Page 145 of Salto

I did and blinked until the stinging subsided.

When I looked up and met his gaze again, I could still see the tension in them.

“He wants you to skip camp and go see a doctor before Nationals.”

“What?”

“And I do too.”

My stomach dropped, and my hands started to shake. "Miss camp?”

I folded my arms over my chest, hoping he wouldn't notice.

“Something's wrong,” he said, his voice gentler now. “We need to make sure you're okay before we take you across the country and let you compete in one of the most intense competitions of your life.”

I shook my head. “I'm fine.”

His jaw clenched. “If you're really fine, the doctor will clear you. Then you and I will fly to Florida and meet up with the rest of the team.”

I didn't like how rational it sounded. I was feeling semi-better today. I didn't need to go see a doctor. They would just tell me what they'd always told me since I was a teenager—that it was a hormonal condition and the pain was probably from PCOS. They'd just prescribe me a different birth control and send me on my way.

I swallowed back the lump in my throat. “I don't want to miss camp... or make you stay behind because of me.”

“I don’t mind,” he said. “Vanta and Hana will be going with the rest of the girls. And camp isn't required to compete at Nationals.”

I looked down and let out a shaky sigh. “Okay. Fine. I’ll go see the doctor.”

“Thank you,” he said, his shoulders falling a little in what appeared to be relief.

“I don't like it when you side with him,” I whispered suddenly.

His emerald gaze softened. “Me either, kulta. Me either.”

The word left his lips, and I looked up.

Our eyes met, and his jaw clenched like he wasn't supposed to say it. Then he gestured to the floor with the smallest flick of his chin.

“Go finish warming up.”

I turned around, wishing I could ask what he'd said, but I almost didn't know if I wanted to after seeing that look flash across his expression.

When I headed back to the floor, Sloane was directly in my line of sight, and before I could avoid it, our eyes met.

The smug look on her face said it all.

I was on the precipice of losing everything.

And she would be waiting to watch the unraveling.

CHAPTER 52

The appointment was scheduled for two days later. By then, the rest of the team would already be in Florida, halfway through Nationals Camp.

As if that wasn't already bad enough, I had to go see a doctor and most likely have the same conversation for what felt like the hundredth time.

It wasn't my usual doctor. I'd always just seen whoever was in my network, but apparently Vanta had a few providers they worked with often. So instead of sitting in another generic clinic, I found myself in a sports medicine center just outside of downtown. Photos of Olympic athletes lined the walls alongside framed jerseys and signed equipment.

I checked in, filled out what felt like my hundredth medical history form, and sat down in the waiting room.