Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Sestina was drowning in fear even though she wasn’t in the water yet. She looked around then slowly inhaled the damp, humid air. This championship swim meet was one she wanted to win.

The official announced, “Event eighty-six. Girls two-hundred-meter freestyle relay. Swimmers, take your mark--” The buzzer rang, and the first swimmer of Sestina’s four-person relay, Natalia, dove off the blocks. Sestina was the anchor so all the pressure of winning was on her. Jackie, the second swimmer, dove into the water.

Sestina noticed Jackie got them in fifth. She was just an ordinary swimmer, nothing like the other girls, but her teammates had faith in her; she couldn’t let them down.

Jackie finished in an accelerated and aggressive manner. She sliced through the water then slammed her palm into the touchpad. Her next teammate, Alex, leaped of the blocks and swam with so much speed that she got them in a tie for fourth.

Sestina stepped onto the blocks and reached down to grab the bottom. Just as Alex finished, Sestina hesitated before she dove into the chilly water. Her arms plowed through the water. I will win. She was nearing the wall where she needed to do a flip turn. She somersaulted off the wall then streamlined and dolphin-kicked to the surface of the water where she began her stroke. As she heard the finishing point, she slammed her hand into the touchpad. She twirled around to look at the scoreboard, which announced a paltry third. Third? she thought, quite disappointed. My fault. She climbed dejectedly out of the water, then waited for her relay to scold her.

Instead, Jackie threw her hands up and said, “Wow! We were so much faster than I thought we’d ever be.”

Alex interrupted, “We would’ve won if you weren’t here, Sestina.”

Sestina felt shameful for letting Alex down until Jackie said, “Ignore her. We would be in last if you weren’t our anchor.”

“Yep! You have to admit we did great. Like they say, ‘It doesn’t matter if we win, as long as tried our best.’” Natalia smiled.