Kelsey's Olympic Dream

 

Introduction

As a gymnast, 16-year-old Kelsey Forsythe always dreamed of going to the Olympics. She had been training hard for the last four years, competing in gymnastics competitions and even winning her state’s National Gymnastics. When Kelsey gets the announcement that she is going to the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, her boyfriend, Carlson Atkinson, proposes to her, but she has to turn down the Olympics to marry him. Will Kelsey be happy as a wife and be able to let her dream go?

Chapter 1

Kelsey woke late Saturday morning exhausted from having won her state’s National Gymnastics Championship. She should have been excited to have won, but she felt guilty. The week before she left for the championship, she got into a huge fight with her boyfriend, Carlson, Atkinson, who asked her not to go to the championship.

Kelsey reflected the argument:

“Please, Kelsey, don’t go to state championship.” Carlson pleaded. “I don’t want you to go.”

“Carlson, it’s only for two weeks.”

“You know I can’t be without you, Kelsey?”

“I’ve worked hard for this championship.” Kelsey reminded him.

“But babe, I don’t want you to go.” Carlson demanded. “And if you go, it’s over.”

“You’re trying to guilt me into not going.” Kelsey said harshly.

“I mean it, Kelsey. If you go to the state championship, it’s over.”

“Fine!” Kelsey cried out. “I’m going and that’s that!”

“Well, looks like you made your choice!” Carlson yelled back, not looking back as he ran into Kelsey’s rival, Samantha Reiser, who’s always had her eye on Carlson.

“Samantha, please get out of my way!” Carlson shouted at her. “I’m in no mood to talk!”

As Samantha watched Carlson storm off in a huff, she thought to herself, “Don’t worry Carlson! Samantha will make it all better.”

Kelsey came back to the present and couldn’t believe Carlson had broke it off with her because she went to the state gymnastic championship. She didn’t understand Carlson’s anger. Didn’t he understand how hard she had worked for this moment? How was she the selfish one?

Kelsey forced herself to get up and get dressed in her gymnast bodysuit and leg warmers, pulled her long blonde hair into a braid that hung down her back and went downstairs to pick up her gym bag.

“Kelsey dear, I have your breakfast on the table.” Kelsey’s mother told her.

Kelsey looked at the cold scrambled eggs, cold toast with butter and jam and hot chocolate that has become cold.

“Uh, thanks mom, but I think I’ll pass.” Kelsey said as she was about to head out the door for the gym. “I have a heavy workout today.”

“Sit down and eat, young lady.” Kelsey’s mother demanded. “You can’t work out on an empty stomach.”

“But mom, it’s cold.”

“Well, it’s not my fault you woke up late.”

“Fine.” Kelsey said a she ate the scrambled eggs, toast and hot chocolate.

“Thank you mom.” Kelsey said as she kissed her mother on the cheek before heading out.

“Be back at 3 pm, Kelsey.” Kelsey’s mother reminded her. “Your sister’s birthday party is this afternoon and I want you there.”

“Yes, mom.” Kelsey said as she headed to her Jeep Wrangler her parents had gotten for her as a present when she got her driver’s license.

As Kelsey pulled out of the driveway, Carlson was heading down the road to speak with Kelsey. He had thought about things and realized that Kelsey was right and he was being selfish. He just hoped Kelsey would give him the chance to explain himself.

Chapter 2

Carlson pulled into Kelsey’s driveway and turned off the ignition to his second-hand Volvo that he had bought when he saved for it from his job at Jimmy’s Italian Eatery. He had dreams of owning his own restaurant and planned to go to culinary school when he graduated high school. He was going to propose to Kelsey and he hoped she would accept. That’s why he had gotten so mad when she said she was going to the state gymnastic championship. But his mother had made him see Kelsey’s point of view and how selfish he was being.

There was just one problem he did not wish to confess to Kelsey and he vowed never to tell anyone just what it was.

Carlson knocked on Kelsey’s door and her mother answered it, “Hello Carlson.”

“Can I speak with Kelsey?’

“I’m sorry, but you just missed her.” Kelsey’s mother said.

“Oh, do you know where she went?”

“To the gym.”

“The gym?” Carlson asked surprised. “I thought the state championship was over?”

“It is. She’s working on going to the 2020 Summer Olympics.”

“Oh.” Carlson said.

“What’ wrong? You look bummed.”

“Nothing, Mrs. Forsythe. I’ll talk to you later.”

“I’m sorry you missed her.”

“I’ll catch up with her later.” Carlson said as he got back into his car and started the ignition.

