" On "Make it or Break it"..." " Winning requires focus." "Payson understood that." " I'm sorry I'm not Payson." " You're the gymnastics power couple now." " Do you think they've hooked up yet?" " I'm not loving being paired up with her." "She's not even a serious gymnast." "I promise to have nothing to do with Carter." " I'm sorry I'm still here." " I told you, stay as long as you want." "I don't feel like a star." " Are you anybody?" " No." "I had to train at a lot of hol e-in-the-wall gyms before I got a shot at The Rock." "There's something so right about me and you being number one." "Your condition is inoperable." "She's not exactly thrilled." "But this isn't just about her education." "It's about getting her out of the house and on with her life." "Payson Keeler, I have your number one fan calling from St. Paul." " Go ahead, caller." " Hey, Dad." "No, I am thrilled about my first day of high school." "Every day of my life, while I was training for the Olympics," "I was really dreaming about spitballs and fart jokes and pep rallies." "And now?" "Whoo!" "All mine." "I can hardly believe it." "Hey, we don't want to be late, so can we call you tonight?" "Yeah, fingers crossed. " "You know, you might just like high school." "There are so many activities and clubs nowadays." "I saw your orientation packet." "There's Fashion Club and Scuba Club." "There's only one thing I want to do." "You know that." "There's only one thing you want to do because there's only one thing you've ever done." "I am not joining any clubs, I'm not signing up for any activities." "I am only going to high school because you're making me." "Listen, Payson." "You're not gonna like this, but I'm not gonna let you sit on my couch for the rest of your life." " You can stop rolling your eyes." " I'll be in the car." "You want my dad to find out you're living up here?" "Relax." "I've seen you naked, remember?" " That night ruined my life." "How could I forget?" " Wow." "Your gratitude is touching." "If not for me, you and your dope beats would be rollin' homeless right now." " Is this your laundry?" " You don't have to do my laundry." "I'll be out of here in a day or two." "Look, we both know you have nowhere else to go." "I don't need your dirty clothes stinking up the place." "Why are you doing this?" "You know I still love Kaylie." "The whole gym knows you still love Kaylie." "You follow her around like a little puppy dog." "I don't follow her." " Mm." "Right." "See you at The Rock." " Ah!" " What are you squealing about?" " I looked you up online!" " Don't tell me." " The page is blank?" " Hardly!" "You are a cyberspace superstar!" "Look!" "Oh, my God." " Look, all these people are talking about you." "According to Gymrat84, Emily Kmetko is a true Olympic contender." " Seriously?" " Yeah, read for yelf." "Daredevil2012 writes, "Emily Kmetko made the National Team." "Awesome."" " OK." "Wait." "This is a camcorder moment." "Where did it go?" "OK." "Ready?" " OK." "Go." " "What's next?" "Drunk babies?" "'Cause I think they could do better moves than the ones she does on a beam." "I heard they found her at the Y in Fresno, and it shows."" "OK, cut." ""I know America loves a charity case, but this girl is no future Olympian."" "It's just another angry blogger wannabe." "The net is full of 'em." "Yeah, honey, it's one bitter person's opinion." "That apparently some other bloggers agree with." "Honey, you're not upset about all this, are you?" "No." "If I'm gonna be a pro athlete, I can't let this stuff get to me." "I'm just not gonna give it a second thought." " Time to get to work." " Bye!" " Oh!" " You wanna watch where you're going?" " Yeah, right back at'cha." " I'm training." "You're texting." "Unless speed tweeting has a new level of difficulty." "I was at a meeting with our agent." " Right." "Imagine if you focused as much on improving yourself as you do selling yourself." "What?" "Nicky Russo is such an arrogant ass!" "He's like a splinter in stirrup pants." "I hate him." "You know what they say:" "there's a fine line between love and hate." ""Could these National gold and silver medalists be a power couple on and off the mat?"" "Gag me." " I really hope Sasha doesn't see that." "I hope Payson doesn't see that." "Maybe she'll meet a cute boy in high school." "Oh, my God, that's right!" " Today's her first day." " Yeah." "I wonder how it's going." "Let's see, she's been homeschooled since the sixth grade." "She has no friends, she's starting mi d-year and she's wearing a back brace." "How do you think it's going?" "" "Hey, I'm Heather." "Are