If there is anything I learned from the trip down south, it’s that I will be learning about people, and how to deal with different people, all the time. How to get along, how to let things be so they work themselves out, and how to hope for things to go my way but not be disappointed if they don’t. I’ve learned I’m not perfect and I shouldn’t expect anyone else to be: not Sally, not her friends, not my friends, not anyone. And most of all, I learned that no matter what the outcome may be with my parents, they are going to do whatever is good for them, and Cameron and I will have to be okay with it. Faster and faster my feet skip the ropes as I think more and more about my parents. I even stretch out my hands to tell Sally and Melissa to turn faster! I want my parents to stay together. Is that too much to ask? Faster. I don’t care what Charlie says; I want them to stay together. I don’t want two families. I don’t want to have to travel back and forth. Am I being selfish, or is this normal? Why aren’t they here? Faster. Why don’t they know how much this means to me? I can’t jump any faster! They act like they love me, but they don’t! They don’t love me! Tears add to my sweat as I give it my all, jumping faster and faster.
“Time!” the judge calls. I jump out of the ropes and slump with my hands on my knees. I can’t stop crying. The judges agree quickly on the number: “Three seventy-seven! We have a new record!”
“That was excellent!” Sally yells. Melissa is huffing and puffing as much as I am as I pace. It’s her first time and she did it.
“That’s gotta be…some kind…of record or something,” Melissa pants. I guess she didn’t get it. That is the new record, and my parents missed it! Gabriella quickly runs over to me.
“Are you okay?” she asks as she shoves a towel in my face. I nod and wipe my face and pretend I’m okay. She stares at me a moment, then pulls me by the hand and gets in my face. “I don’t know what’s going on with you, but you were amazing out there! Fusion is up next, so I’m going to need you to pull it together. We can do this! Yes?” I nod. The fierce competitor in Gabriella shows her face. If I wasn’t afraid of her before, I might be now. Gabriella doesn’t pull any punches. She wants to win like she has something to prove. Man, she’s tough, but she’s right. I have to get it together. I take in a deep breath and blow it out like a blowfish, but before I can move, I hear, “Kayla!” I look up and it’s my mom and dad! They’re here!
“We saw you, baby!” my mom yells. “You were fantastic!”
“That’s my girl!” yells my dad.
The smile on my face can’t get any bigger. Waving to them isn’t enough. I run over and hug them both so tight.
“Baby, you were amazing!” my mom says, hugging me. “I’m so proud of you!”
“I love you, Mommy! Daddy! I’m so glad you’re here!” I cry.
“We’re here, baby,” Dad tells me. “Stop crying. We’re all right.” He stares into my eyes for a moment as if he’s answering the question in my voice mail. My mom grabs my sweaty face, kisses my cheek, and looks into my eyes.
“Everything’s okay, sweetie,” Mom says. “Everything’s going to be good, okay?” I can’t help the tears falling from my eyes. I don’t know if what she’s saying is true and that we’ll be okay forever, but right now I want to believe her so bad. Yes, I want everything to be okay. I hug both of them again tightly.
“Come on, Kayla!” my team screams at me. I don’t want to let go of my parents, but I have to. I quickly get back to the floor—my energy is back to a hundred! I’m ready to crush it!
Luckily, the Jets—well, the new BK Crazy Legs, aka my friends—are called on before us. Their routine is really hot! Honestly, I’m not shocked, but I am curious about Jesse and what is so special about him that they put him on the team. As I watch, I see him jump single rope like no one before. Okay, now I see. I don’t think anyone has seen quadruple rotations with acrobatics in a single rope. He’s springing up like he’s jumping rope on a trampoline. He is amazing! The only thing, though, is he’s not doing the tricks with double ropes, so they won’t count. Ugh! My team still needs me. Even though they might have lost points during time on the single rope, BK Crazy Legs is the team to beat. Ugh, again! This is so hard. Although I love my home team, I don’t want to let down my new team. What am I gonna do? I just have to do what I have to do.
We’re up, and as soon as we get in our places we realize Ivy is missing! She’s been in the restroom way too long.
“Go on!” urges Coach Kirsten.
