How Green Becomes Wood

[pandakatiefominz]

"You say that, but you haven't seen my middle school pictures," Sloan shuddered, "I definitely needed to have a glow-up. But yeah, I'd get an electric car. I don't haul anything so it's not a big deal. There are still certain brands I'd avoid, but besides that yeah it's not a problem."

 

[BookKnight]

"Cool. You've helped me make an ultimate decision!" Rumy grinned. She paused to lick rapidly at her ice cream. Once she had that in hand, she asked, "So, what do I have to do to see these middle school pictures?"

 

[pandakatiefominz]

Sloan shook her head, "Those pictures are deeply, deeply buried. You gotta do something really impressive to earn them."

 

[BookKnight]

"Oh, man. What would impress the star gymnast and valedictorian of our school?" Rumy mused. "Let's see... um, I could probably deadlift your weight in cheese, I can drive three types of tractors, and I've got an official certificate in foraging. Oh, and I'm the best looser in the chess club!"

 

[pandakatiefominz]

"Mm," Sloan chuckled, "I could respond to your other suggestions, but you realize offering to deadlift my weight in cheese means you'd be asking me to tell you what I weigh? I don't think that's going to win you any points."

 

[BookKnight]

Rumy grinned. "Fair. How about I deadlift my own weight in cheese or any other dairy you choose? I can just about guarantee I weigh more than you without even asking."

 

[pandakatiefominz]

"That depends on what you're doing with the cheese later, I hate food waste," Sloan replied, "Anyway, I wouldn't be so sure. I'm pretty muscular."

 

[BookKnight]

"I'm not exactly a fairy rose myself, you know," Rumy wink. "What do you do with those muscles besides awesome flips?"

 

[pandakatiefominz]

"What sort of a question is that?" Sloan grinned, "I'll have you know I also run. I need a lot of stamina for what I do."

 

[BookKnight]

"I hate running. Hate it with an absolute passion, but I do it anyway. Half a mile every day. And I hate every second of it," Rumy groaned.

 

[pandakatiefominz]

"I like it. But I think I like anything that moves your body like that. I just like that feeling of freedom, I guess." Sloan replied, pausing thoughtfully for a few seconds, "But I guess I still have some unrealistic dreams I haven't accepted are unrealistic yet."

 

[BookKnight]

Rumy finished off her ice cream and wiped her hands on a napkin. Then she turned her entire attention onto Sloan. "Yeah? What dreams?" she asked, genuinely curious. She didn't prod, just waited, silent, patient.

 

[pandakatiefominz]

"Just... The dreams everyone who really, really loves their sport has." Sloan replied with a shrug, almost embarrassed.

 

[BookKnight]

"Like, Olympic-level kind of stuff? Or... Gosh, I don't really know what's bigger than Olympic," Rumy frowned. "Sorry. I don't know much about the stages of gymnastics."

 

[pandakatiefominz]

"Yeah, that's the scale," Sloan said, "I'm worling to qualify for elite now. I think I'll make it. I don't know if I'll ever be good enough for the Olympic trials though. But I've got two years before the next one, I'll only be 20 then. So I'll only be 24 before the next one. Simone Biles was still in the Olympics at 28."

 

[BookKnight]

"I think you could make it, I really do, but you'd have to give up your life for it. I mean, like really for real give it up," Rumy remarked. "If you wanted to do that, I'd cheer you every step of the way, and win or lose, it'd be a great experience."