you new?" "Uh, yeah." " Great!" "I hope you'll join the Astronomy Club." "Oh, wrong flyer." "That one's for Jr." "Inventors." "Here it is." "Astronomy." "It's gonna be so great." "We're taking a camping trip to Death Valley to watch the meteor shower next month." "It's gonna be so awesome!" " Hey, Keira!" " Hi, Heather!" "It's cool." "You can toss it." "If you're worried about wasting paper, don't." "They recycle everything here, including every stereotype and clich?" "© you've ever heard about high school." "Attagirl." " " " Get back here!" "Hey, listen up!" "Gather round, everyone." "Now!" "Come on!" "As you all know, this Saturday is the annual Rock Open House Exhibition." "Do National Team Members have to be a part of...?" " Yes, they do." "Shouldn't we be saving ourselves for competition?" " She's right." "What's the point?" "The point is to support your club." "The club which made you all the "superstars" you are today." "And to inspire young kids, as you were once inspired." "You each have special talents, and I expect to see them all on display this Saturday." "Thank you for your precious time and attention." "Back to work." "I can't believe Nicky actually agreed with me." " I smell love in the air." " I'm over love." "Thanks to you." " Hey, I thought we were friends again." "Just because I forgave doesn't mean I forgot." "Knock, knock." " Please tell me you're back." " I'm just visiting." " How's Summer working out?" " Oh, she's great." "So organized and efficient." "Did you know there's such a thing as a label gun?" " I've heard tell." " How's Payson?" "Well, besides hating us for making her go to high school?" "She'll adjust." "She's a survivor." "I don't want her to survive." "I want her to thrive." "I want her to have fun and discover something else to live for besides gymnastics." "Hey, Kim." "I'm glad you're here." "I just picked up the fliers" " for the annual open house." " Oh, that's right." "It's recruitment time." "There is a community billboard on Third Street that gets a lot of eyeballs." " I was planning on attacking it virally." " That sounds scary." "I got us a new web address." "The old one kept getting lost in the shuffle, but the new one tops all the search engines and makes us easier to find." "I don't know what that means, but I do know that a lot of moms shop at that market." "You know, with Payson in school, I have a lot of time." "I could help you if you need it." "Of course!" "Yeah, this'll be fun." "Not according to our elite gymnasts who think the open house is a chore." "Well, if they're not having fun, no one else will." "Sometimes, I think we let them get so medal driven, they forget why they love gymnastics in the first place." "Payson never forgot that." "She always loved sharing her love of the sport." "That's what the open house should be all about." "You're right." "Hey, again." "I was in such a frenzy this morning, I didn't even get your name." " My bad." " Payson." "So, what about the Astronomy Club?" "I also do debate and the a cappella group you know, just for fun." "Joining clubs is a great way to meet people if you're new." " " " OK, listen up!" "Everyone line up on the corner of the mat for tumbling passes!" "That means you, Little Miss Sunshine." "Right." "Sorry, Mrs. C." "Payson Keeler." "My daughter is your biggest fan." "And you're here at a great time." "Today is our last day of tumbling." "Tomorrow, we start square dance." "Mrs. Cirelli?" "Permission to do a roun d-off back handspring?" "I'm getting one ready for the ESPN Cheerleading Championships." " " " Awesome, Morgan." "You rock, Morgan!" "" "Class, we have the privilege of having someone very special with us." "Raise your hand, Payson." "Now, I bet you have some tips for Morgan?" "Uh, no..." " ...ma'am." " I kind of doubt that." "Come on, Payson." "What did Morgan do wrong?" "If she keeps her hands closer to her ears, after her round-off, it'll be easier for her to push off for the back handspring." "Did you hear that, Morgan?" "Speak up, Payson, tell her." "Keep your hands tighter to your ears and you'll land clean." "Fabulous!" "If you don't know who Payson is, rest assured, she knows a thing or two about tumbling." "Ladies, I just got tumbling advice from a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle." " " " Forget it." "No, no." "Thank you." "Now, if only I could get a zombie to tutor me in speech." "Hey, Ike." "Thanks for getting that no of f-campus lunch rule lifted." "Oh, yeah." "I live to serve." "She's actually flunked speech three times." "All that Hooked on Phonics