Hey guys! No more school, no more homework, no more worrying about grades! ITS SUMMER TIME! I have to say though even if I am so happy that schools out, i’m also really sad about leaving my friends and teachers. I have to say it’s been a long time since I have posted a short story, so I decided to whip one up now. The topic? Summer!
My name is Summer Robinson, and I USED to hate summer. Annoying bugs, pesky bee’s, and sunshine blaring on your skin giving you an awful sunburn. I can deal with all of that, but its one thing I hate about summer the most. My cancer. I found out that I was diagnosed with cancer on June 16, the last day of school. I had to take a cancer test a few weeks ago, but I never thought me, Summer Robinson, cheerleader, dancer, and runner, could have cancer. Maybe your thinking cancer is not too bad, but once you get it, you’ll shut right up. I soon realized that the universe was out for me, giving me cancer on the last day of school. I thought my cancer would not affect me character and my social life but it did. Next school year, the second I shaved my head, people looked at me, stared even, and those people were supposed to be my best friends. They kicked me out of the cheerleading club, probably because I had no hair and wasn’t pretty enough to be a cheerleader. They didn’t kick me out of dance, but I had to leave myself ,since they were treating me like a 2 year old. But, something happened last summer that changed me forever. Here’s the story.
“WHEEZE, GASP.” I breath heavily in and out. Ever since my cancer took over, it’s been hard to run to my best ability. I am still above average, but I used to be extraordinary. Every mile in running club used to feel like a yard, but now it felt like a 1,000,000 yards. I wasn’t ready to quit though, this stupid cancer shouldn’t bring me down. The coach talked to me a few times, telling me it was okay to quit and come back when I was better, but I was determined. I take a deep breath and rest for a second before I start sprinting again. “So, i’m not the only one who likes to take running club slow,” says this perky, brunette behind me, sweating insanely. “Ha yeah, I used to be fast, but as you can probably tell by my shiny, bald head, cancer has gotten to me. “That sucks, but I hope you don’t think that I’m that mushy, gushy type of person, saying sorry for you, and giving you attention,” she says. Something about her attitude really sets with me. “Good, I’ve gotten enough of that from almost everyone!” I say smiling, showing her I really do like how she doesn’t care. “Oh I forgot to say, my names Carrie,” she says reaching out her sweat stained hand to shake mine. “Summer,” I reply. “Once were out of here do you want to get some Fro-Yo?” she asked obviously in the move for something cold, and fatty. “I could really use that, so sure,” I say happy that I remembered to bring an emergency $2o just in case.
Me and Carrie walk to the Pine Street Frozen Yogurt place ready to dig in. We talked about running club, school, horrid teachers, and more, but one thing we didn’t talk about was my cancer. No matter who I was with my cancer always came into the subject and I hated it. For once I wasn’t the one who was always talking. We said goodbye and agreed to meet each other day after tomorrow in Running Club. Ever since school started, I have been waiting to meet that one true friend, who would stick with me throughout summer, and she did all through summer. We became really, really close, and soon we were BFF’s. One day on a hot, summer day she brought me the news of a lifetime.
“Summer, I have great news for you, coach selected you to participate in the running competition!” she says bursting into my room. “WHAT! I’m not ready at all, what about you?” I say hoping that we could run together. “I didn’t get it since I’m pretty slow, but you did, don’t worry I’ll be there in the crowd cheering you on,” she says showing no jealously just enthusiasm. ” I won’t win though because of my cancer though,” I say disappointed it was getting in my way of doing my best. “SUMMER LINN ROBINSON, DON’T YOU DARE SAY THAT EVER AGAIN!” she says with anger and excitement. “You can do whatever you want to, if you believe in yourself,” she states. “Fine, I’ll start practicing,” I say happy that I was selected. I practiced for hours, and was slowly improving, Carrie took the position of my coach and encouraged me daily. Soon, it was time for the race.
Girls from my past cheerleading group laughed as I stood at the running mark. “She probably only got selected because of publicity of her cancer,” they say giggling at me. It burned my chest that I used to be in that mean group. I’ll show them .I knocked out that thought of the girls out of my head and focused on the race. “Runners, starting mark, get ready, get set, GO!” the announcer says with excitement. I sprint to the finish line, but suddenly I feel a small ache in my head, cancer ache. I ignore its stinging and focus on the race, I was in about 5 position out of 7th. “No, I refuse to finish 5th because of this cancer,” I think, now sprinting harder and faster. 4th position, 3rd position, 2nd position, the crowd was screaming harder now. I was so close, I thought of my cancer, I thought of the cheerleaders, I thought of their comment, and I thought of 1st place. I sprint, almost flying, taking out my anger on my legs, and the black, concrete track. I was neck to neck to the other player, more anger I thought. My chest comes in contact with the gold paper, I had won.
The crowd was silent for that split second, surprised that, me, a girl with cancer beat 7 other amazing runners. Then the cheering began, but out of the thousands of people, I only heard one voice, Carrie’s.
2 summers ago I was diagnosed with brain cancer, but this summer I just won one of the most difficult competitions in the county. I used to hate my name Summer, because of the season, but now I believe that it was my destiny, summer was my destiny.
Thank you guy for reading! It took my a long time to write this, but i’m very proud. I hope each and everyone of you guys have a great summer, and keep checking out my blog for posts through the summer, and keep commenting. Bye!
-Namitha