Balance (Off Balance Book 1) by Lucia Franco Page B

have no idea what they’ll do. I just want you to be prepared. Personally, I’d like it if you got used to your surroundings and the street names before I leave.”
    I nodded, agreeing with him as we pulled into World Cup. My stomach was immediately in knots, anxious for what was to come. I was running on five minutes of sleep, Starbucks, and a prayer.
    “You’re right...I’ll pay attention starting tomorrow.”
    “Have a good training sesh,” Alfred said as I stepped out of the Escalade, causing me to pause and look over my shoulder.
    “Did you just say sesh? Tell me you did not just say that.” Sesh was the slang everyone was using for session back home.
    “What? Isn’t that what everyone is saying these days? I’m just trying to keep up with the times.”
    “Alfred,” I said, shaking my head with a big smile. “See you later.”
    Lugging my duffle bag over my shoulder, I walked into the gym, feeling slightly more comfortable than yesterday. Even though I’d been on time the day before, I was much earlier this morning and had time to put my belongings away, therefore preventing any awkward stares from my teammates...or reprimands from Coach Kova. After last night, I planned to prove I was worthy of being here. I’d shut up and do everything he said I needed to. I wanted this, and I refused to let a few unconstructive comments bring me down.
    I undressed down to my leo and was in the middle of sipping water when Kova emerged at my side, scaring the shit out of me. He was like a fucking ninja, always appearing out of thin air without a sound.
    I sputtered and water dripped down my chin. I wiped it away with the back of my hand and looked at him, capping the container.
    Kova eyed me with anything but concern. “Are you okay?”
    “Fine.” I coughed.
    “Good. Let us go into my office.”
    I threw my hair into a messy bun, worried about what he wanted to talk about. He shut the door behind me and I took a seat, waiting for him to kill my hopes and dreams once again. It seemed to be his main goal every time I stepped foot into his office. My stomach twisted as our eyes locked, nervousness rippled through my veins as he stared at me for a long, hard moment. This couldn’t be good.
    “I spoke with Madeline and we devised a new schedule for you. Until you can reach the level where we need you to be, you will be here six days a week with lunch and tutoring in between. Of those six days, two of the days will be dedicated to your favorite ballet class in the morning.” A sardonic half-grin tipped his lips. My belly fluttered at the way his eyes flickered when he said that. “Since you do not do tutoring every day, you will be here. Those will be about ten-hour days, coming in at just under fifty hours a week. You will get only one day to yourself for now to do whatever you need.”
    He had to have been out of his ever loving mind. But knowing better than to argue, I curtly responded. “Okay.”
    Looking down at his notes, his eyes scanned a few sentences before looking back at me. “You are going to also take some strengthening classes. We need you to improve your flexibility, and I think a couple of private sessions with me before practice will do it. So long as you continue with the drills.”
    My last coach used to say my hips were tight, but I didn’t have a good understanding of what that meant. I guess I’d find out when the private session begun.
    “There will be lots of conditioning in between, and every day before you start and when you finish, you will run two miles on the track outside.”
    “There’s a track outside?” I hadn’t seen one.
    “Yes, just a couple of blocks over there is a high school. You will use their track. Four laps equals one mile, so you will run eight in the morning and eight in the evening.”
    I fucking hated running. “Whatever you say.”
    “This schedule is extreme and not something we do for everyone. If you cannot handle it, or even think for a minute you are