money, wasted." "Her name is Morgan Webster." "Queen bee, crowned in the third grade, the year Becky Jensen moved back to Texas." "She lives for torturing new girls." "Ike Benziger." "You're...?" "Obviously a cool chick." "This place is overrun with airheads." "Are they all that mean?" " Nah, just, you know, bobbleheads concerned with stickers, jocks and what to wear to the next schoo l-sponsored social event." "You seem independent of that superficial stuff." "So, what are you doing in the girls PE class?" "Oh, I'm cutting the boy's PE class." "You know, not a fan of dodge ball." "Or really anything that involves hitting or throwing or catching a ball." "I mean, what are we?" "Golden retrievers?" "Mr. Benziger!" "You do not belong here." "Truer words were never spoken." "You don't look like you belong here either." "This is not my day." "You OK?" "Yeah, fine, just a little distracted." "I hear you." "Listen, you have a job at Pizza Shack, right?" "Yeah, but I'm not supposed to." "Do you know if they're hiring?" "They're always hiring." "I could put in a word for you, if you want." " That would be great." " OK, listen up!" "The theme for this year's Open House Exhibition is going to be "Fun." That's right, F-U-N." "I want you all to rediscover the joy of the sport." "So no rules." "Anything goes." "Costumes, music, comedy, drama, tell a story, I don't care, as long as you're having fun." "And since competition seems to be the only thing that motivates you people, who knows what this is?" "Anyone?" "Anyone?" "Bueller?" " " " It's an applause-o-meter." "Whoever delights the audience most wins." "And remember, the key to delighting the audience is to delight yourselves." "Oh, and since we have two National stars and apparent power couple, Kaylie and Nicky, or "Kalicky," you two will be performing a feat never seen before in this, or any other gym: a duet." "Won't that be fun?" "Damn it!" "Whoa!" "Emily." " It's fine." "I'm doing it again." " Not like that you're not." "You're scattered." "Did you leave your focus at home today?" "No." "I don't know." "I'm just a little annoyed." "What's the problem?" "It seems that some people a lot of people, actually, think that I don't have the right background to be an elite gymnast." "But don't worry." "I'm gonna prove them wrong." " What kind of people?" " Internet people." "Uh-huh." "Emily, you know better than to read that stuff." "No." "I don't pay attention to it." "I just accidentally..." "Emily, if you think you need to prove them wrong, then it means you currently think they're right." "That's your real problem." "Payson Keeler?" "'08 National Silver Medalist!" "I Googled you." "Wow!" " You're, like, a superstar gymnast!" " Was." "I'd appreciate if you didn't tell anybody." "So new girl with the back brace." "Love your exo-skeleton." "No, obviously, you think you can do a better round-off back handspring than me." " Why don't you show everyone?" " Why don't we?" " You guys, it's OK." " Let's see." "A round-off back handspring." "That sounds really hard." "But not as hard as a roun d-off back handspring layout step-out." "So back brace girl has carnie friends." "And bitch girl's got buck teeth." " Don't mess with our friend." " All right." "Come on, Pay." "Are you gonna escort me to school every day?" "Sit in class, walk me through the lunch line?" "You guys don't know anything about the real world." "I'm sorry, Pay." "We didn't mean to mess things up for you." "So tell us everything." "Tell us about classes and lunch room." "And high school boys." "Oh!" "There's a boy!" " Spill, Pay." " No, no, no." " There's nothing to tell." "So, what's up at The Rock?" "Well, Sasha decided to make Open House fun this year." "Kaylie and Nicky are doing a floor routine together." "You're still coming, aren't you?" " Yeah, of course." " Sasha's making us do it." "It's a good idea." "You're the gold and silver medalists." "Little girls will love it." "Yeah, it's just Nicky's kind of a jerk." " No offense." " Why would I be offended?" "He's not my boyfriend." " Right." "Why would she want Nicky when she has cute high school boys to choose from?" "Besides, he'll remind you of gymnastics." "And what do you think we remind her of?" "I should go." "I have homework." "Sure." "OK." "Look, um, I was the new girl at three different schools before I was the new girl at The Rock." "If it's any consolation, I know exactly what you're going through." "No offense, Emily, but, you don't." "Being the new girl may suck, but at least you still have gymnastics." "I don't have anything." "That was nice of the