Esta- Born an Olympian (chapter three)

by EpicNinjaWriter in Oregon

Chapter three

     The days leading up to the first day of school seemed to speed by. I practiced my handsprings every day, and though I didn't have a balance beam, I went over the moves in my head. I taught myself bridge stretches and practiced as if Liza was teaching me. I kept replaying the image in my head, the one where I was competing in state-level gymnastics, letting myself delve deeper into the dream. I practiced to make myself feel like I was helping my chances a little, and to get my mind off of the first day of school, the new school, the embarassment, the stares.. But by the eve of the first day of school I couldn't ignore it any longer. I shoved all of my school supplies into an old black backpack Gina had found in the attic. Before I could head up to my bedroom, Gina came into the room. She looked surprised that I was there. "Esta-" She hesitated. "Esta, I wanted to apologize. I haven't... well, I haven't really welcomed you into my home." I looked away from the floor and stared at her.

      "Well I'm not really-" I started to say, but she raised a hand for silence.

      "What I'm trying to say is I'm sorry. And good luck tomorrow, starting school and everything." She looked at me hastily.

      "Thanks," I managed to say. As I bounded up the stairs to my room, a warm feeling spread into my stomach and creep into my chest. It was weird that Gina would actually apologize- I hadn't been  expecting it. But it felt... it felt good, I guess. It felt better than the awkward silences and pretending the other wasn't in the room. I didn't want to like Gina because it seemed so disloyal to my father, but I guess it would be okay for a while. I thought of the other kids still at the foster center. Had they always longed to have this feeling of warmth? Did I prefer here to the foster center? Did I miss the other kids? In a way, I really did. I felt so alone here, so cut off. The feeling of lonliness sank onto me as I slipped under the covers. My heart pounded as I lay there in the dark, thinking about the foster center and Gina and the kids and my father. I turned over in bed and gazed at the picture of him next to my bed. There he was, smiling at me, just like always.

       Suddenly I ached to be the cheerful seven-year-old in the photograph, leaning against my father's side, laughing and joking with him that summer... I felt tears scatter down my cheeks but I let them fall. Finally, I rolled over and fell asleep, tears frozen on my cheeks.