07 Nats Part 1

This part in Gymnastia is focused on 2007 Nationals.

Comment, fools! haha.

Nastia rolled her ankle around as she flew above Arizona. Her ankle had been cramping and aching all day. "Come on, just go away for two days, please." Nastia muttered, leaning her head back in the seat. Trying to ignore the stabbing pains, Nastia grabbed her Ipod out of the pink backpack on the floor. Valeri came back from the bathroom, and scooted in towards Nastia. She curled up into him and slowly drifted off to sleep. "Come on, get up!" Valeri shook Nastia, who groaned and rolled over. Then she opened her eyes in realization. It was Nationals. But..wait..her ankle...it throbbed with pain. But sheh ad to work through it. She couldn't give up after everything she'd been through. She got up, grabbing her bag and took a few steps before collapsing in the middle of the aisle. Well…this was embarrassing. Her ankle protested with sharp shooting pains all the way up her leg. She groaned. “Come on!” she felt the tears stinging. “I’m not even off the stupid plane!” She slapped the floor of the plane and attempted to push herself up, but failed, falling back down again. She cloShe practically screamed in frustration. She was sick of this. Sick of the pain, the frustration, the waiting on the side lines while everyone passed her by. Valeri looked down at her sympathetically. Nastia breathed in quickly, and grabbed the arm rests of two chairs, using them to hoist herself up. Valeri shook his head thoughtfully. "Are..are you sure you're ready?" He asked hesitantly. Nastia turned around, her eyes practically spitting fire. "Okay." Valeri threw his hands up, assuming that Nastia's look had been a "Yes". Nastia left indentation marks on her bottom lip, due to biting down as she made her way off the plane. After dropping off their things at the hotel, they headed over to the arena for a final practice. Girls and their coaches were already there, testing out the equipment and chatting on the sidelines. That same new girl from last years nationals, who had been a junior then, was there. Nastia bit down on her lip again as she made her way towards the chairs on the side. She glared at the young girl, knowing she could definitely beat her, even with this injury. She was the new kid on the block…this was Nastia’s third year as senior. She’d show her. Nastia chatted with Alicia for a bit and they took silly pictures. Nastia didn't want to look at the camera as Alicia kept coaxing her. "Pleaseeee?" Alicia begged. Nastia laughed then her expression turned serious. "NO." Soon enough, the "mock meet" started, and all the girls lined up. Nastia would be first up on vault. She closed her eyes and blew on her tiger paw protected hands. "Come on." Nastia whispered to herself. As soon as she made her trek down the vault runway, sharp, shooting pains flew up her ankle. But Nastia wasn't going to stop. She ran the remainder and focused intently. As soon as her feet hit the springboard, the ankle protested in pain and Nastia fell heavily onto the table. She had absolutely no power and had to just do a simple tucked Yurchenko. She could see Valeri after she landed, looking angry, but yet sympathetic. She continued her recent habit of biting her lip as she made her way off the podium. "I'm sorry." Nastia said, her voice cracking. "It's okay. You'll do okay on bars." Valeri said weakly, with a pat on the back, and a kiss on the forehead. Nastia sighed as she sat down, watching the rest of the practice commence. She watched as the new senior girl, Shawn, hit a perfect double twisting yurchenko. Nastia sunk lower in her seat with a huff, but sat up straight while Aliciaexecuted a perfect fronthandspring rudi. "Nice, LEEEEESH," Nastia cheered from the sidelines. As Alicia came off the floor, she clapped hands with her and pulled her into a tight hug. Alicia was amazing at vault. Nastia would do anything to be able to perform like she did. “Hey, don’t worry about it, Nas,” she heard Alicia say with a pat on the back, “You’ll nail it tomorrow. How’s the ankle?” Nastia cringed, answering her question. Alicia kissed her forehead. “You’ll pwn bars.” "Phew." Nastia wiped sweat off her forehead in disbelief. "I guess so." Nastia sat alone during most of the bars roation where she had been placed last. She thought about her routine, going over it countless times in her head, all while trying not to believe that there was a pain in her ankle that she'd never felt. It hurt worse than anything. Nastia groaned and lifted up, walking around the arena, trying to calm herself, and stretch out the ankle. Before she knew it. it