Chapter 3
I was really excited to get to learn archery so I could be like mom, but the closer we got to the studio, the more nervous I got thinking about what if the other kids are better than me..? And if they are, I’ll get laughed at.. because everyone in the district knows my mom’s the bow and arrow girl…. “Oh, no…” I say out loud, before I realize it. “What’s wrong?” mom asks. “Nothing…” “Its something, what is it?” “Well, I was just thinking.. What if I’m bad at it… archery…? I mean, your great at it so everyone else will expect me to be too.” “Don’t worry about it, you’ll do fine.” She says as we get out of the car and walks me to the door.
When we get in she signs me in and the instructor leads me to the 10-13 year old group. I watch Mom leave then pick up a bow and arrow and put it up to shoot. “Okay, everyone is watching you, they know who you are, You can do this..” I say to myself. I look straight down the arrow right to where I want it to land on the target, just like Mom told me. I pull the arrow back, afraid that I was going to humiliate myself; I closed my eyes tightly and let go. When I opened my eyes and looked at the target, I was amazed but scared at the same time. It made it to the target, exactly to the target, exactly to the middle of the target.. “Oh my God.. I did it.” I think to myself. I think about screaming but then I remember everyone probably expected that from me. I look around to see everyone talking to each other. My first thought is they hate me and they think that I think I’m better than all of them so they’re talking about me. Then a few girls I recognize from school come and gather around me saying things like, “That was amazing.” “How did you do that?” and “Can you teach me?” Soon after that, the lesson where I was supposed to be the student, I ended up being the teacher, telling all the other kids in my group and other groups what to do, how to hold, aim, pull, and shoot the arrows in the right way.
The time flew by fast, and as soon as I knew it, it was 3:30 and all the parents were showing up to take their kids. I’m so busy teaching a little girl and her sister how to shoot that I don’t notice Mom walk in. I turn around to help the little girl when I see her watching me smiling. I smile back and wave when she gives me a thumbs up that I’m doing a good job. After I watch the girl and her sister successfully shoot 4 arrows that all land on the target, I hug them then run over to Mom. “Mom! Mom! I did it! I did it! I shot it and it made it to the bulls’ eye and then the girls from school wanted me to teach them and then everyone else wanted me to teach them! It was so fun! I loved it! Can I please come back, please?” I say practically begging. “Yes of course you can, see, I told you you’d do fine.” She says laughing. I can’t wait to get home so I can tell Aaron all about my day.
