MORNING 6:30-7-30:
And the crowd goes wild!!!! This lass minute 3, made by Kaitlen Sheklimore, is just fabulous! We have our own champions at last!!! Winners of the State Finals!! Thanks to Kai—
The announcer’s voice and the court fades and my dream is replaced with the defining ringing of my alarm, the teal blue color of my walls, and butterflies in my stomach. Today is the State Finals and I am playing in it! It is exciting and so terrifying. I swing myself out of bed, and I wince as my feet touch the ice cold cement floor. I yawn, stretch, and shuffle out of my room, squinting at the light. I eat my breakfast-french toast-quickly, and get ready for the day.
MORNING 8:22-8:25:
As soon as the bus’s doors woosh open, I am out and at school. My stomach is not feeling great. Nerves… I smile and wave as I see my team. They look as nervous as I imagine I do. Simone has her hands in her pocket. She doesn’t say anything, which is unusual. We greet each other, and then head into P.E.
P.E. 8:30-8:55:
In P.E. we have a basketball unit, thank goodness, so I can put in some extra practice. We normally play little mini games, but today we get to play a real full court game! I run down the court as fast as I can run, run, run. A layup and this is going to be perfe--CRASH! Out of nowhere, Axel slams me to the floor, foul much? I land hard on the floor and pain shoots through my left leg and I realize that it is twisted underneath me. I hear people asking me if I’m okay, but the pain is unbearable. I lay down as the darkness overcomes me.
Nurses Office 9:00-10:30:
After my fainting spell, I was helped to the nurse’s office where I am held to this moment. My leg is still in major pain, even with the Advil and Ibuprofen. It is also bent in a weird way, which is disturbing. Our nurse, Lacey, called Christine, one of my moms, to come pick me up, I have been waiting for what seems like forever.
ER 11:00-12:30:
Christine came and took me straight to the Emergency Room. She is a doctor and says that if I didn’t break it, then I at least fractured it. Talk about awful, Christine also told me that I definitely wouldn’t be playing in the game.
ER 12:30-1:00:
I hate everything. We took x-rays and the results were that I fractured my fibula. Fun. I will be in a cast for 6-8 weeks. Stupid crutches. Stupid pain. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
HOME/CAR 2:30-4:00:
Yes!!! I don’t know how it is possible, but I got Christine and Mom to let me go and watch the game! I have gotten sort of used to the crutches already… They really suck. I can’t do anything active, which is extremely unusual for me. In the car, on the way to the game, it is really uncomfortable. But if I complained we would immediately turn around and go back home. I am so sad that I can’t play. I am trying to be optimistic, but it is super hard!
GYM 4:30-6:00
We made it to the gym. I am really nervous, even though I’m not even playing. I set myself up with my leg on the bleacher, and settle down to watch the game.
“Come on! You have to sit with us on the team bench!” Simone says. Ugh. I have just gotten myself comfortable, but I decide to move to the team bench anyway.
The game is intense the score hasn’t been more than 2 points apart the whole game.
“Yes, Simone!” I shout as she scores a beautiful three. The rest of the game is hard to watch because it is so close. By the end, I am standing up-thanks to my crutches-and screaming at the top of my lungs. With nine seconds left in the game, my teammate, Lilian, scores a three, getting us the lead in the game. The next eight seconds go by without the other team scoring, and we have won! Our team rushes to Lilian to congratulate her, and I rush to do the same. The win is glorious. Everybody’s so happy. I should be so happy, but I’m not. I just don’t feel good about the win because I had nothing to do with it. I am completely, one hundred percent, jealous of Lilian.
HOME 10:00-10:15:
I apparently wasn’t very good at hiding my jealousy, because Christine is in my room to talk to me.
“Your whole leg thing sucks,” she says. I nod. “You know, even if you didn’t play this game, you are very much a part of this win.” I shrug. “You know, you really support your team, you are a true leader.” She pauses, while I stay still, staring at the wall. “You are a really good ball player, but more than that, you are confident and understanding, a born leader for your team. So is it the only thing tha’s bothering you?” She asks.
“Yeah, they still won! Without me! I don’t feel great about that…” I confess. She nods.
“I understand. But, think, there will be more opportunities for you to shine on the court! Your cast is really awful and annoying, but there are still good things, like grandma’s coming soon. Think of little things like that.” Christine says. She is starting to make more sense. “I want you to make a list of all the good things that you still have.” She then leaves and I am left with ideas swimming through my mind. The more I think about the good things the better I feel.
MY BEDROOM 11:15-...:
Soon, my cast will be off, and I will be back to doing the things I love. I smile as I drift off into sleep.
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