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Haley sitting on her very small, standard issue dorm room bed and reading Faulkner for English 101 when there was a knock on her door. Teresa came in behind her, dragging Mina with her.
"Someone was asking for you," Teresa said.
Haley looked up and suddenly her arms were full of Mina.
"I'm on my official recruiting visit," Mina said. "They wanted me to get to know the team members so here I am, getting to know the team members."
Mina leaned down and kissed Haley.
"I'll let you two get acquainted," Teresa said. Teresa closed the door. Haley knew that soon enough the entire team would know but she wasn't worried about that. The important thing was that Mina was here with her. The knowing looks and the nudges could wait.
"Glad to see you," Haley said as Mina rolled off Haley and onto the other side of the suddenly even tinier standard issue dorm room bed.
"Teresa told me that practice wasn't for another two hours," Mina said. Her hand went under Haley's green tank top.
"You coming to practice?" Haley said.
"Duh," Mina replied. "Official visit."
Mina's hand continued to travel up Haley's side and moved over to cover Haley's breast. Haley took a deep breath.
"I have to finish this book before practice," Haley said.
"I can help with that," Mina said.
Haley put her hand over Mina's hands and purposefully relaxed her shoulders.
"Don't you want me to be here when you come next year?" Haley said. "I have to get this work done to stay on the team."
Mina pretended to pout. Haley laughed and kissed Mina lightly on the lips.
"Maybe I'll go to Florida instead," Mina said. "If this is the kind of welcome I get from the gymnastics team."
"You'll be welcomed," Haley said. "Where do they have you staying?"
"In this suite with Teresa," Mina replied. "I bet she is very welcoming."
"She has a boyfriend, a girlfriend, and a full-in floor mount" Haley said. "I think she's a little busy."
Mina laughed.
"Okay, okay," she said. "Show me your tricks later."
Haley entwined her left leg with Mina's right.
"I didn't mean it like that," Mina said.
"I'd like to see your tricks," Haley said. "After I read this book."
Mina took her iPod out of her pocket and put an earbud in her right ear and held up the right earbud. Haley knew it was Rihanna even before she fit it in her left ear. Haley had already bought Rihanna tickets for the both of them.
"I'll be here when you're done," Mina said.
"Love you, too," Haley said, already scribbling unflattering things about Faulkner in the margins of her book.
Haley worked through 50 pages of Faulkner when there was a lock on the door.
"Coming," she called softly as Mina, her breathing even and quiet, burrowed deeper into the bed.
Haley carefully opened the door putting her finger to her lips.
"Practice," Teresa said. Teresa stood on her tiptoes and looked over Haley's shoulder. "Did you wear her out? Do you have enough left in you for practice?"
Haley socked Teresa on the arm. "I always have enough left for practice."
Teresa lifted her eyebrow. Haley blushed.
"One second," Haley said. She grabbed her gym bag and walked out of the room.
After practice was mandatory tutoring time. Haley was doing well in class but mandatory was mandatory. Haley had started to learn how to pick her battles. She learned that having to spend time with a tutor and not being allowed to train a Yurchenko 1.5 were no longer battles worth fighting. Her Yurchenko full was scored well.
Mary, her tutor, snapped her perfectly manicured fingers in front of Haley's face. "My genius is not being realized right now. So stop wasting my time and work."
"I was just-", Haley said.
"I was just nothing," Mary said. "They don't cover my tuition so I can sit around and watch you moon about your girlfriend."
Haley looked up in the middle of her chemistry problem.
"You mentioned it last week," Mary said.
So Haley didn't mind tutoring time but today it was all she could do not to fidget out of her seats. Recruit weekends involved a team dinner. Time was just not passing quickly enough for Haley. 6 pm came and Mary finally let Haley leave.
Haley and the rest of the team headed back to the sports complex for the dinner. It was the same room that Haley had had her recruiting dinner in. The fourth light from the side door never worked and the furniture was a mismatch of folding chairs from different eras. No matter how the coaching staff tried, they couldn't disguise the fact that they were in the basement of a gymnasium.
The recruits weren't there yet but Bridget, the assistant coach, was there to give them the same lecture as always.
"No talking about alcohol. No insulting other schools. No hitting on the recruits. We are here because all of these girls are great athletes and any one of them would be a great addition to our program," Bridget said.
The recruits arrived then, before Bridget could continue. There were eight gymnasts here for this recruiting weekend and they filed into the room. They looked slightly nervous but most of them knew a least one of the team gymnasts from competitions. The coaches were facilitating introductions when Mina walked in.
Mina walked straight up to Haley and kissed her.
"I love you, too," Mina said.
Haley stared.
"You said you loved me today," Mina said.
Haley stared more.
"Haley!"
That was Bridget. Haley turned toward the sound of her voice because hundreds of hours of practice had taught her that was the right thing to do. She felt Mina grab her hand and intertwine their fingers.
"Haley, I swear to you, what is the rule about flirting with the recruits? Do I have to make a new rule about sleeping with the recruits?"
Haley stared more. She was saved by Mina.
"Coach Bridget," Mina said. "I don't think we have been fully introduced. I'm Mina Hoyt. I'm a gymnast and Haley's girlfriend."
"Haley, we could have used a heads up on this," Coach Bridget said.
"Sorry, Coach," Haley said. "I'll do better next time."
Bridget sighed and walked away.
Haley turned to Mina.
"How did you know I loved you?" Haley said.
"You told me this morning," Mina said.
"Can I tell you again tonight," Haley said.
"You can always tell me," Mina said.
"I love-", Haley started to say.
"Not now," Mina said. "Tell me again later."
Haley squeezed Mina's hand.
"We should mingle," Mina said.
They went their separate ways. Haley usually enjoyed these weekends. She often ran into someone she knew who would be an asset to the team and she worked hard to impress them. Haley's credentials were impeccable but her reputation was not. She tried to talk about the family the team became. She talked about training with girls who only wanted you to do well and of learning new tricks-and perfecting old ones.
This was the longest team dinner that Haley had ever attended though. The salad and grilled salmon were standard. Haley tried not to throw her plate against the wall when the fruit salad came out for dessert. She was officially ready to leave. She stayed outwardly calm throughout and made nice with all the recruits. She wasn't allowed to talk to Mina but she smiled and talked floor passes and intro classes with the rest of the recruits. Gina was someone that Haley remembered from camps on The Ranch. They caught up about where some of the other girls were. Most of them were retired or in college by now but Haley and Gina talked about the thrill of watching Alicia and Nastia at the World Championships.
Haley was still thinking about the world championships later that night. She and Mina lay under her blue comforter while Haley stared at the glow in the dark stickers the last person hadn't bothered to take with her. She thought about how this was supposed to be her Olympic cycle and how she could have been there with Nastia and Alicia, Shayla and Sam. She must have been thinking really loudly because her thoughts were interrupted by Mina reaching for Haley's hand and saying, "You can tell me again, now."
"I love you," Haley said. She rolled Mina over onto her back and stretched out on top of her.
"Your turn," Haley said.
Mina looked up at Haley with everything she wanted to say written on her face.
Haley kissed her.
"Okay, now it's your turn," Haley said.
Mina opened her mouth and Haley leaned down to kiss her again. Mina flipped them over. She put a finger over Haley's mouth and leaned down until her mouth was touching Haley's ear.
"I love you," Mina said. She got up from her bed and fumbled in her bag.
Haley's phone dinged. She reached up to check it. I love you still. The message read.