Champion [2014]

Chapter 2- A Real Friend

Emma stood up and said something to the brown-haired coach whose name Becca didn't know. Then she walked over to Becca angrily.

"What did I do?" Becca said softly. The anger temporarily disappeared from Emma's face and she laughed.

"Nothing!" she said. "You didn't do anything." Then her tone grew serious. "I heard what Melissa said to you. Melissa is mean. All she wants to do is make you afraid of her so that you won't beat her. But we can show her that she's not the only person here who knows how to do gymnastics." Emma smiled at Becca, but Becca wasn't so sure. What if she couldn't find the courage to perform her best without Katie Ramon around? Melissa and Jessie would taunt her for the rest of her life!

"Becca!" the brown-haired coach said, interrupting Becca's thoughts. "Come join us—we're working on handstand bridge kickovers." 

Becca's face fell—she had always had trouble with kickovers. A kickover was a gymnastics stunt where the gymnast stands on her hands and then flips her feet over into the bridge position (a stretch where the gymnast holds herself in a bridge shape with her stomach facing upward and her fingertips pointing toward her head).

"I'm Coach Isabel, by the way," the coach added. "O.K., girls, let's get started," she said to the rest of the class. "Today we're working on kickovers. Emma will demonstrate." 

Emma nodded once to show she'd understood. Then she put her palms on the mat she was standing on, put all her weight on her hands, and flipped up into a handstand. Then she held it for five seconds, and brought her feet gracefully over her head. She landed soundlessly in a bridge position, holding her arched body up with her hands. Then she quickly pulled herself up by letting go with her hands and standing up straight. She ended in a standing position with her arms held beautifully over her head. Everyone applauded. Melissa did so reluctantly. 

"Wonderful," Hannah exclaimed, grinning at Emma. "Now...Becca?" she said suddenly. "Would you like to go next?" Becca was taken aback by this invitation, and weighing her choices, she nodded. It was better than being laughed at for turning it down.

Becca stood up and did a quick handstand. Her hair fell into her face, obscuring her vision. Melissa snickered. Coach Isabel walked over, and Becca flipped back down.

"Why don't we try using this," Isabel suggested kindly, handing Becca an elastic hair tie. Becca blushed and took the hair tie. She put her hair in a ponytail. Then she prepared for her kickover. She put her hands on the floor and held her legs up for as long as she could—not as long as Emma, she thought. 

Then she braced herself for the hard part and concentrated. She kicked her feet over and suddenly flopped on her back. Melissa and Jessie both burst out laughing. Melissa looked at Becca with her face full of disgust. The two girls stopped laughing when they glanced at Emma. Sparks could have been shooting out of her eyes, she was so mad.  

"Melissa, Jessie, don't laugh at people," Coach Isabel scolded, even though it was obvious she didn't exactly mean it. "I know you're competing against each other, but you should still be nice to each other."

Becca was winded and her face burned with embarrassment. Her eyes stung with tears, but she wiped them away.

The rest of the time in the gymnastics class did not improve in the least. Becca wobbled on the balance beam and messed up the simple routine she was assigned on the trampoline. Melissa laughed rudely every time Becca messed up. 

When Hannah awarded the girls some time in the pit, Becca was so devastated that she left five minutes early while all the other girls, except Emma who was in the bathroom happily dove into the foam block-filled void. Melissa shot Becca a smirk as the poor girl fled from the gym.

When Becca found her locker, she found a yellow Shooting Stars pamphlet sticking out of the vent. Confused, she opened it and then flipped it over. On the back was a scribbled note.

Dear Becca,

I'm sorry about the way everyone's been treating you. I would never do that to anyone. Especially not you. ☺

Listen, do you want to come 15 minutes early next Tuesday and practice with me until the rest of the girls get here? I'm not that good, but I'll try to help. We can work on kickovers.

I hope you can come!

If you want to contact me, call 978-460-9898.

Your friend (hopefully),

Emma Schultz

Becca was surprised when she read the note. Emma was really asking to be her friend! She's being modest, Becca thought with admiration as her eyes swept the paper again and again.

Emma walked by the lockers. She flashed Becca a quick smile which Becca immediately returned. Both smiles were wiped away at the entrance of Melissa. "You're getting all mushy now?" she sneered, surveying Emma and Becca with scorn. "Well, I'm glad you're getting along with someone." She chuckled, as if she didn't think Emma counted as a "someone".

Emma walked up to Melissa coldly. "When will you ever learn to keep quiet?" she snapped. "It's horrible to treat people that way. Why won't you ever be nice?"

Melissa was stunned for a moment. Then she recovered, and cooed in baby talk, "Oh, look at little Rebecky who can't do anything for herself. Did you run off to mommy 'cause the big girls made you cry, Rebecky?" She then stalked out of the dressing room.

Becca was staring at the dressing room door, halfway between being angry and crying.

"I'm sorry," Emma said gently. "She's always that way in gymnastics. She treats everyone she's competing against that way." She lowered her voice. "Did you get it?"

Becca nodded. "I'll ask my mom. That's really nice of you to offer."

Emma smiled. "See you next time—early,hopefully." She held out a closed fist. Becca looked at it, confused.

"Uh... what do I..."

"Bump it," Emma explained. Becca smiled and made a fist, too. They bumped each other's hands. It was the first of many, many times.

"How did class go?" Becca's mom inquired.

Becca gulped. Should I tell her what really happened? she thought in a panic. Was it worth her mother being worried about her? She quickly made a decision.

"It was pretty good," she replied calmly. "Listen, Mom... Do you think we could come here next time fifteen minutes early?