Skinny by Laura L Smith

hours later Todd finally announced, “That’s a wrap.” Melissa’s legs fumbled to the bleachers and collapsed. She sucked down half her water in one gulp and wiped her sweaty forehead with the fuzzy towel she had packed in her bag.
    “You look winded,” Jill sneered as she zipped her jacket.
    “What a fun routine.” Stacey bobbed her head from side to side as if still dancing.
    “It is fun,” Melissa agreed. She was thinking to herself, Fun but really tough , but she didn’t want the other girls to think she was incapable.
    Julia grabbed her bag as she headed for the door. “Oh so fun and so very easy.” She overemphasized her words, tossed her head back, and laughed at her sarcasm.
    “Ha, ha, very funny,” answered J. T.
    Melissa popped her earbuds in and pushed play, hoping her fallback band, the Beatles, would drown out her uneasiness. She walked home as quickly as she could, her hood pulled up against the chill.
    She was such a fool! She couldn’t even concentrate on the routine. She had to think about Beau. He probably wasn’t missing shots at basketball thinking about her! The heat of embarrassment returned, spreading all the way across Melissa’s forehead.
    Jill was awful! How could she be so mean? Melissa’s eyebrows felt like someone was pushing them. Her jaw was stiff. Why was she getting so worked up? Why was she even doing this? She would never make captain! She should have slept in!
    Jill’s sneer flashed in her mind. At that moment, Melissa slipped on a patch of ice and fell on her knees, ripping a hole in the knee of her worn pants. Her iPod crashed to the ground, yanking the earbuds from her ears, where they got tangled in the confines of her hood. The notes of Rubber Soul bounced on the ice and dissolved in a pile of snow.
    A sharp stinging throbbed from her knee. The icy pavement bit her crouched legs with cold. The street was empty. She let the tears spill down her face this time. There was no one to see them.
    Dear God, are You telling me I shouldn’t try out? I’m such a mess! I’m awful at Chemistry, Beau hasn’t called, and I’m a big clumsy cow! Are You punishing me? What have I done? What could I do better?
    Melissa untangled the wires from around her head, retrieved her iPod, and wiped it clean on her pants. She stowed the whole contraption in her bag, stood up, and started for home. Melissa stopped at the flashing “Don’t Walk” at the crosswalk. Her tears felt like icicles on her face. She drew her wool letter jacket tighter to chase off the chill. Her tears halted as she felt Beau’s football pin poke her mitten. She wore it on her dance team letter.
    Thinking of Beau’s warm hand placing the cold pin in hers made her smile. She inhaled the crisp January air.
    Please help me do my best, God. Please.
    Melissa stopped herself. She knew she shouldn’t ask God to let her be captain, but it was what she wanted. She lifted her hand to her mouth to nibble her nails but only found wool mittens. She sighed.
    Please help me do the best I can. I’ll do whatever You want. I’ll be less greedy about junk food. I’ll study harder. I’ll practice more. Please? Amen.

Chapter Eleven
    B rrring. Brrring.
    Melissa jumped from the warm indentation on the couch where she had been watching her favorite show. The rest of her family remained glued to the TV as she darted into the kitchen practically out of breath. She smiled, cocking her head sideways so her ponytail flopped. The number on the caller ID was not Beau’s.
    “Hello?” Melissa straightened her head and closed her grin.
    “Hello, Melissa, it’s Mrs. Gregory. Is your mom there?”
    “Yeah. Just a minute, Mrs. Gregory.” She sulked back to the family room.
    “Mom, phone.”
    “Thanks, sweetie.” Mom took the phone from her hand and smiled.
    Melissa’s stomach felt hollow like the inside of a chocolate bunny. The corners of her eyes stung. Why wasn’t it Beau? She slunk back into her seat, curled her legs up to her