Execution (Off Balance 2)

"Yeah, cutter music. You know, music so depressing you want to slit your wrists? Cutter music. Like Lana Del Rey for instance. She sounds fucking miserable in every song, I can't take it. As if she hates her life and wants to end it for no good reason, not that there should ever be a reason, but still. Stunning beauty with the classic Hollywood look, but then she opens her mouth and she just sounds so damn sad and I cringe. I don't know, I just can't stand it. Same with Sia. Don't get me started on her. Another beauty, but her voice and lyrics drip with misery. She’s worse than Lana."

I laughed. She had a poin

t. "No, not my style."

"Thank God," she exaggerated. "Are you getting excited for your meet? Wish I could be there with you."

I smiled into the phone. "Yeah, but I'm nervous more than anything." And I was. No matter how much I prepared myself, no matter how much Kova whipped me into gear, stress-filled thoughts consumed me every minute of the day. "I upped my training, so now I practice every day for the next three weeks. I want to be ready when I test for elite."

"With Mr. Kissable, I presume."

I was silent for a minute.

"Oh hell. What aren't you telling me?" Avery asked.

"Nothing."

"Don't nothing me," she quipped. "You're lying. Spill!"

I looked over my shoulder at the door, as if I could see through it to what Kova was doing.

"He's here," I said quietly.

"Who's there? Why are we whispering?" Avery lowered her voice to match mine.

I chuckled. "Why are you whispering?"

She paused, then with a laugh resumed her normal tone. "I have no idea. Who is at your place?"

"I'll give you three tries, but I have a feeling you're only going to need one."

It didn't take long for my best friend to catch on. "Oh fuck me. What is wrong with you? It's like you have Lucifer on both of your shoulders cheering you on. The louder he gets, the dumber you get."

I laughed. "It just happened."

"Ria, it doesn't just happen." She scolded me as if I were a small child. "We've gone over this, you can't just fall onto a dick."

"That's not what happened at all. Not this time at least."

"So, you mean to tell me there was no touching or orgasms?"

"I didn't say that…"

"Of course you didn't." I pictured her rolling her eyes. "An orgasm is just expected when you're alone with the perv. I need to break you of this habit. It won’t end well for anyone." Avery stopped and then shouted, "Oh my God! He really is Lucifer! That's what I'm going to call him from now on. It's very fitting, wouldn't you agree?"

"Ave—"

"Lucifer needs to change the title of his gym. How about…World Cup Academy of Orgasms. Or, World Cup Academy of Gymnastics—where everyone walks away with a happy ending, you just have to hand over your virginity first."

A loud laugh erupted from me. Avery had wit and once she started, I didn't want her to stop. In a strange way, I was addicted to her personality. She had a fearless and cavalier attitude I wished I had.

"Seriously," Avery said, her tone switching to serious. "What's going on? Why is he there? Tell me everything and don't leave even a smirk out."

One side of my mouth lifted. I debated what to tell my best friend. I was used to lying when it came to anything me and Kova related, but I didn't feel like I needed to lie to Avery anymore.

"I had conditioning today, and it broke me. It was just me and Kova, nonstop, all day. No breaks, no lunch, just some water. Then full-on physical and verbal contact. Ave, I could barely stand when it ended. Never in my life have I been so depleted of energy. I was so out of it that when Kova asked me a question, I told him exactly what I was thinking instead of giving him what he wanted to hear. Long story short, we spat a bit and he left me with no choice but to allow him to drive me home."

"How long were you there?"