"you feel like home"

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I walk into the brightly lit gym and can't help but smile at the good memories this brings me. I remember being young, traveling to a new gym, meeting new people. Gymnastics competitions slowly got more and more stressful and as I grew up, I stopped enjoying them. But now, I'm going to this competition as a coach and it feels good.

I walk over to my group and they greet me with smiling faces. While I'm only a recreational coach, the local gyms put on a small competition for the kids to see how'd they do in a competitive program.

"Hey, coach Delaney!" I look down at Charlotte whose hand is wrapped now around mine. To the left of her is Sterling and I hope he can't tell how flushed his presence has made me. He just shoots me a smirk followed by a wink as he walks towards the spectator section, probably not wanting to overstep or distract Charlotte. Her hair is in a messy ponytail and I chuckle at what I presume is Sterling's attempt at doing his baby sister's hair.

Getting Charlotte to sit down in front of me, I fix her hair into a tight bun as the rest of the group starts their warm-up, running up and down the floor.

A long 3 hours later and the competition is over. The joy radiating off the kids is palpable as they collect their rewards from the judges. Which are merely participation awards every child gets, but what they don't know can't hurt them, like Santa or the Easter Bunny.

I text Jemma letting her know I won't be home for another hour or two as I try and call my mom to get a ride home. Stupidly, I let Chase drive me here and take the car back with him so now I'm stuck in this gym until my mom picks up her freaking phone and comes to get me.

I see all of my athletes off, finishing the conversations with all their parents and congratulating them, all except one athlete.

Charlotte runs over to me, jumping down from Sterling's hold. She wraps her small arms around my legs, trying to hug me, so I bend down and embrace her properly.

God, my heart is melted.

"Congratulations, Miss Charlotte." She beams at my words. "You did great today."

"She's right, Charlie, you were incredible." Sterling looks down at her with the sweetest grin on his face.

Getting distracted playing on the floor with another kid, Charlotte saunters off leaving Sterling and me alone.

"Congratulations to you too, coach."

I roll my eyes at him but I can't help it when the corners of my lips tug upwards.

"Is it safe to say you're fully recovered from your hangover?" Sterling smirks at me knowingly and I want to retreat inwards at the reminder of my drunken actions.

"I think I finally am, and thank you for that night by the way. You really didn't have to take me home and stay with me all night." Butterflies swarm in my stomach at the memory of his arm wrapped around me, my head tucked into the crook of his neck, as I slept.

Honestly, I would pay a large sum of money for someone to tell me what the fuck is happening between us. I mean I was fine with a little harmless flirting, but now we're cuddling?

"You should really talk to someone about putting a heater in your room or maybe just buy a couple blankets, you know, for the nights I'm not there." His expression turns smug which somehow makes him hotter.

Floor, do your thing; swallow me whole right now, please.

When I don't know how to respond, he fills the silence, tilting my chin up to meet his gaze gently and ducking his head down so his lips barely graze over my ear. The proximity makes my body shiver and his breath on my neck leaves goosebumps. "Unless you just want me there every night, sweetheart."

Holy fuck.

Once again I'm speechless and quite possibly drooling. Sterling just shakes his head at me, lightly chuckling to himself, "Does that pretty mouth of yours not work anymore?"

And before I can come to my senses and get some words to formulate in my brain, he walks over to Charlotte who's calling him to watch her new skill.

After trying to get in touch with my parents for over 10 minutes I'm about to give up and call Chase or Jemma even though both of them have plans tonight. Luckily, I don't need to interrupt either of their evenings when Sterling makes his way back over to me.

"Do you need a ride, Laney?"

As much as my body tells me I need to stay away from him right now because, clearly, I'm still hungover and not able to produce sentences near him, my brain knows I need a ride. "That would be great actually."

The three of us walk to the car and Sterling buckles Charlotte into her seat. We get to my house pretty quickly, much faster than my original plan of waiting for my mother to come get me and then drive me back.

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I say goodnight to Sterling who, luckily, doesn't grace me with any more jaw-dropping comments — probably considering his sister is wide awake in the back — and I give Charlotte a big hug.

I walk up the driveway and notice Chase's car in the driveway which is odd. I enter the house that is currently uncharacteristically quiet and dark, and move upstairs to try and find someone, feeling slightly creeped out. I head to Jemma's room to see if she's back and if she knows why Chase's car is here.

Knocking on the door, I turn the handle and push it open to reveal possibly the last thing I would have expected.

My eyes widen at the scene in front of me and I think my brain malfunctions taking it in. I feel my face burning with confusion and anger as a noise ringing in my ears starts. Chase and Jemma break from their kiss, startled. My hands immediately go to cover my view, not wanting to see any more of Chase's shirtless body over Jemma as they shove their tongues down each other's throats.