girls to pick you up today." " Were you surprised?" " Can you just pick me up from now on?" " Why?" " Because they embarrassed me." " How?" " Well, OK." "Today, I was a freak in a back brace." "Thanks to them, tomorrow I'll be a freak in a back brace catching hell from some cheerleader because my friends snubbed her with an elite level tumbling pass." "Payson, there's gonna be mean girls and boys anywhere you go." "But they're the exception, not the rule." "There's plenty of nice kids in high school." "Can you please just stop trying to make me normal?" "Payson, there's nothing normal about you." "I gave birth to a bullet train." "You can do anything you set your mind to." " No, I can't!" "So just stop already!" "I can't be her!" "Be who?" " The normal daughter you always wanted." "The daughter you can relate to." "Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I am not gonna be president of the Scuba Club or of any other club." "I hate high school and I hate you for making me go!" "Good times." "Step away from the device." "How can I have a fair shot when they're all judging me on my background?" " So?" "What's new?" " I'm a Rock girl now." "I just wish they'd forget about my past. " "What was that?" "Oh, did someone make popcorn?" "She set an alert so that every time her name comes up, she'll be notified." "Well, I suppose that might be helpful." " Sure." "Nurture the obsession." " It's not an obsession." "I haven't even met trophyhound206, and she's calling me "unrefined."" " All right!" "Let's talk about open house ideas." "I heard about the big "Fun-Off"." "Do you have your routine ready?" "Not even close." "Um..." "Do you remember when I cocktailed at that pirate bar in Vegas?" "I still have my eye patch and my thigh highs." "And I wonder why they call me "unrefined."" " What the hell was that?" " It's called a front handspring rudi." "I know what's it called." "You almost decapitated me." " Sorry, but you're just standing there." " Thinking." "Of a routine." "While you're just charging around like a stupid bull." "Look, why don't you just do your thing and I'll do mine." "And that's your idea of a duet?" "Hey, Payson." "Listen, we got off on the wrong foot the other day, and I just wanted to say welcome to Taft gh School," " the best school in Boulder." " OK." " And I hope we can be friends." " OK." "Listen, do you mind if we take a quick picture with you?" "Yeah, she can't." "She's camera shy." "Ike, you are such a party pooper!" "Uh-huh." "It's a cheerleading hazing ritual." "Whoever gets a picture with the most pathetic girl in school wins." "Oh, come on, it could be worse." "You could be so pathetic and insecure that you did crap like that to make yourself feel better." "What did I do to deserve this?" "Again!" "You're reading my mind." "It's uncanny." "What did we do to deserve this?" " Let's ditch." " Ditch?" "You owcut class." " Isn't that against the rules?" " The rules of this place?" "Who cares?" "Ditching is kind of fun." "And we don't get in trouble for this?" "You know, it's a numbers game." "What's the worst that could happen?" "They stick you in detention?" "Ooh!" "I just don't do stuff like this." " It's weird." " Break rules?" "No." "In, uh, my last life, I loved the rules, the rules supported my goal." "And now, I don't have a goal." "Also, in my other life, I couldn't have one of these." " Wait." "Like, ever?" " Nope." "Well..." "So, um, those girls that picked you up yesterday?" "You were one of them?" "Is that how you hurt your back?" "And ended my career." "Now, that's weird." "You're what?" "Sixteen?" "And you've already had a career?" "For women, a gymnastics career only lasts from maybe 14 to 20." "Oh, brutal." "So, what's your thing?" "Um... this." " This?" " This." "You know, I hang out." "What does that mean?" "You don't do anything?" " Um, not really." "I'm just enjoying the ride." "So you don't have any interests or hobbies...?" "What's the point?" "Everything's temporary, right?" "Everything ends." "Like your career." "So, what are you gonna be now?" "All I want to be is invisible." "Yeah." "Tomorrow afternoon, a few of us are gonna hang out." "Why don't you come?" "And if you want, we'll pretend like you're not even there." "Thanks, but I have this open house thing at the gym." "I thought your career was over." "I still have friends there." "Friends that get you?" "Hey." "Can I help you find something?" "How about everything?" "You've rearranged the whole office." "And why can't I log onto our website?" "I'm sorry." "I changed the password." "You changed the password?" " I