Take One for the Team

Chapter 5: Partnerless

I had had a great winter break. Nice and relaxing. I went to my grandmas house on Christmas, and then I went to Palm Springs. Ah, the sun.
But I was happy to get back to jumping. The day we got back to practice was a big day.
It was the day where we figured out our groups for regionals. Well, more like Coach Melissa assigned us groups for regionals. This was really important though, because we would be competing with these groups for regionals and nationals.
I was kind of worried about pairs this year. Before I had always been partners with Rosie. But last year we had gotten into a fight. I was pairs partners with McKenzie, and Rosie was partners with Lilah. I was friends with Rosie again now, but she had started working on a pairs routine with Leia. And McKenzie and Lilah were best friends and had started working on pairs, too.
It's ok, I told myself. Coach Melissa has a partner picked out for you.
Coach Melissa started pulling people aside to talk to them one on one about groups. Maybe I'll be partners with Jake, I thought. Jake would be a good partner. Or Ashlyn. Ashlyn was nice, and she's really good at gymnastics, too.
Coach Melissa walked up to me. This was it. I would find out who my partner was now.
"Hi Julie," Coach Melissa said. "So, I know you've been thinking about groups this year. I'm not sure if you've noticed, but there's an odd number of people on the team this year."
I held my breath. Did Coach Melissa not have a partner for me? No, that couldn't be true.
"I want you to practice more. Get your skill level up. This is going to be a learning year for you," she said. I knew that she was right. I wasn't the best jumper. I used to brag that I won at nationals. But what I didn't know was that it was only regionals and that I was in the youngest age group and the only one in my age group, so I automatically won. I used to be so immature. I started jump when I was 9. I was almost 12 now, but I had been kinda slacking on practices. I did need to get my skill level up.
"You didn't jump on it this year and start practicing with someone. You need to be more aggressive. I want you getting out there and practicing with your groups even over the summer. Before the season starts. I want you to be the best."
"This year, your partner is me."
What??? Coach Melissa be my partner?
"What about regionals?" I asked. "Won't you be gone then?" "I will," she answered, "and you won't compete in pairs there, but I want you to work on the routine FED so that way when I get back you'll have it perfect. Ok?"
"Ok," I relied. Ok? Not Ok!!!! She said I would be her partner, but that was just a nice way of saying partnerless. "Like I said, this is going to be a learning year for you. I have you in a group with Brandon, think. And don't worry. I have you with your friends, too."
Brandon?? He's a friend of the triplets, who also goes to college in Santa Barbara, and is really good. He used to compete on another team, but now he was with us.
But that didn't make up for not having a partner.
"I have to go to the bathroom," I said.
I ran in and shut the door and started crying, crying, crying. I must have stayed in there for ten minutes just crying.
When I finally came out of the bathroom, Coach Melissa was talking to the last person about pairs. Then she told us all to take a seat so we could talk about groups. We all sat down.
"So, everyone is happy with pairs, right?" Everyone said yes. I nodded. But inside, I was still crying.
"So, there's Summer and Savanna, Sierra and Brandon, Lexi and Cara, Annie and Jenny, Rosie and Leia, McKenzie and Lilah, Emmie and Becky-"
"Wait! Becky's back?" Lexi asked. "Yes," Coach Melissa answered. "She's coming tonight, and she turned in her paperwork last week. She's going to regionals and nationals."
This was a surprise for me too. Becky was on-again off-again on the team. She was there the first year I was on the team. Then she quit. She joined again in the middle of last year, but never came back after summer break. I was glad that she was back, though. She's a lot of fun.
"As I was saying," Coach Melissa continued, "Emmie and Becky, and Joey and Zoey. You guys are both in the same age group. It works out."
"Then there's the weird one. Jake and Ashlyn. I know that you guys haven't worked together before, but you are both going to Nationals, and you're both strong jumpers."
"And Julie and Melissa," she finished.
Then she went on to double dutch. I was anxious to find out who I was with for double dutch and pairs double dutch.
"Ok, so our groups for double dutch are Summer, Sierra and Savanna, obviously, and Lexi, Cara, and Annie, then we have Jenny, Emmie and Jake, and Julie, Becky and Brandon." Wow. What a group. I was secretly kinda disappointed though. I kinda wanted to be with McKenzie and Lilah. Oh, well. I would have fun and learn a lot this year.
"And our last group is Rosie, Leia and Zoey. I know that you don't have a double dutch, Joey, but it's because you're the newest on the team and we didn't have the right number of people. Is that ok with you though?" "That's fine," he said. He looked a little upset, though. I knew how he felt. Because I didn't have a partner!
"Did I miss anyone else for double ducth?" Coach Melissa said. McKenzie, Ashlyn and Lilah raised their hands. "Oh, ya, that's right. You guys were meant to be a group. Sorry, I forgot to right it down." I wish I was in their group. Darn it.
Then Coach Melissa started saying the pairs double dutch groups. At this point, I didn't rally care and wasn't paying attention. I heard my group, though. Me, Leia, Zoey and Joey. The little kids. Of course. At least I was with Leia. She was nice.
On the way home, Jake kept bragging about his great groups. "I'm so happy, and I can't wait for competition," he said. "Me too," I replied. But inside I was really upset. I was with the little kids.
I was partnerless.