Page 16 of Hidden

I know I fit in with the girls personally outside of gymnastics, now I just need to prove to them I can fit in here too.

The session runs a further forty minutes. I work through my floor sequence twice, nail the tumbling pass both times, and spend the last ten minutes on the conditioning that Coach Pearce sets out for us. We need to improve our conditioning for the first competition, which is going to happen soon and I’m so excited.

I pull my hoodie on and grab my bag, and I'm two steps from the door when something makes me turn.

I have no idea why. My hairs are standing up on my arm, and I shiver. I can’t put my finger on why the back of my neck does the thing it does when someone's standing behind you in a queue and breathing on your neck. I turn around slowly, casually, like I'm just checking I haven't left anything behind.

The gym is exactly as I left it thirty seconds ago. Juno is mid-stretch. Cara is drinking from her water bottle. The window at the far end shows the car park, the darkening sky and nothing else.

Nobody is there, maybe I’m more tired than I thought.

"Sadie." Juno appears on my shoulder. "You okay? You look confused. Did you lose something?”

"Do I?"

"Yeah, like someone stepped on your grave."

I turn away from the window. "It’s nothing, I think I just need some food. It was a long session today. I think I’m just imagining things,” I joke with her. I’m normally good with my food, but I didn’t eat as much as I normally do this morning.

Juno looks around the gym like I just did. "Nope there’s nothing there, you're just standing there staring at a car park."

"Exactly, hunger hallucinations." I pull my bag up and bump her with my shoulder. "Come on, I need to eat before I actually lose it."

"Same," Cara says, materializing on my other side with her jacket already on. "I haven't eaten since six."

"Six this morning?" Juno stares at her.

"I had a good breakfast." She fights back, which makes me laugh.

"Cara."

"I'm fine. It’s been a busy day.” She links arms with me as we start making our way out.

Bree appears behind all of us already holding her keys, ready to go. She doesn’t say anything, which I've accepted is just who she is, and I respect it completely.

We spill out of the gym into the evening air, loud and all trying to talk. Cara’s telling her the soup at Grounds is actually good, which sparks a whole debate about what constitutes good soup that carries us halfway across campus.

“I know what I’m ordering already,” Juno says as we clear the building.

“What are you going to have?” I ask, and notice the other girls rolling their eyes.

Cara and Juno reply at the same time. “The smashed avocado toast.” Juno looks at Cara and they both laugh.

“Am I that obvious?” Juno asks.

“Yeah, you always have the same thing at this time of night.” Cara smiles at Juno who is laughing.

“Maybe I need to try something else then.”

“Well, the soup is usually good, they make it fresh a couple of times a day and I love it.” Cara pulls on my arm to make sure I’m listening,

“Maybe we should all have the soup then,” Cara say as we get to the door.

I’m not a soup person. I work hard for this body and making sure I’m the best I can be, so when I want a burger, I’m eating a burger. Tonight is burger night.

I fall into step beside Bree at the back.

"You okay?" she asks, quiet enough that the others don't hear.