but I still have a meet coming up
and nationals or not
I still have to get ready

there is no other choice

stopping would be like jumping from a moving car
and not even being able to explain why
I’m so not interested in the
canned speech about all the
opportunities a gymnast
has besides an Olympic medal

so I get ready
and I try to make my coach happy by focusing
which is easy
since I’m not talking to Ben right now

I spend extra hours at the gym
without being asked
and use the meet as an excuse for just
about everything
which is making Mel mad
but helping me to avoid
the real world
that exists outside the gym