Olympic Dreams

Chapter 8- The wait

The music booming in the background wasn't helping. The way my leotard was rubbing against my skin was discomforting. The sound of the crowd cheering was off-putting, but this was still the most exciting thing that had ever happened in my life.

*****

I stood at the corner of the mat, heart thumping, sweat dripping and leotard rubbing, thinking about how hard she had to beg to be here. Mom had argued with me, my dad, coach and even Kylie thought I should be allowed to compete here. After we got permission from Doctor Surgit, who thought we didn't need to even bother asking because the answer was always yes, mom had no reason to say no. So here I am today competing at the US nationals trying for a spot on the US team.

"Next please welcome Jordyn Taylor for floor representing Rocky Gym."

Here I go. Taking my place on the mat so many times I have done before in the comfort of my little gym back at home, but this time I was in the US stadium, performing in front of all these people.

******

I have done the best I could, landed my back tuck on the beam, did my front aerial perfectly on my floor routine and ended on time with my music. Sure, the bars were a little wobbly and I could have done a better dismount off the beam, maybe the vault was to weak, should I have stuck to the easier vault? Would it have mattered point wise?

"Chocolate or vanilla?" Mom's voice interrupting my thoughts as we stood at the counter ordering something to eat.

"Um chocolate" my voice is small and mom can barley hear me so I just point to the large chocolate cake with sprinkles and way to much icing for me to eat by myself.

"And you?" She asks to my sister who has come to watch me compete just like my dad and grandparents.

"Chocolate, chocolate , chocolate!!" she exclaims, her love for chocolate isn't something to be surprised by considering she is only eight years old, what is surprising is how much she can stuff in her mouth in one day.

"Two chocolate cakes and three dark coffees please" she tells the lady at the counter, who gleefully scooped up the cakes onto two separate plates and passes them to us with a cheery smile and winks at me in my leotard and says,

"Don't you worry dear, those results will be up on that board over there before you can finish that cake and your name will be right at the top for the US team, you mark my words little one" The kind words help. The results may or may not be up before I eat my cake and I might or might not be in the top five overall qualifying me for the US team, but I do know one thing, that the results will change my life. And there is no way they will be up before Kylie finishes her cake!