She was so deep in thought, she didn't realize Sasha had come over until he called her name. Lauren smiled and stood up straight. She could tell from his expression what he was going to say, so she got her excuse in first. "I was just running through my beam routine in my head."

"Then let's see it."

She could hardly say no to that, so she began. As she ran through the familiar moves, she tried to see if Payson was watching Sasha and thinking about the two of them. It meant that she missed the landing on her back layout and one foot wasn't enough to keep her on the beam.

"Come on, Lauren, concentrate." Sasha folded his arms.

Lauren put one hand on the beam, as if to get back up, but then turned and looked at Sasha instead. "It's just so hard, when I'm worried about Payson."

"Payson?" Sasha frowned.

"It's just that the two of you spend so much time together, not just at the gym, but all the time. It's like you're dating, but without the kissing."

He shook his head. "I'm her coach. I spend the same amount of time with all of you."

That wasn't quite what Lauren meant. "I really think you should do something about it. For Payson's sake."

"Well...." Sasha turned to watch Payson, who was practicing her tumbling on the floor. When he turned back he looked lost. "Finish your beam routine." He waved an arm at Lauren, who smiled and did as she was told. She'd made him think at least. Now all she had to do was wait and see what happened.

***

Sasha barely spoke to Payson for the rest of the morning and Lauren hoped she hadn't pushed him the wrong way. She didn't want Sasha around more, she wanted him around less. That way she could make sure Summer stayed with her father and didn't get ideas about going back to Sasha.

It looked like her plan had backfired when she looked up to the office to see Sasha and Summer sitting very close together on the couch. There was no way Lauren could listen in without being spotted by everyone in the gym. But there was always another way. Lauren didn't get much work done that morning, but she made sure that she would come across Summer on the stairs.

"Summer." Lauren gave her a worried look. "You're not getting back together with Sasha are you?"

"No." Summer stopped her descent and shook her head. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

Lauren bent her toes. "It's just that you spend a lot of time together and I don't want my dad to get hurt."

"I don't want him to get hurt either." Summer smiled. "Sasha and I work together and we're friends, but that's all. Is that what you came out here to ask me?" She sounded a little suspicious.

Of course Summer would have guessed their accidental meeting was planned. There was a downside to having Summer on her side. Lauren had been intending to ask Summer what she thought Sasha's feelings were towards Payson, but now she worried that Summer would see right through that. And if she then went and told Sasha, this would all fall apart. So Lauren nodded and said, "It was just that," before running back into the gym.

***

Lauren was slow to pack up at the end of practice, but she did so quietly, and out of the way. Sasha had asked Payson to stay behind and Lauren wasn't going to miss this.

As she looked around, she bent down to lace her shoes as cover. Although Payson and Sasha were standing by the parallel bars, it was still too far away for Lauren to hear what they were saying. The gym wasn't designed for eavesdropping, so there wasn't anywhere nearby she could go without being seen. So she stayed where she was, hoping they'd get louder. In case they didn't, she considered what to say to Payson afterwards, in order to get her to spill.

Sasha and Payson kept talking just as quietly, but Lauren was rewarded for her patience when Sasha smiled and put a hand on Payson's shoulder. That could have meant anything, except then he moved his hand down her arm and ended up holding her hand. Given that Payson smiled back, Lauren knew she was right: they did have feelings for each other.

Smiling victoriously, Lauren stood up and tiptoed out, holding the door behind her so Sasha and Payson wouldn't hear it shut. Her dad was waiting by the car.

"Good practice?" he asked.

"Oh, yes." One of the best. Now Summer definitely wouldn't be getting back together with Sasha and Payson would be too distracted to win. "I'm one step closer to Olympic Gold."