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"What?"
"Answer the question. Are you sleeping? You have bags under your eyes, you are haggard looking. I guarantee if I put you on a scale it would show weight loss. And you are moody."
"I sleep like a baby," I lied. I hadn't slept in weeks, not since the night Kova stayed over. I was running on fumes, past the brink of exhaustion, and yet, somehow, I was still here giving it my all. I think it was sheer will and determination that drove me, because my body was ready to collapse at any minute. Maybe a dash of hardheadedness. Who needed sleep when their future was a ticking time bomb? I had one week until my first meet. There was no time to sleep when I had so much to do.
He squinted his eyes. "Is there something you want to talk to me about, maybe? Did I do something? Am I pushing you too hard?"
I scoffed. "I'm dealing with PMS. My cramps are terrible and I'm about to get my period. Not everything is about you, Kova." Partially true. Mostly a lie.
All I ever did now was lie.
Kova closed his mouth, but I knew by the look in his eyes he didn't believe me. I was overworked, and I was fucking tired. I had no time to sleep.
I could sleep when I'm dead.
His arms dropped to his sides and pity filled his face. Kova's entire mood shifted. "Go home, Ria," he said softly.
Fire fueled me, my eyes widened. "What? No!" I rebutted, stepping back. "You have no reason to send me home."
He took a step toward me and cupped my shoulder with empathy. "I can see it in your face that you are drained. You look like shit. I worried practicing at this magnitude would set you back."
"Oh, please. I've only gotten better, and you know it. But Coach Kova has a bug up his ass. When he gets mad, gymnasts must leave," I mocked, rolling my eyes, and regretted the words the moment they left my lips. I sounded like a damn child.
He was still soft with me. "Yes, you give me lip, and yes, I take it, but this is not like you, Adrianna. It worries me. Go home and sleep. Your body obviously needs it. Take tomorrow off and go to the doctor. Get your vitals checked. You have not been yourself lately. If you do not, and you keep up this behavior, the closer the competition gets, the weaker you get. It will not end well for you."
I stood my ground, grinding my teeth together. "I'm not weak."
"I would never take you for a weak person."
"I'm not leaving. I have two hours of vault practice left. Then I will go home."
Kova shook his head in incredulity. "What is it with you? When are you going to learn I have your best interest at heart and to trust me? I am genuinely worried about you. You clearly need rest."
"The last time I put all my trust in your hands, you hurled it away. I can't afford to let that happen again."
"I thought we were past that. You just cannot let it go, can you." Kova looked away, his jaw tightened. I loved when it flexed like that. Such a masculine thing to me.
"Nope, and I won't. So, now, if you'll excuse me, I see Madeline growing more and more impatient with me by the second. I need to get to vault. I'm sure she'd love to know what this little spectacle was about. She doesn't like it when I waste her time."
Kova stared at me with disdain written plain as day on his handsome face.
I lowered my voice. "I'm going to do what I need to in order to get what I want."
"I understand that, Adrianna, but you are going about it all wrong. This is going to backfire on you, trust me."
I shook my head and turned around.
"You are walking on thin ice with me," Kova said under his breath before I was two steps away.
Looking over my shoulder, I said, "What could you do that could possibly hurt me even more?" When he said nothing, I smirked and turned back around, walking away.
&nbs
p; * * *
"Your legs separated off the spring board, and in flight."
I landed with the sound of Kova's voice to my right. I glanced at him and grimaced. I wasn't sure why he was here when he wasn't my vault coach, but one thing I was sure about was that he had other girls to coach and mentally break down aside from me.
