Reflection

"LAST ONE HUNDRED YARDS, SAVANNAH! LET'S GO!" The harshness in her coach's voice propelled her.

"YOU GOT THIS BABY! YOU GOT THIS!" Her mother clapped, cheering her on from the sidelines.

"COME ON, SAVANNAH! LEGION!" Her younger brother yelled at her from within the football field whilst pumping his arm.

That made her almost chuckle, but she certainly cracked a smile. "Another one of his stupid card game refences." Yet, it was that enthusiasm in that word that resonated with her, that made her catch her second wind.

In no time at all she was almost in a full dead sprint. Like a locomotive, her arms were pumping as she could feel the sweat evaporating off her head as if she were a steam engine.

1st, 2nd, 3rd, how many girls could she catch near the end? Looking up from her feet, she saw a small cluster just before the start of the chute, the end of the race. She'd have to run around them if she wanted to get ahead of them. There'd be no way she could break through the middle.

"Dah!" She let out a whelp as her thigh muscle began to twitch. The lactic acid was starting to build up. She could feel it. The burn was beginning to throb.

"COME ON SWEETY! KEEP PUMPING!" Her dad yelled from the bleachers.

"You can do this. You can do THIS." She huffed. They couldn't hear her. They were so focused on the battle with each other, they weren't paying attention to her. They thought they were giving it their all, but they thought wrong once she veered in front of them from the outside.

As fleet-footed as a cheetah, Savannah moved around the pack of girls with more ease than Keiichi Tsuchiya drifting around a corner in a 86. Now, like a gazelle, she sped away from the group of girls as if they were a pack of hyenas, foaming at the mouth, wishing for a chance to nip at her heels. She fought to get ahead, not she had to fly like her life depended on it.

"KEEP MOVING ONCE YOU CROSS THE LINE!" One of the volunteers yelled.

Pushing her chest out, they yelled, "9th place! Watterson Creek High! 10th place! Portage Lake! 11th place! Amberdale South!" She did it. She managed to finish in the top 10, and since here grades were top notch as well, she also received an American Academic All Star reward.

Putting her hands above her head, expanding her diaphragm, she took in deep, short-lived, breaths.

"I did it," she said to herself. "You deserve it."

Later that evening her team was celebrating with a pasta party at her teammates house. With a faster time than even the entire boy's freshmen team, the congratulations were non-stop and came from everywhere and everyone.

"Some day, I hope to run as fast as you," a young sophomore girl on the team, who had just starting running this summer said to her.

"Keep up with us doing fartleks, and you will in no time at all," Savannah winked. As she sat, downing her fifth glass of water, her stomach rumbled. "I'll be right back, guys." Excusing herself she walked over towards the bathroom.

In brightness of the room, with the fan on overhead, she stared at the porcelain throne. Walking over towards it, she lifted the lid as she bent over. Almost instinctively, she knelt without reason.

There, staring back at her, in the reflection of the water, was the round face of a girl she hadn't seen since 8th grade. Her eyes were just as bright as hers, but not as vibrant. Her cheeks were swollen, and her neck was softer and less defined. Yet, the feature that stuck out the most to Savannah, was the number of chins the girl had, and how more of them appeared the further she pulled her head back.

"I- I did well today."

"Well enough for 9th place. That makes you the 8th loser."

"I followed the regimented training and even gave up my summer to have such a competitive season."

"You obviously didn't stick to it well enough."

"I did. I promise."

"So what? You have one little achievement and you think that allows you to celebrate like this?"

"But- But, I deserve it. I did well."

"Well's not great. It's barely good."

She felt sick. Her stomach started convulsing, her lips pursed shut, her cheeks puffed with air. "Hold it. Hold it. Hold it."

She couldn't.