Fourth Grade Day

After each of us had done at least three dives apiece, Morgan decided it was time for our little challenge.  “I think it’s now or never to see if Zack can outdo me in a cannonball contest.”  Whoops and cheers sounded from the boys as all of the kids began to crowd around the diving board.  “Come on, Zack, don’t chicken out now,” Morgan teased me.

            I gasped.  “Me, chicken out?  I don’t think so, Morgan Fisher.”

            “Oh, I just can’t wait to see this,” Lauren Shade announced as she huddled next to Mallory and Leann.

            “I get to go first and Governor Rell will be the judge,” Morgan declared as she jumped up on the diving board and waited for everyone to watch her with baited breath.  For some reason, my heart began to beat a little faster as I felt a wave of nervousness wash through me.  “Here it goes, Zack.”  Morgan then catapulted off the diving board and jumped at least four feet high before she crashed down into the pool with a humongous splash.

            “That was awesome,” Shane Forzano cried out.

            Taylor McGuire shot me a sympathetic look.  “I don’t know, Zack.  That is one tough dive to beat.”

            “Yeah, Zack, I think she’s gonna cream you in this dive competition,” Sarah Kline muttered.

            “Come on, Zack, you can do it,” Steven Newth shouted as I mounted the diving board.

            “Yeah, Zack, don’t let her show you up like that,” Ryan Drew added.

            I waited for complete silence to take hold before I went running down the diving board and pushed off with my toes.  While pulling my knees into my chest, I cradled my body into a fetal position and prepared for touchdown.  With one second to spare, all seventy-five pounds of my body weight slammed into the water as if it was concrete.  The sounds of muffled shouting filled my ears as I pushed with my feet to get back to the surface of the pool................