would make an immediate impact on my life, let alone more than one. Plus, if I was smart about it, I could easily spin my success into sponsorships and endorsement deals. I had no limits. If they wanted to slap my photo onto cereal boxes? Perfect. Leotards? Makes sense. Tampons? Sure, I’d go with the flow. (Ha.) I would shill for whatever I had to to turn our lives around, but first I had to win. First, I had to become a household name worth mentioning.

“When I get back from Rio, things will be different, Mom. I promise.”





Chapter Nine


Brie





The next morning, I woke up before my alarm. I blinked my eyes open and glanced back at the small window, disappointed to see the moon through the translucent curtain. A quick glance down at my phone confirmed my suspicions. It was only a little after 5:00 AM. I needed to lie back down, force my eyes closed, and go back to sleep. I’d crashed early the night before, exhausted after a hard day of workouts and the phone call with my mom. Still, I’d regret it if I didn’t try for another few hours of sleep.

Molly was snoring gently above me. I strained to hear any other sounds in the house, but it was silent. We weren’t due at the gym for another three hours.

I could go on a morning run, but I was too sore. Instead, I lay in bed and shot off a few text messages to my mom, letting her know I’d meant what I’d said the night before and further assuring her that practice was running smoothly and I was having fun. I attached a few photos I’d taken of the property and the house. I knew she’d beg me for more details, but it was enough to sustain her until I got another chance to call her.

After that, I tried to roll over and fall back asleep, but it was hopeless. I’d already had eight hours and I was antsy to get up and move around.

“Molly,” I whispered. “Psst. Molly.”

If possible, she started snoring even louder.