Survival Of The Fittest

All over...

Sable wasn't so sure. She had her doubts. Sure, the events in the past...they were in the past. Those same events would never happen again. But was she over it completely?

...No.

It was still upsetting, still there in the back of her mind, but it wasn't...overwhelming. After all, she had come back to the sport of her own free will. And she still wanted to do her best...

"I guess...yeah, I guess you could say that." Really, what was a little lie gonna do to anyone in this situation? Nothing, that's what.

Ray flipped Sable a thumbs up. "Hey. Confidence is almost always a good thing. You got time and another shot at it, might as well do what you can with it." He slipped another glance at his phone, and then pushed himself off of the balance beam. One of his hands swept his gym bag up and over his shoulder (he didn't even remember putting it down), and patted Sable lightly on the shoulder.

"I gotta be heading out. It was nice meeting you, and I'm happy you let me watch some of your stuff." He let his hand slide down to his side, and he started walking toward the exit. He stopped about halfway to the door and turned back to face her.

"Hey, can you teach me some of that stuff sometime? I'll teach you a little wrestling if you're game for it."

"I suppose." She was saying that a lot lately, wasn't she? Her eyes flickered to his hand when he patted her shoulder, and flickered back to his face when he spoke. "It was nice to meet you, too."

As he left, Sable turned back to the balance beam. She hefted herself up on it when she heard him speak again, and she turned around. She smiled again. She'd been doing a lot of that lately, too, hadn't she?

"I can always try to teach you. Thanks." And she turned back to the beam, wondering what she should do next.

Ray gave Sable a last wave and a nod and turned back on his heels, heading back out. He felt good about the day, even though he hadn't done what he'd been intending. This wasn't a loss, by any means. That girl Sable looked a damn sight better when she was actually smiling, even cute when combined with how tiny she was. Even if he dragged a couple smiles out of her, it was worth the effort.

Ray left the gym and made his way to the parking lot. He had to get home before his mom, before Alicia, and yes, even before his stepdad started worrying.

((Continued Elsewhere))

Sable heard the door slam, the fading footsteps. She stood on the beam and looked around the gym.

Empty. Hadn't it only just been filled to the brim with life? Now, oddly enough, it was back to the way it was before; her, just her, all alone. But she didn't mind. Not really.

She knew she couldn't hang around here forever. No, of course not. The late buses would come, the school would lock up for the day...everything would fall silent, just like the gym.

Sable turned her head to the abandoned vaulting horse, cocking her head slightly. One more jump couldn't hurt, right? One more jump, and then she'd change, and shower, and head out. She doubted anyone else would come.

She easily brought herself down from the balance beam and walked towards the jumping platform of the horse. Yeah. Just one last jump. End it on a jump.

When she was a good distance away from the platform, she broke into a sprint. Her legs pushed her forward, faster, faster, until her feet hit the platform. Knees bending, she jumped, and her hands went out to vault over the horse.

And this time, she'd land perfectly.

((Sable Ruthers Continued In Giving In To Hunger))