American Girl

Florida

The blue and white circus tent stood tall beside the high school parking lot. While her friends played at the nearby beach, Zlata Melnik would spend her summer days swinging from the trapeze. Years and years ago, her great-grandparents were Ukrainian highwire performers. Enticed by John Ringling to join his circus, they immigrated to the United States. After traveling worldwide, they returned to Sarasota, Florida, during winter.

Zlata's father, Denys Melnik, carried on the highwire tradition, but her mother soared and somersaulted on the swings high above the crowd. Zlata felt torn between both acts. Her parents trained her from the moment she could walk, and her retired grandparents taught her circus and family traditions. They insisted she attend Sarasota High School to take advantage of the training tent inside the school grounds.

Tall and blonde, Zlata's well-formed, muscular body was perfectly trained to twist and flex in mid-air. Her gym bag contained a plain black leotard with matching tights. Like her mother, she performed barefooted. The summer camp she attended would practice for several hours daily and put on a show before school began in late August. Zlata looked forward to exchanging her practice leotard for a red and white sparkly costume similar to her mother's.

Zlata did not feel nervous about climbing the long rope ladder or standing on the skinny perch close to the circus tent's roof. Her Grandfather had carried her up the ladder for the first time when she was two years old. She sat on his shoulders while he carried her across the wire with his balance pole. The experience exhilarated her. She knew the circus was her family's life and hers.

"Are you ready?" Margot Holt asked, approaching her friend.

"I was born ready," Zlata simply responded.

"Yeah, right, it's in your blood," her friend stated, eyeing the large tent. "Actually, I don't know why I signed up for this. I'm going to fall flat on my face."

"You won't," Zlata assured her, squeezing Margot's hand. "You're good at rope climbing in PE. You should try the silks." The long, colorful scarves hung from the rafters. A performer climbed them and did acrobatics in mid-air.

"I'll do silks if you will," Margot suggested.

"I'm doing trapeze."

"I figured. Can't you do both? I'd feel better if you helped. You know more about circuses than I do." Margot glanced around the parking lot.

A few cars pulled in, and a senior group formed. Zlata and Margot were both freshmen. They felt small and insignificant, as compared to the older students. Blair Bevins glared at them when she sauntered past. She clung to Brad Markel's arm as though someone were about to steal him away. Tanya Wakes followed, walking in the popular student's shadow. Wherever Blair went, Tanya wasn't far behind.

"Maybe I changed my mind," Margot stated, turning away. She walked toward her bike chained to a nearby fence.

"Oh, no, you don't," Zlata exclaimed, grabbing her friend's arm and dragging her back. "We're in this together."

"Blair and Brad are stars," Margot groaned, trying to pull away. "They stole the show last year. We don't stand a chance."

"They had to start somewhere, too," Zlata remarked, hands on hips. "In four years, we'll achieve everything they have."

"You can say that; you have a head start," her friend complained. "You come from circus people."

"Well, not always," Zlata called over her shoulder. She headed toward the tent's entrance. Her great-grandparents started the circus tradition, but before that, her family consisted of simple Ukrainian farmers. "Come on, Margot, try the silks."