should have asked you first." " Why should you have asked me?" "You didn't ask me about the filing system or color coding everything or anything else you've "Summerized."" " Kim, I'm sorry." " Forget it." "Just..." "Summer, I'm sorry." "I'm really sorry." "It's not you." "I just feel like I've lost control of everything." "My daughter, my job, my life." " I'm so sorry." " It's been a hard week." "And I know it's nothing like what Payson lost." " It's not nothing." " I haven't had a job since before the girls were born." "And, you know, I kind of liked it." "And I was good at it." " I'm reminded of how good you were at it every day." "I know I can go a little overboard with the color coding." "It's just sort of my way of staying in control." "But you did it effortlessly, and you juggled a husband and kids." "Thanks, Summer." "Ugh!" "Jeez!" "You're not the only one on the mat!" "Or in the universe, for that matter!" "Not like you would know it!" "What exactly is your problem with me?" " My problem?" "You're the one who keeps treating me like their bratty little sister you can't stand to be around." " You are a little bratty." " And you're a bully." "Look, I know that you wish that I was Payson, and I'm not good enough to be the National Champion." "And you're the only one who had any competition and blah, blah, blah." "Well, I'm sick of it." "I don't have to apologize to you or to anyone else." "I beat all the best gymnasts in the country, and what makes everyone else think that I wouldn't have beaten Payson, too?" "You're right." "Maybe you would have beaten Payson." "You've got the skill." "What?" "Oh." "Now you're being nice to me because you finally made me cry." "I wasn't trying to make you cry." "I'm sorry." "OK?" "It's just that you came out of nowhere and nabbed the gold." "I train harder than any guy out there, and I still came in second." "I've been in the gym six days a week since I was five years old." "I hardly came out of nowhere." "And, you know, winning the silver medal at Nationals is nothing to be ashamed of." "Nicky, you're an amazing gymnast and you'll win it next year." "Thanks." "And look," "I don't wish you were Payson." "OK?" "Truce?" "Truce." "Well, we really better pull it together, or we're gonna look like idiots tomorrow." "Actually, I have an idea, if you're open to it." "Keep talking." "Have you ever been to a bullfight?" "Sweetie, this isn't like you." "Why are you obsessing over all this stuff when you have a big routine to get ready for?" "No offense, Mom, but you wouldn't understand." " Why not?" "Because you don't care what people think of you." "All right, tell me what's wrong, really." "Well, there's an entire thread called" ""Emily Kmetko, Charity Case or Real Deal?"" "And someone just called me " the backstreet hoax."" "Why is everyone judging me?" "Isn't the issue here that you're judging you?" "Don't you ever just wish that we were a normal family?" " With a normal past?" " What fun would that be, honey?" "Well, I wouldn't have to defend myself and my story to everyone every day." "OK, I have an idea." "Everyone else seems be debating the Emily Kmetko story." "And you're reading about it, like you're an observer in your own life." "Maybe you should tell it." " Tell it tomorrow." " I can't do that." "Why not?" "Just tell the story yourself and own it." "That way, no one can use it against you." "This isn't a campfire." "I wouldn't even know where to start." "I do." " Page one." " Oh, no!" " Not..." " Look at you." "That was your first handstand." "I knew I was in trouble then." "Come on." "Are you guys ready to see some really fun stuff?" "Good, because gymnastics isn't just about hard work and discipline, it's about having fun and doing amazing things." "You can defy gravity like superheroes." "And today, our super gymnasts are gonna share their superpowers with you." "First up, we have the Queen of the Beam, Lauren Tanner!" "Up next, National Team Member, Emily Kmetko." "Do any of you guys know how to jump rope?" "Could you guys come up here and help me?" "When I was a kid, I used to play in the alley behind our apartment complex." "My mom worked a lot, so to keep myself entertained, I'd do this." "Making up routines, doing tricks." "I never thought it was anything." "I was just playing." "I thought what was important was that I was learning the tricks, but what I was learning was rhythm." "A gymnast needs rhythm." "I didn't have a traditional background." "For instance I didn't learn how to do a giant on the uneven bars." "I learned it on a jungle gym." "I scored a 