7 hurried down the hall
to the volleyball practice she
knew was starting now without her
because she had to stay after
class in physics to ask for
help on her extra credit work.
The extra points were needless
to her grade, but she wanted to
excell. Everything could be
hers if she tried hard enough – class
valedictorian, team
captain of the volleyball squad,
first trumpet in the high school
band, solo in the new choir
number – she could do it all.
She ran passed the computer room
on her way to the gym and
peeked inside, knowing exactly
who she would see inside. 8
was lounging there as usual,
watching soccer games as he
would stuff his face with those greasy
chips he somehow enjoyed while
cheering for plays that he could be
making himself at practice,
which 7 knew started about
an hour ago. She didn’t
know how he could do that to his
team and his coach and himself.
7 shook her head, speeding her
steps toward her commitment.
Even if she was tired and sore,
she said she would and she kept
her word, even if people like
8 decided to lay back
and take it easy, she wouldn’t.
Those words were her motto when
she was hurting and wanting to
give up, that idea gave her
the drive to push forward as
she always did, just like she
was then, running to her next task.
Erika Rowlee 