The Summer Games: Out of Bounds by R.S. Grey Page A
Authors: R.S. Grey
when I was thirteen. I’d been embarrassed to admit that fact at the time, so I sat in silence, marveling at how the price of just one meal would buy us groceries for a week. I’d feigned a lack of appetite and ordered a small salad that I was embarrassed to learn only came as a side to an entree. I shook the memory from my head and turned to look out the window.
“I don’t want you worrying about any of that while you’re there, Brie. Just focus on gymnastics. I’ve been picking up a lot of extra hours while you’ve been gone.”
I ground my teeth together. My mom deserved more than this life. She deserved more than bland food and long, thankless hours. She was the most selfless person I knew and it wasn’t fair that life had dealt her such a shitty hand.
The USOC rewards $25,000, $15,000, and $10,000 for each gold, silver, and bronze medal earned at the Olympics—hardly life-changing money for most professional athletes, but any one of those sums would make an immediate impact on my life, let alone more than one. Plus, if I was smart about it, I could easily spin my success into sponsorships and endorsement deals. I had no limits. If they wanted to slap my photo onto cereal boxes? Perfect. Leotards? Makes sense. Tampons? Sure, I’d go with the flow. (Ha.) I would shill for whatever I had to to turn our lives around, but first I had to win. First, I had to become a household name worth mentioning.
“When I get back from Rio, things will be different, Mom. I promise.”
Chapter Nine
Brie
The next morning , I woke up before my alarm. I blinked my eyes open and glanced back at the small window, disappointed to see the moon through the translucent curtain. A quick glance down at my phone confirmed my suspicions. It was only a little after 5:00 AM. I needed to lie back down, force my eyes closed, and go back to sleep. I’d crashed early the night before, exhausted after a hard day of workouts and the phone call with my mom. Still, I’d regret it if I didn’t try for another few hours of sleep.
Molly was snoring gently above me. I strained to hear any other sounds in the house, but it was silent. We weren’t due at the gym for another three hours.
I could go on a morning run, but I was too sore. Instead, I lay in bed and shot off a few text messages to my mom, letting her know I’d meant what I’d said the night before and further assuring her that practice was running smoothly and I was having fun. I attached a few photos I’d taken of the property and the house. I knew she’d beg me for more details, but it was enough to sustain her until I got another chance to call her.
After that, I tried to roll over and fall back asleep, but it was hopeless. I’d already had eight hours and I was antsy to get up and move around.
“Molly,” I whispered. “Psst. Molly .”
If possible, she started snoring even louder.
I texted Lexi.
Brie : Awake?
When I didn’t get a reply, I pushed out of bed, resigned to spending the next three hours alone. I brushed my teeth and loosely braided my hair before padding down the stairs in search of a distraction. I made coffee and sipped it slowly, staring out the window at the quiet morning. It was nice, really, trees and grass and a baby bunny hopping in the shrubs. Cool, I’m already bored.
I turned and eyed the baking supplies I’d purchased the day before when we picked up a new coffee pot. Flour, sugar, baking soda, and vegetable oil sat in a plastic bag, untouched. It’d pained me to pay for the supplies at checkout, but I knew I’d go crazy if I couldn’t bake for an entire month. Molly had laughed when I’d carried the bag out of the grocery store.
“What are you going to do with all that? We don’t have an oven.”
“I’ll figure it out,” I replied.
And I would figure it out. I had three hours before practice and I wanted to spend it baking.
Without a solid plan, I reached for the overly ripe bananas on the
“I don’t want you worrying about any of that while you’re there, Brie. Just focus on gymnastics. I’ve been picking up a lot of extra hours while you’ve been gone.”
I ground my teeth together. My mom deserved more than this life. She deserved more than bland food and long, thankless hours. She was the most selfless person I knew and it wasn’t fair that life had dealt her such a shitty hand.
The USOC rewards $25,000, $15,000, and $10,000 for each gold, silver, and bronze medal earned at the Olympics—hardly life-changing money for most professional athletes, but any one of those sums would make an immediate impact on my life, let alone more than one. Plus, if I was smart about it, I could easily spin my success into sponsorships and endorsement deals. I had no limits. If they wanted to slap my photo onto cereal boxes? Perfect. Leotards? Makes sense. Tampons? Sure, I’d go with the flow. (Ha.) I would shill for whatever I had to to turn our lives around, but first I had to win. First, I had to become a household name worth mentioning.
“When I get back from Rio, things will be different, Mom. I promise.”
Chapter Nine
Brie
The next morning , I woke up before my alarm. I blinked my eyes open and glanced back at the small window, disappointed to see the moon through the translucent curtain. A quick glance down at my phone confirmed my suspicions. It was only a little after 5:00 AM. I needed to lie back down, force my eyes closed, and go back to sleep. I’d crashed early the night before, exhausted after a hard day of workouts and the phone call with my mom. Still, I’d regret it if I didn’t try for another few hours of sleep.
Molly was snoring gently above me. I strained to hear any other sounds in the house, but it was silent. We weren’t due at the gym for another three hours.
I could go on a morning run, but I was too sore. Instead, I lay in bed and shot off a few text messages to my mom, letting her know I’d meant what I’d said the night before and further assuring her that practice was running smoothly and I was having fun. I attached a few photos I’d taken of the property and the house. I knew she’d beg me for more details, but it was enough to sustain her until I got another chance to call her.
After that, I tried to roll over and fall back asleep, but it was hopeless. I’d already had eight hours and I was antsy to get up and move around.
“Molly,” I whispered. “Psst. Molly .”
If possible, she started snoring even louder.
I texted Lexi.
Brie : Awake?
When I didn’t get a reply, I pushed out of bed, resigned to spending the next three hours alone. I brushed my teeth and loosely braided my hair before padding down the stairs in search of a distraction. I made coffee and sipped it slowly, staring out the window at the quiet morning. It was nice, really, trees and grass and a baby bunny hopping in the shrubs. Cool, I’m already bored.
I turned and eyed the baking supplies I’d purchased the day before when we picked up a new coffee pot. Flour, sugar, baking soda, and vegetable oil sat in a plastic bag, untouched. It’d pained me to pay for the supplies at checkout, but I knew I’d go crazy if I couldn’t bake for an entire month. Molly had laughed when I’d carried the bag out of the grocery store.
“What are you going to do with all that? We don’t have an oven.”
“I’ll figure it out,” I replied.
And I would figure it out. I had three hours before practice and I wanted to spend it baking.
Without a solid plan, I reached for the overly ripe bananas on the