Maria Brookes
Thump. All I could hear was the thumping of my heart. Thump. Seconds seem like hours as I wait for the start. The tiles beneath my feet steal the warmth from my feet. When I hear the shot fired, I immediately dart into the water. With every stroke, I push farther and farther. As I finally reach the end of the path, I push back against the wall. Within seconds, it's over. I pull myself out of the pool, waiting to hear from my coach. "How did I do?" I ask him. "You did great," he tells me. "Second place." I look over, trying to hold back the glares behind my smile. Just two down from me is my arch rival, Jana Matthews. Every time I try to get first, she snatches it from me. I try to look away, staring at the jocks in the gym, or the rejects smoking under the bleachers.