Faith

• Charli Kline, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2013

Juliet was on the balance beam at gymnastics. “Coach, I can’t do it, I just can’t land this dismount, and I feel like I’m going to fall.” explained Juliet. “Come on Juliet, beam is your best event, I’ll be here if you fall.” Replied her coach. After finally deciding to do it she got ready. Could she do it, or would she fall. Flipping through the air left the peers around her anxious if she could land it, and she did. “I did it coach.” cried Juliet. Her coach was proud.
Juliet was dismissed from gymnastics, so she gathered her belongings and walked home.
As she turned the key in the door she could smell something, her mum was cooking dinner. “Hi mum I landed my dismount today!” cried Juliet. Her mum turned around from the oven, not looking impressed. “That’s great honey, but I really need to talk to you about something.” explained her mum. So Juliet and her mum took a seat at the dining table. “Sweetie, I don’t think we can pay for your gymnastics anymore.” Her mum said quietly. You could just see the emotions going through Juliet’s eyes and face. Her mouth was open in shock. “I can’t stop gymnastics, I don’t even know who I am without gymnastics,” cried Juliet. By this point she was crying, more like sobbing. Juliet rushed off to her bedroom, and slammed the door behind her. She stared at all the posters on her wall of Olympic gymnasts all lined up with their medals. That didn’t make Juliet feel any better.
After a while, and after Juliet stopped crying she started reading her book, well trying to. “None of this makes any sense,” Juliet screamed in frustration. Juliet stared at those plain black words all crammed into the book. “How am I going to get this book report done by next week?” she moaned. She got so tired that she fell asleep.
A couple of days had gone past and it was the day of the book reports due. Juliet was so nervous to say her speech to the whole grade. There were a lot of good ones. Like her friend, Emma gave her speech and it was great. “Juliet, your turn,” said her teacher Mr Mantle. Juliet just nodded to indicate that she was ready, but deep down inside she wasn’t. She walked up to the podium, and started.
She was going really well. But she was almost done. “So in this book, about Olympic gymnasts, I learnt that no matter what happens, the struggle you’re in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow, because even Olympians have their ups and downs. Thank you.” Juliet had the biggest smile you could have ever imagine. In this story it inspirers you to never give up on you dreams!

By Charli Kline