15.8 on the bars at Nationals." "So I must've learned something." "And I didn't learn how to do this on a beam." "I learned how to do it on the ledge behind my apartment." "But last time I checked, I was one of ten people in the world who could do this." "As an elite gymnast, some days are easier than others." "But if you have that beat in your head, if you know where you come from and what it feels like when you play, full out..." "...then you can do anything. " "And now, for your viewing pleasure, we have a double routine featuring the women's national champion and the men's silver medalist," "Kaylie and Nicky. " " " " I have to go." "Where?" " I'm gonna meet some kids from school." "Is that OK?" "Yeah, it's OK." "It's great." "Do you want a ride?" "No, it's close." "And the physical therapist says I need to walk more." "Well, OK." "Keep your cell phone on." "And have fun!" " " " Payson." "You OK?" " - " " You'll find another dream." "I'm done dreaming." " You were great out there." " Thank you so much." "Excuse me." "I just wanted to tell you that until I heard your story," "I thought I could never make it at the elite level because my family can't afford to send me to a club like this." "But now I know that if I work hard and believe in myself, there's nothing I can't do." "Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for sharing your story." "Do you think I could have your autograph?" " Where did you get this?" " Off your fan site." " I have a fan site?" " Yeah." "Just Google yourself." "Guess what?" "This is the first time anyone's ever come up to me and asked me for my autograph." "Thank you." "How do you feel about your story now?" "I think it's amazing." "I think we're amazing." "Can The Rock members gather, please?" "I would like to congratulate you all on a really fun exhibition." "So who won?" "As if we already don't know." "Hot tamale!" "Kaylie and Nicky!" "Kalicky, Kalicky, Kalicky." "Actually, I don't know who won." "Wait." "But what about the applaus e-o-meter?" " This thing?" "This doesn't work." "It's ancient." "You're not the only ones who get to have fun around here." "And just to keep the good times rolling," "I'm gonna call a special Sunday practice tomorrow." " Why?" "You wasted most of the week practicing those routines." "It's time to get back to work." "I will see you all, bright and early tomorrow, 8:00am." " What?" " That's your idea of fun?" "Yeah." "So, what's your idea of fun?" "Sorry about Lauren." "I'll kill her later." "Nah." "It's cool." "I wonder where Payson is." "Yeah, I thought she was coming." "She did." "But she left before your routine." " Oh." "She did?" " Yeah, Mrs. Keeler said she went to hang out with her high school friends." "I wonder if she's met a boy." "Lauren doesn't know what she's talking about." "No." "I know." " Hey!" "You came!" " Yeah." "Hey, everyone, this is Payson." "She's the newest inmate at Taft High." "And no, she doesn't have a stick up her ass." "She broke her back, so she has to wear a brace." "Oh, and, um, she wants to be invisible." "So..." " Cool." " Yeah." "You want a beer?" " Uh, no thanks." " How 'bout some weed?" " You asked how I stay unattached?" " This helps." "Maybe later." "I'm cool for now." " What are you doing?" " I was worried about you." "What time is it?" " Are you drunk?" " What do you care?" "When are you gonna get that I'm the only one who does care?" "Here, you need to drink water." "You're not my mother." "Is that you with her?" "That was taken a week before she died." "You must really miss her." "She believed in me." "In my gymnastics." " Not like my dad." " I believe in you, too." "You could be a great gymnast if you focused on training instead of Kaylie." " As good as Nicky?" " Better." "You can have everything you want, Carter." "Everything you need." "It's all right in front of you." "You just have to take it." "You're right." "But why wouldn't Kaylie be impressed by Nicky?" "He's a winner." "And I've been acting like a big loser." "I can be as good as Nicky." "Better." "I just need to work harder." "Well, it sounds like you're getting your act together." "I'm gonna start by getting my own place." " How are you gonna pay the rent?" " I got a job." " Where?" " The Pizza Shack." "How are you gonna train harder and work at the Pizza Shack?" "It's called the night shift." "If Emily can do it, so can I." " You're gonna work nights with Emily?" " Yeah." "I got to sleep this off so I get in the gym tomorrow." " Lauren?" " Yes?" "Thanks." "For letting me stay here, and..." "...for believing in me." "You're welcome."