Balance (Off Balance 1)

“What?” I glanced at his face distractedly, my mind totally not wanting to function today. I shook myself out of it. “Yeah, I’m just worn out is all. I’m ready for this day to be over.”

“You realize it’s not even noon yet, right?”

“Don’t remind me.”

We hopped into Hayden’s car and he started the ignition, draping a strong arm over the top of my seat. As he peered over his shoulder to back out, he looked at me and smiled with his warm blue eyes.

“Don’t sweat it. We all have off days.”

“Off days? I sucked! Badly! I looked like an amateur!”

He chuckled over my exaggerated sigh. “You totally did.”

I reached over and punched him. “You don’t have to state the obvious!”

“Would you rather I lie?”

“No.”

“Hey,” he put a finger under my chin at the red light. “Keep your head up. It’s just a bad morning practice, not a bad life. This afternoon will be better.”

I smiled softly at him. “I hope so. I feel like I’m the only one having bad practices lately.”

“It happens sometimes. You’ll get through it.”

“I know…it just sucks. Regina seems to thrive on my mistakes.”

He gave me a perplexed look. “Regina?”

“Reagan, I mean. Have you ever seen Mean Girls? She’s the Regina George of gymnastics. Loves to see people fail and shit. Like she gets off on it.”

“Never heard of it, but why do I have a feeling you’re right? Maybe one night we’ll watch it together,” he said, shifting into another gear.

I pursed my lips together. “You want to watch Mean Girls?”

He shrugged, pulling into the library. “Why not?”

“I don’t know…because it’s a chick flick?”

“So? We’ll get some pizza and soda, pig out, and watch a movie one night.”

I sighed happily. That sounded like such a great idea.

“I can’t remember the last time I turned the television on. Our schedules are so intense and jam packed I fall into bed as soon as I get home. There’s no time for fun.”

The smirk that slid across Hayden’s face told me I was wrong. “There’s always time for fun.”

I bit my lip. “I’d like that, but can we not tell anyone? Meaning your sister so she doesn’t tell Reagan? I don’t need any more shit.”

“So you mean, I’m your dirty little secret?” He winked.

THREE HOURS LATER and my brain was fried. Math was not my strongest subject. When letters got mixed in with numbers, that was it. I was done. Luckily my tutor only made me do it for an hour then moved on to History. Which I loved.

“Want to grab a bite to eat before we head back?” Hayden asked.

I checked my watch and realized I hadn’t eaten anything other than a granola bar.

“Eh. I have a salad at the gym, but I’m not really in the mood.”