"Gross, Gross, Gross!" I scream as I run out of the room and down the stairs, not sure what to do with myself.

"Shit," Chase mutters, pulling a shirt on as Jemma runs out after me.

I can't help but yell at my best friend and brother, "Is this some kind of sick joke?"

"Delaney, you weren't supposed to find out this way," Jemma starts.

"Find out this way? Find out what? That the two of you are fucking behind my back?" My voice comes out strained as the urge to cry bubbles in my throat.

Jemma shakes her head frantically. "It's not like that."

I look over at Chase who hasn't added his two cents into the conversation. "What, is Jemma yet another girl you managed to score?" Now, Chase is less quiet as he raises his voice back at me. "Hey! I get you're mad but don't talk about her like that."

Jemma tries to walk closer to me but I back away instinctively. "I'm so sorry for not telling you, Dell, but it's true. It's not like that, it's more than just sex." This time my hands are quick to cover my ears, "Disgusting! Please don't."

I watch as Jemma's brows furrow in sorrow and tears pool in her eyes which makes me realize I too am crying.

I take a deep breath in, needing to get some actual words into this conversation, "I love you both, you know that, and I would never stop you two from getting together. I don't have that right, you're both adults who can date whoever you want. Sure, I may have been uncomfortable and it definitely would've been an adjustment, but at least that would've meant you'd have told me. That I wouldn't find the two of you in bed, together!" I rant out.

The rational side of me fades back into anger pretty quickly and my face contorts in disgust at the image playing in my mind, "UGH! This is so gross!"

"You're right, you're so right. I'm so sorry I kept it from you. I just– I was scared at how you'd react, I didn't want you to be mad, and I just didn't know how to tell you." Jemma's regretful face almost makes me feel bad for her. But no, I cut myself off from that thought, she doesn't deserve my sympathy. "You didn't know how to tell me, huh? Oh, how about, 'Hey, Delaney, the two of us are fuck buddies' something like that," I humourlessly laugh.

"Delaney! I really don't appreciate you talking about our relationship like that. Be mad, fine, but have respect." Chase's voice goes deep and protective.

"Oh, that's rich coming from you," I spit. "And you're right, I am mad. Fuming, actually. I'm mad you didn't tell me, I mean, you've been lying to me for how long? How long has this been going on? You had so many opportunities to tell me. Chase, we talked about her at lunch, Jemma, we talk about guys basically every day. There was nothing I've ever said or done to convince you I would be upset about this. That was until you decided to hide it from me."

Jemma berries her head in her hands and Chase gives her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder.

Ew.

"Delaney, listen to me, Jemma and I are more than just 'fuck buddies' to quote you, I love her Dell," Chase lets out an exasperated sigh.

"Well, congratulations on your great romance, but no, I don't want to listen to you right now, I won't hear you out, you gave up that opportunity the moment you decided to keep this from me." I tug at my hair, running my fingers through it as I try and figure out what to do. I can't be here, I need to leave. To get away from the two of them. I need a clear head, and I can't get that near them.

Putting my winter jacket back on my body and tugging my shoes onto my feet I open the front door.

"Delaney, where are you going?" Jemma exhales as she grabs my hand.

I look at her, desperation evident in my eyes, "No, don't, please. I just need some space."

Thankfully, the two of them let me go. I take Chase's car and leave, to the one place I can think to go. To the one place I know I'll be safe, to the one person who will make me feel safe.

Knocking on the door, I wait in the cold. It nips at my skin and I feel myself embrace the numbness it brings me.

Sterling opens the door and a look of both confusion and concern paints his face. "Laney, what's wrong?"

"I'm sorry for coming over unannounced, I just didn't know where to go, but I don't need someone rational right now, someone who's going to defend Jemma. Meaning Beth, Harper, and Aspen are out of the picture." I rant, probably deepening his puzzlement.

"I need, well– I need you."

Sterling just stays quiet, pulling me through the threshold of the house by my hands. He wipes the tears that I hadn't noticed fell, "I've got you, Laney."

I collapse into his hold as he wraps his arms around my body and I rest the side of my face on his chest. I circle my arms on his waist and melt into the comfort he provides.

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What do we think?! I'm so excited to hear your thoughts on this chapter! Despite the fact that this chapter is sort of sad, I actually had a lot of fun writing it...

Question of the chapter: Have you ever done gymnastics?

If you guys enjoyed the chapter, please vote and comment because it helps my book and therefore me writing this thing!!

Alright, besties, I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy <3