Not Best Friends

“Exactly how many medals do you have?” 1

I counted mentally, but could not remember all; I had won medals from too many sporting events. “Dunno. I lost count at around 20.”2

Karen picked up a photo that had dropped on to the floor. “Hey, I remember that day. It was the first time we competed against each other and we came in first together. Remember?”3

“Yeah. We were only 10 at that time; still too childish to comprehend the meaning of ‘winning’.”4

“Winnie?”5

“Hmm?”6

“Why do you choose both swimming and running? Isn’t one enough? You’re not exactly respecting the sports by splitting your efforts into the 2 of them.”7

I thought deeply, but could not come up with an answer. “I guess… because I love both of them equally…”8

“You won’t excel this way.”9

“Yes I will, and I will prove it.”10

***11

Hi! I’m Winnie, and I’m an athlete. I run, I swim, I fly - in my dreams for now, but I will fly one day. I don’t exactly major in any sport, but I love running and swimming. That’s why I’ll be participating in both categories in the O’Lym next year. I’m trying my best to win Gold medals for at least one, but my goal is to get them all!12

“Winnie! What are you doing? Shouldn’t you be training? Go! Shoo!” That will be my mom. She’s my personal coach in everything and anything, especially my studies, which I suck at. 13

“Yeah, OK. Coming!” I grab my swimming stuff and run downstairs, where my dad is waiting. He’s my coach for swimming, and track occasionally, but I don’t have to pay him, lucky me.14

“You’re so slow. I wonder how you, a slow tortoise, can run so fast on the track. And swim so fast! Miracles do happen.” Dad winks at me. “Let’s go!”15

“1 minute and 0.01 seconds! You broke your record! Congrats, Winnie!” Dad yells, handing me my towel.16

“I plan to hit less than 1 minute in the competition,” I reply, unsatisfied with my result.17

“Go for it! I’m sure you can do it! If you keep it up, you might get 50 seconds!”18

“Oh well, as they say, practice makes perfect.”19

“Hi Winnie!” Karis bounces over.20

“Hello. Where’s Karen? Training?” I ask.21

“…Yeah,” she replies slowly, refusing to meet my eyes. I am curious to know why, not suspicious, but did not have the energy to probe further. “I shall not disturb you further in your training. Do your best!”22

“Thanks. Tell the same to your sis!” 23

I awake to screams from downstairs. As usual, I am reluctant to part with my comfortable bed but I manage to in the end. Clambering down the stairs, I nearly fall over my own two feet.24

“What is it?” I ask sluggishly.25

“Winnie, you come here at once!” Mom points a finger at me, the other hand clutching the newspaper. My guess is that it has something to do with the news.26

I lumber over to her side and peer at the newspaper. It is flipped to the sports section. I read the headlines and my eyes bulge out.27

“WHAT?! Why the hell would I want to do that for? I hate drugs! God, if I find out who gave that false information –” I clench my fist. “– that person’s dead!”28

“Tell me about it. I’m just as furious; it can ruin your entire sporting career! I’ll complain to the agency about this.” Mom pats me on the back. “Don’t worry, I bet it’ll blow over before the competition.”29

“I hope so,” I say miserably. 30

“Twenty-seventh lap! You can do it!” Dad yells at me from the bleachers.31

It is a hot day, though fortunately the sun is not shining directly at me. I am nearly faint from the heat; if I am ice cream I would have become a sweet puddle. Sadly, if I want to come in first, training is all I can do. 32

In the end, I run 50 laps, collapsing when I reach Dad’s side.33

“Not bad. Look who’s here to cheer you on.” He steps aside to reveal Karen.34

“Hi. I just finished my training so I thought I’ll come to see you for a while. You know, the news…” she trail off. Immediately, I stand up and face her.35

“What about it?” I ask abruptly.36

“Uh, nothing, just that people are saying you shouldn’t join the O’Lym because of that…” She refuses to meet my eyes, just like her sister.37

“Hmph, I won’t let that affect me. Anyway, what should I be afraid of? It’s not true, so they can say all they want.”38

“Winnie… Are you okay?” 39

“Yeah, just fine.”40

When I finally go home, I switch on my computer to do some homework. It’s a lie, obviously; teenagers like me do not do homework when we say we’re using the computer to do homework. Well, duh. 41

As a routine, I check my inbox for new emails. Usually there’s a few and they’re mostly advertisements. Thus I’m surprised to see a message from a “Kelly”.42

Dear Winnie, I know who gave the information to the newspaper. Meet me at the swimming pool you frequent at 4 pm today.43

Kelly44

I look at the clock; it is 3 in the afternoon. As I debate whether I should go, the email address of the sender catches my eye. No further questions needed; I know what to do.45

“So, what do you want?” I ask as I see Karen. We are good friends, the best of friends in fact, even though we are rivals in the track. Recently, due to our training schedules, we had not been meeting up much. I thought we are still friends, but this has me wondering. 46

“You know what I want.” 47

“No. You’re mad. Why do you even want to do this? Believe that you can achieve results by yourself, not by kicking me out of the track. Anyway, there are people who are much faster than me out there.”48

Karen stares at me. “No. All of us know that you are the fastest runner and swimmer. Why can’t you be content with one? Why must you take both? Your medals fill up so much space already, do you need more?”49

“Karen, what’s wrong with you? Is winning so important to you? If so, you can just take all of my medals, engrave your name on them, and everything will be fine.”50

She looks at me furiously, but is unable to come up with a spiteful remark. 51

“It was you.” I state quietly, my voice barely above a whisper.52

She nods slowly. “It’s the only way to put you out of my line of competition. You forced me to do it.”53

“You know what. I hate you, Karen. You can totally destroy my future sporting career, which you know is very important to me, just by one newspaper article. I hate you. I don’t care if you’re jealous of me; you don’t want to work hard and earn the medal, it’s not my problem. But this, is way out of line. And you know what, I hope I never get to see your face again, not on track, not anywhere. So, this is goodbye.” I turn to leave.54

“Winnie…” she calls softly. “I’m sorry.” And she runs away, like the wind, in a breath and she’s gone. Running away from guilt, from sadness, and me.55

“The matter is settled. An apology will be printed in the newspaper tomorrow, but the police have to check on you first, to confirm that you are not abusing drugs,” Mom tells me.56

“Oh, fine, whatever,” I reply monotonously. 57

“What happened?” she asked, concerned as only a mother will.58

“Nothing. Don’t mention this to me again, ok?”59

“As you wish.”60

I lost a friend who was consumed by winning. I feel like it is my fault that she became like this. True, it’s not my fault that I’m good in sports but that’s because I train hard. Even so, I had insisted on entering in 2 totally different categories in the O’Lym. Is it folly? Am I respecting the sports? I’m excelling in both still! I don’t know, this is making me confused. I take a nap to clear my head.61

“Hiya. I’m Hare.”62

“I’m Dolphin.”63

“I’m Eagle.”64

“We represent your sporting desires. We are here to help you understand.”65

“Let’s go.”66

I feel tears on my cheek when I wake up, but I understand at last. Karen had been jealous of the attention I had gotten for obtaining the championships for both. As her friend, I had not noticed and thought that nothing was wrong, when she was hurting inside, where nobody could see. It’s my fault. 67

“I’m sorry, Karen.” I echo her apology to me before she ran away.68

***69

“Did you count your medals?”70

“No, for what? They only represent my achievements, but the real thing is in me; you can’t represent me.”71

“Why do you run and swim?”72

“It has nothing to do with anything except for my love of both. When I can’t choose between anything, I take both. But when I do that, I promise myself I will cherish both and excel. It’s not for nothing”73

“Me? Am I your best friend?”74

“No.”75

“You’re my bestest friend!” we say as one.76