Release (Off Balance 3)

I was still so thirsty and rummaged through my bag for another bottle when Kova’s shoes appeared in my view.

"Everything okay?"

I glanced up. "Yes. Why?"

"You are frantically searching your bag."

"I'm just looking for my water…" My voice trailed off. "I thought I had another bottle of water in here." I stood up and looked around for the big cooler with paper cone cups that was kept at each event.

I turned around to tell Kova I'd be right back, but he was already walking away. He stopped in front of his belongings and reached down.

I gnawed on my bottom lip. He was going to give me his drink, I knew it, but I didn't want him to. I knew the thought was stupid, but I didn’t want anything extra from him, even if it was something as simple as water.

Kova walked toward me with his arm stretched out. My mouth watered just looking at it and I took it. I didn't say thank you, though. All I could do was look him in the eye, uncap it, and chug half of it in one gulp.

He took two steps closer and my heart kicked up a notch. Lowering his voice, he said, "You are poetic when you perform. The way your body moves, your lines, the way you feel the music." He shook his head like he couldn't believe what he was thinking. He seemed so far away. "The way you let go and feel the sport, it was almost—"

Kova pressed his lips together. Whatever he was thinking caused his voice to shift and pause. I watched him, his gaze longing, as if he was savoring the memory. I almost wanted him to finish.

He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Never mind. It is hard to tear my eyes from you. I could watch you for hours."

I scanned the large room of spectators, trying not to let my heart feel a thing when it came to his fake words anymore.

"Isn't that your job, Coach? To watch me?" I asked without looking at him.

He didn't say anything for a long while, and I finally looked at him.

"You just surprise me every day. Your performance was, once again, flawless."

I sucked on my lips so I wouldn't respond and squinted at the screen waiting on my score. In the past when the judges have taken long to release a score, it meant there were deductions, or they couldn't agree on something.

"What's taking so long?" I asked him, impatient. An ache began on the side of my waist, probably from anxiety, and I pressed on it in an attempt to ease it a little.

He looked over his shoulder at Holly. She still hadn't gone, but she knew better. Kova was adamant about the score being posted before the next gymnast competed. That way if he wanted an inquiry into the score, he could get one. If the next gymnast went, and a score came back for the previous gymnast after her rotation, he couldn't challenge it.

Finally, in what felt like an eternity, my score flashed above our heads just as I took a sip.

* * *

The crowd exploded all around us. Slowly, I pulled the bottle from my lips as goose bumps ran down my arms. I recapped the water while I stared in absolute shock.

Underneath my name was a perfect score. By some miracle, I'd gotten the maximum points allowed for execution and difficulty for my routine again. I’d had a feeling I'd done well, but I didn't think I’d done that well.

I blinked a few times, hoping it wasn't a deception of my mind. Two perfect scores were almost too good to be true, and I was dealing with exhaustion. Hallucinations were possible.

Kova yelled, actually yelled in excitement, and pumped the air with his fist. I almost laughed. I'd never heard him make a sound like that before or seen him fist pump. He turned around, squatting until he was my height, and grabbed onto my shoulders, giving me a little shake. His entire face lit up and he started speaking in Russian.

I felt the slight pull at my lips again. Kova, like every other coach with their gymnast, yanked me up into his arms and squeezed me into a tight hug for my perfect score.

"Coach… Coach!" I said, tapping his shoulder to get his attention.

"Yes! What?!"

"You're speaking in Russian. I can't understand you."

Kova drew back. He hadn’t realized he slipped into his native tongue and I found it comical. His eager green eyes sparkled under the arena lights and were full of adoration. There was a familiar stirring in my belly. I tried not to laugh, but it was impossible. I smiled and that produced an even bigger smile from him. In this room, Kova was happy, and for a brief moment, I was too.

Kova studied me. He threw his head back and a boisterous laugh roared from his chest.