Shoot for the Team

Chapter 15: The Fight

It's hard to stay mad at a person like Rosie. When I was at the next practice, I already wanted to be partners with her again. Or maybe not her, but someone else older and better than McKenzie. We hadn't talked since our fight, and I didn't want to go to her first because I would feel like I would have lost the fight. I seriously thought that she would come running back to me, but she seemed to be putting up well. Much better then I was. It's really frustrating, because I thought that I was the mature one and that she needed me more than I needed her. Every time I saw her she was working with Lilah, smiling and doing fine an all. Every time I looked at her, or even smiled at her(which I've done a few times, despite the fact that it made me look like I need her) she would just make a disgusted face and turn away. I wished that Coach Melissa wouldn't approve of our new partners, and had put us back together again, but she thought it would be "cute" for a older girl to be put with a younger girl for the reality show. Ugh. Why does EVERYTHING have to be about the reality show? I mean, I am basically a celebrity at school now. Half of my class watches our show, and some of my teachers do, too. For once, I know what it feels like to be popular. Before it seemed like Hope was my only friend. Now I have tons of people sitting with me at lunch, hanging out with me at recess, talking to me in the hallway and asking me about jump rope. In a way, this show is the best thing that ever happened to me.
But it's also the worst. It seems like the only thing we ever do at practice is talk about the reality show, practice for the reality show, and film for the reality show. I mean, what is it going to be like at nationals and regionals when I'm partnered up with a person who can barely jump? I decide that the best thing to do is go talk to Melissa.
"I need to go talk to Coach Melissa really quick." I tell McKenzie. We had been working in our pairs routine, and she's nice and all, but she's not a very good jumper. She barely even knows what each trick is. While walking across the room, I saw Rosie and Lilah, doing a crossing combo in perfect unison. It's not the best crossing, but it's amazing compared to ours. She does a toe and a awesome Annie and everything. I wish I had the patience to teach McKenzie tricks like those. I frowned as I walked up to Coach Melissa.
"What's up Julie?" she asks. "Can we talk outside?" I ask. I didn't want anyone to here me. "Sure." So we walked outside.
"Well, it's about my pairs routine..." I say, trailing off.
"Yes..." She replied.
I was still kinda upset at Rosie. Maybe I wasn't ready to be partners with her again, but I wanted to be with someone else. So I decided to just get my point across.
"Well, McKenzie isn't exactly my level, and she's much younger then me. I don't know how it's going to work out at regionals and nationals. I think it would be better for competition if McKenzie and Lilah were together, and I could be with someone else, a little older. I guess I could be with Rosie, but I just want to be with an older jumper. And besides, McKenzie and Lilah would be in the younger age division." I said looking at the floor. I was too ashamed to say it looking her in the eye. Suddenly Coach Melissa started laughing.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! You weren't here! " She says, laughing. I raise an eyebrow.
"What happened?" I say.
"When you were sick last week, I
told everyone else this." She says.
"What!" I said. What is she talking about? What did I miss that nobody else told me?
"We aren't doing regionals or nationals this year. We need to focus on the reality show," she said. My jaw drops. We NEVER skip nationals! We are always there, every. Single. Year! Well, I didn't know that, I've only been on the team a year and a half, but we went last year! And I had so much fun! They were the best days of my life. She can't just cancel it because of a stupid reality show.
"Um.. Really?" I said, trying to conceal my anger. "Can't we do both?" "I think it's too much to handle," Coach Melissa replied. "And besides, isn't this what you always wanted? To be a movie star?" she asked. "Yes, I love it," I answered, and I wasn't completely lying. I did always want to be a movie star. And I loved the attention at school. But this show was what had broken Rosie's and my friendship. She was right. At the beginning she was worried that the show would split us up, and I said we'd be fine, but look where we are now.
"Ok, that's great I guess," I told Coach Melissa. But inside, I was flaming with anger.
I went back to work on my pairs routine with McKenzie, which was frustrating, but since there was no competition to worry about, who even cared how bad our routine was anyways? It wasn't like there was any point in having a routine.
Later that night, I was talking to Jake. A few weeks ago Jake had frustrated me and I barely wanted to hang out with him, but right now, I was frustrated with McKenzie, frustrated with Lilah, and mad at Rosie, so I thought that I might as well make a new friend.
"I really wish we were going to competition," I said. "Me too," he replied. "I did well last year, and I wanted to do better this year," I went on. "I've never been to a competition. I really wanted to do this. I thought it would be awesome to see other boy jump ropers, to know that I'm not the only one. I'm bummed, too," he answered. "Don't worry," I said. "You're not the only boy jump roper out there. There are tons of other guy jumpers, and someday you'll meet them. Just maybe not right away." "Ok good," he said. "Because right now I was thinking about quitting the team. All the boys at school tease me, and there's no other guy on my team. And it's hard to make friends with a bunch of girls." I suddenly felt really bad for the way I had treated Jake. I had been mean to him just because he was a boy. And then I was mean to Rosie. And now I was being mean to McKenzie and Lilah.
Boy. What a jerk I was.