was time. She blew the chalk off of her hands and kipped up to handstand. Nastia closed her eyes in pain as she executed a toeshoot. Nastia breathed as she felt the skinny bar in her grasp. Kip, cast, blind change, elgrip, inward stalder, COME ON NAST. Nastia screamed at herself, trying to get in gear. Once she felt the hit handstand, she knew. But then she arched a tiny bit. "Crap." Nastia thought. She pulled the handstand back, and twisted into the blind change. Nastia seemed to glide through the air, capturing the attention of every spectator, coach and gymnast. She pulled in on the pak salto a tad, but quickly recovered and turned into the half piroutte. One last blind change and Nastia hurled herself into the air, flipping twice before landing on the ground with a BOOM. At first, Nastia thought she had a stick, but then, her ankle completely gave out and she fell straight onto her back. As she got up to salute to the judges, Nastia bit her lip once again and had a twisted expression on her face. Valeri patted her back, looking dissapointed, but semi-proud. "I'm glad you got up there." "Ha." Nastia laughed in his face. "If I can't do it well, why do it at all." Valeri drew back, surprised at Nastia's outburst. Nastia rubbed her palms on her thighs as she removed her grips. She marched over to beam with her head held high, pleased about the high bar score she sill had received. "Hmph." Nastia thought to herself as she glanced sidewards at her. Nastia climbed up onto the podium, blocking out all noises. She lifted her chin up as she placed her hands on the beam. Nastia pressed onto the beam, clenching her face in pain from jumping off of the ankle. "Breathe" Nastia whispered herself, as she cut through placing her legs on the beam, facing the judges. She mounted up and danced into place for her flight series. It took everything for her not to scream as she landed from the front aerial. But she trucked through it, landing the series with a slight bobble. Nastia somehow heard nervous clapping from below from Valeri who was pacing around nervously, hands on hips leaning with every move his daughter performed. She madei t through all the major tricks, flew through the leap series and then it was time to dismount. Nastia was so high on adrenaline and so proud of herself, she couldn't feel the ankle swelling, throbbing or searing. She catapulted herself up into the air. THUD. Cheering. She had stuck the dismount. Nastia was deaf to it all, despite the major accomplishment. She was overwhelmed with pain, and sat onto the ground, clutching her ankle. Everyone grew silent for a minute, but then she grasped the beam, pulling herself up. Nastia limped off of the podium, and passed by her father without a sound. Valeri looked concerned. "Come on." He patted her lightly on the piece of paper clipped to her back. It was worn, but still held up. Number 2. When Nastia had gotten the number she had stared at it, looking confused. "Well, then." She had stated. "I'll just have to show the person who enters gymnasts in these things that I'm number one." Valeri had snorted and whisked her off to where they were now. "Come on." Valeri repeated. "One more event left." Nastia looked up from removing ankle tape. "No." She said softly. "I can't." Valeri blinked. "I've got to save what strength I have in my ankle for prelims tomorrow." "Okay." Valeri said. Nastia was surprised at how quickly he had agreed. She had been ready to argue. "I'll go tell Marta." Nastia nodded as she watched him circle around the arena searching for the coach. Nastia leaned back in her chair, letting out a deep sigh of relief. She got 20 hours without gymnastics. She usually looked forward to meets, but with her injury, she dreaded them. It wasn't the gymnastics, in fact, it was the pain she felt everytime she executed a skill. Nastia knew she would do well tomorrow though. She just did. Valeri came back, and grabbed Nastia's hand, pulling her up. She slung her backpack over her shoulders and walked away from the gym, waving bye to all the gymnasts except for Shawn, who was up at that very moment on beam. "Ugh." Nastia moaned as Shawn nailed everything in her routine. "Stop it." Valeri ordered quietly with a twinkle in his eye. Nastia giggled. 15 minutes later, when Valeri and Nastia had arrived at their hotel, Nastia hobbled over to Valeri and fell into him. "Thanks for understanding." She whispered, gazing up at Valeri. "That's what I'm here for." Valeri informed Nastia with a kiss on the forehead. Nastia walked away, heading into the nearest elevator in the lobby. The doors closed right as Valeri was about to follow Nastia. "Gah." Valeri said frustrated. When the doors finally opened, Nastia quickly made her way to the hotel room she was sharing with her parents, sliding the key card in and instantly collapsing on the bed. Anna looked up from the book she had been reading by the window. "What are you doing home so early? Don't you have a test event?" Nastia didn't even look up, instead burying her head back in the pillows. Her ankle was already swelling to two times it's regular size. "Ugh." Nastia said into the comforter. "Well, are you going to tell me what's wrong or are you going to sound like a panda having a seizure?" Anna asked, looking at Nastia. Valeri, who had just entered the room and was hanging up his WOGA windbreaker, snorted. "I'm going to take a shower. Let Dad tell you about my horrible meet." Nastia ruffled through her suitcase, pulling out pajamas, and retreated to the large bathroom, slamming the door. "In a bit of a dramatic mood, aren't me?" Valeri asked Anna, raising his eyebrows. Anna picked up her book, and layed back down in one swift motion, looking concerned. She ignored Valeri's inquiry. Valeri plopped onto the bed with a sigh and flipped the TV on. Nastia quickly showered. The warm water felt good to her throbbing ankle, and she weakly applied pressure to it. She tried to take her mind off the meet earlier, but was having trouble, her horrible landing on bars replaying over and over in her mind. "How could she have been so stupid?", she thought to herself, pulling her pjs on. As she entered the room, she directed her attention to the television. "Nastia Liukin, two time national champion, is back to defend her title...but can she beat new kid on the block, Shawn Johnson? She's coming back from an ankle injury and it has people questioning....is she simply too old for this sport?" Nastia grinded her teeth together, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill over, but failed. She knew her father would be angry at her for the display of emotion, and she tried to turn her head away from him. Nastia crawled into her own bed, still fighting the emotions about to overflow from her. She turned onto her side and faced the blank wall. It stared at her, seeming to mock her. Nastia closed her eyes, mentally performing her routines for hours. She sighed as she layed there alone in the dark, her parents already asleep. "I can do it." Nastia said, finally before exaughsted, she fell asleep. The next morning, Nastia awoke groggily, not wanting to get out of her bed and face the competition. Her ankle was already going to protest...she could tell already, and she hadn't even attempted to stand up yet. As she pushed herself out of bed, she winced. Her mother was already at the bar, eating a bowl of oatmeal slowly. She smiled at her daughter, nodding to a bowl next to her. "Care to join me?" Nastia shook her head. "Ice. Now." Anna drew back, startled. "O--Oh. Okay." Anna spit out, clamboring towards the mini fridge to get an ice pack Valeri had brought from home. It had rested on Nastia's ankle most of the car trip to the Airport. Nastia sighed in relief as the cold ice touched her scar. "I hate you." Nastia said to the ankle, still groggy and grumpy. Anna looked up from where she stood, eyes sparkling with tears. She hadn't noticed Nastia directing the statement at her ankle. She'd never heard her daughter say anything like that to her in the seventeen years she had known her. She racked her brain, trying to find a reason for Nastia to possibly hate her, but came up with nothing. "O-oh...okay. Well, I don't have to go to the meet," she responded, picking at her fingernails. Nastia glanced up looking confused and saw the look on her mother's face. "No, Mom." Nastia started. "NOOO. I was talking about my ankle." Anna's shoulders drooped in relief. She walked over to Nastia and hugged her. "Good!" Anna stated, happily. Nastia halfheartedly chatted throughout breakfast, trying to stay optimistic. It had never been this hard for her to think positively. Before Nastia knew it, it was time to head over to the arena. She leaned back in the passenger seat of Valeri's rented SUV, running through routines. But her mind kept wandering off, finding weak spots to criticize. "You can't do this." Her mind and ankle seemed to scream in unison. Nastia somehow managed to keep her emotions inside her as she limbed into the arena. She crinkled her brow in pain and fury as she climbed on top of the podium for open stretch. Christa and Nastia ran in silence, both focused on the meet ahead, both also rattling with nerves.


Let me know if you want part two posted.