Pieces of us

Chapter Thirteen

The school has been bubbly and chaotic all morning. Through the classroom window, I can clearly see all the activity going on around the field.

Today is the zonal interschool high jump competition, and school buses have been arriving in droves. It’s a good thing Crestwood’s open fields are huge. I guess that’s why it was chosen to host the competition.

I turn to look at Nora, who’s participating, and I can’t believe how calm she seems.

But then again, it’s Nora. Nothing ever seems to shake her.

She catches me staring, and I give her a smile and a thumbs-up.

She smiles back and returns the gesture.

The quiet interaction leaves me feeling giddy inside.

“Okay, champion. Are you ready to take that medal?” Kevin asks, playfully slapping her shoulder from behind.

She turns and slaps his shoulder in return.

“You’re not nervous, are you?” Kevin asks.

“Who wouldn’t be?” Nora answers.

“You got this. Your legs aren’t long for nothing,” Eddie chips in.

Nora rolls her eyes.

“I’m sure there are others with longer legs,” she says with a smirk.

“You’re going to do great,” Patricia says.

“I know,” Nora answers.

“That’s my girl.” Kevin slaps her shoulder again.

“I’m going to need you to stop doing that. I’m not your guy,” Nora says, though she’s smiling. She clearly doesn’t mind.

“No one else is more my guy than you,” Kevin replies.

It’s meant to be playful, but there’s something about the way his eyes soften when they meet Nora’s that’s hard to miss.

“So where does that place me?” Eddie cuts in, making me chuckle.

“No one can ever take your second place.”

Eddie side-eyes Kevin, making him laugh.

Nora rises to her feet.

“I need to get going.”

“Want me to come along?” Patricia asks.

“Nah. Just come out and watch me when the competition starts.”

“Sure. Everyone’s coming,” Patricia says.

“Okay. See you guys.”

Nora steps out of the classroom, and Nicole and a few others wish her good luck as she leaves.

Behind me, Mark seems to be asleep as usual.

When eventually everyone starts heading out to the field, I tap his shoulder. He looks up at me with a frown.

“What?”

“Aren’t you going to watch the competition?” I ask.

“No. Now go away.”

He turns his head and faces the wall.

I shake my head.

Doesn’t he ever get tired of sleeping?

“Dawn, what are you waiting for? Let’s go,” Nicole calls from the door, with Yvonne standing beside her.

I immediately follow them.

We make our way through the thickening crowd of students from our school and the other schools. Luckily, we manage to get front-row seats.

And even better, I’m sitting right next to Kevin.

I smile to myself before shaking my head.

I should be trying to get over this one-sided crush.

I let out a sigh.

I look around the field, searching for Nora. She’s standing with the other participants. There are about five girls from our school, and probably the same number from each of the other schools. I count about six schools in total, including ours.

I clasp my hands together and silently pray for Nora.

I have very little interest in the others.

Once everyone has settled, the zonal sports coordinator gives a brief speech. Then the moderator takes over, giving her own mini-speech and explaining the rules of the competition.

The bar is set at 1.35 meters.

Nora sits on the bench, watching the other girls take their turns.

“Peters. Crestwood International.”

“Passing.”

The bar is raised to 1.40 meters.

“Passing.”

Then 1.45.

“Passing.”

At 1.50 meters, Nora finally gets to her feet.

She walks to the start of the approach, several meters away from the bar, and takes a deep breath.

Then she starts running.

Her steps quicken as she approaches the takeoff point. She plants one foot and launches herself into the air, twisting over the bar before landing safely on the mat.

The bar is still standing.

Crestwood erupts in cheers.

Kevin is practically at the edge of his seat.

At 1.55 meters, a few participants are eliminated.

Nora clears it.

The way she jumps over the bar makes it look effortless. She’s impressive.

Then comes 1.60 meters.

She clears it too.

At 1.65 meters, more participants are eliminated. Crestwood now has only two students left in the competition, including Nora. The other schools have one or two participants still representing them as well.

Nora takes her position.

She starts her approach, her eyes fixed on the bar.

One step.

Two.

Three.

She reaches the takeoff point.

But just as she tries to launch herself, her foot lands awkwardly and she goes down.

I immediately rise to my feet.

Kevin does the same.

Everyone watches as Nora tries to stand.

She gets up.

Then, the moment she puts weight on her leg, she falls again.

“Did she twist her ankle?” Kevin murmurs.

Before I can answer, he’s already making his way onto the field.

Someone else is helping Nora up by the time he reaches her, but Kevin takes over, slipping her right arm over his shoulder and helping her away from the landing area.

“Peters is injured,” the moderator announces. “It appears she won’t be able to continue, making her final recorded height 1.60 meters.”

Patricia and Eddie leave their seats, and I decide to go with them.

At the infirmary, I hear Nora groan in pain.

“You might need to get it checked at the hospital,” the nurse says.

I slowly open the door and poke my head in.

Nora is lying on the bed with her right leg stretched out. Kevin is holding her left hand, looking like a husband whose wife just went into labour. Eddie is sitting beside him, while Patricia stands at Nora’s right side, gently massaging her ankle.

She turns and glares at me.

I return the glare before looking back at Nora.

“Are you okay?”

“Obviously she’s not. Just go away,” Patricia snaps.

Before I can respond, the nurse shushes her.

“You’re in the sickbay, not your house. Be quiet.”

It takes everything in me not to burst out laughing.

“Nora, I’ll give you some painkillers. I’ve called your parents. They’ll be here to take you to the hospital.”

“My dad’s not in town…”

“Yes, but your mom is, right?”

“Right.”

Nora pouts.

* *

Almost an hour later, Kevin and Eddie have gone to the cafeteria to get some ice for Nora’s ankle. Patricia and I sit with her.

The door opens, and Nora’s mom walks in.

She exchanges greetings with the nurse before turning to Nora as the nurse fills her in on what happened.

“I had to leave very important work to come all the way here…” Nora’s mom says, her eyes just as cold as the first time I met her. “Be more careful next time.”

“Yes, Mom,” Nora says, lowering her head.

Her mom sighs and turns to Patricia, who seems all too excited to say hello.

The woman simply nods in response.

Then her eyes settle on me.

She frowns.

I start to feel uncomfortable as her stare lingers.

She looks back at Nora.

“Get your bag. Let’s go.”

“Her bag is in the class. I’ll get it,” Patricia offers.

“Good. Meet us at the parking lot. You’ll find a black car close to the gate.”

“Alright, ma.”

“Yeah, thank you,” Nora’s mom replies, not looking the least bit thankful.

She turns back to Nora.

“Let’s get to the car.”

She glances at me before heading for the door.

Nora hurriedly tries to get off the bed.

It’s so weird that she doesn’t even bother to help Nora walk, knowing her ankle is sore.

I move toward Nora and put her arm around my shoulder.

We slowly make our way out the door.

Up ahead, I stare at Nora’s mom’s back as we walk behind her.

She doesn’t even turn once to look at her injured daughter.

Just then, we run into Kevin and Eddie.

Patricia has already met them on the way and told them that Nora is leaving.

Kevin immediately takes over from me and helps Nora all the way to the car.

As soon as Patricia arrives with Nora’s bag, Nora’s mom starts the car and drives off.