Meanwhile, Samantha was on her way to the gym to confront Kelsey and let her know how badly she had hurt Carlson. Little did Kelsey know, but Samantha had heard Kelsey and Carlson’s argument before she had went off to the state gymnastic championship. Samantha intended to tell Kelsey just what transpired while she was away.

Samantha arrived at the gym and found Kelsey warming up before she got into her routine. Kelsey was just about to start her routine on the balance beam when Samantha walked up to her.

“Samantha! What was that?”

“I wanted to let you know what I thought of how you treated Carlson before you went off to the state championship.”

“How do you know about that?”

“I was just coming around the corner when I overheard you and Carlson fighting.” Samantha lied.

“You mean you eavesdropped on a private conversation?” Kelsey corrected her.

“Arguing on school grounds is not eavesdropping!” Samantha defended herself.

“What do you want, Samantha?” Kelsey said irritated.

“Well, just wanted you to know. . .that while you were gone. . .” Samantha said trailing off.

“Well, Samantha, spill it!”

“Oh, alright. Since you ask.” Samantha confessed. “Carlson and I have become an item while you were gone.”

“Yeah, right.” Kelsey said in disbelief. “Carlson wouldn’t touch you with a ten-foot pole.”

“Well, he did. And I’m pregnant because of it.” Samantha lied.

“I don’t believe you!”

“Okay, but in a few months. . .you’ll know I’m telling the truth!”

And Samantha left Kelsey standing there at the balance beam with her mouth hanging open, not sure she should believe what Samantha had just told her. Kelsey didn’t know if she should confront Carlson about Samantha’s claim or let it be?

Chapter 3

The next day at school, Kelsey spotted Samantha hanging all over Carlson at his locker. She felt a pang of jealousy watching her moon all over Carlson.

“So it was true?” Kelsey said to herself, as Samantha’s words the day before came back to her. “Carlson moved on.”

Kelsey marched on over to Samantha and Carlson intending to give Carlson her two cents, but when she got there and saw the smirk on Samantha’s face, she thought better of her choice..

“Carlson?” Kelsey asked him.

“Yes, Kelsey.”

“I want to congratulate you and Samantha. I hope you two are happy.” Kelsey said, as she bit her lip just saying the words.

“Well, thank you, Kelsey.” Samantha butted in before Carlson could say a word.

“I don’t want there to be hard feelings between us.” Kelsey told Carlson. “I made my decision. My dreams of an Olympic career are important to me.”

“Kelsey, can we. . .” but Carlson didn’t get a chance to get them out because Samantha was dragging him off to meet her friends and brag about their relationship.

As Kelsey watched Carlson go off with Samantha, she still couldn’t believe that he would hook up with her. Kelsey knew she hurt Carlson badly by her decision, but Samantha? She was the school slut. She was just using him. Kelsey hoped wised up before Samantha hurt him. Kelsey vowed to keep an eye on Samantha, just to be sure. She still loved Carlson very much and wanted only the best for him.

Kelsey looked at the time and noticed she was late for her math class. Carlson and Samantha would have to wait for now, Kelsey thought as she headed for class.

It was lunch as Kelsey walked to her locker and put her books away. She took her lunch that her mother had made for her from her locker and headed for the cafeteria. Kelsey always brought her lunch with her because she didn’t like the school lunch.

When she came to the entrance of the cafeteria, Kelsey stopped short, seeing Carlson just a few seats away, and Samantha hanging all over him, and her friends congratulating her and Carlson on the new baby.

Kelsey couldn’t watch Samantha’s show, so she headed for the library to do some studying. Training for the Olympics had left Kelsey falling behind in her studies anyway.

But while she was in the library, Kelsey overheard Samantha’s BFF, Abigail Chavez, talking with all-star quarterback for their football team, James Jimenez, all about Samantha’s fake-pregnancy to get Carlson to date her.

Kelsey couldn’t believe what she had just overheard. She had to tell Carlson about Samantha’s lie. And she would have her chance when Carlson managed to escape Samantha’s clutches to come to the library to study.

“Kelsey?” Carlson said, as he sat down at the table across from her.

Kelsey wanted to talk to Carlson about what she had overheard, but she didn’t know quite how to tell him.

“Carlson?” Kelsey whispered. “Can we talk?”

“And what do you want to say?!” Carlson said, still hurt by her decision.

“I heard something that bothered me, a few minutes ago.”

“And what was that? The Olympics decided not to accept you?” Carlson said sarcastically.

“No. It’s about Samantha.”

“And what about her?!”

“She’s not pregnant.” Kelsey said, coming out and saying so.

“You’re lying!” Carlson said angrily.

“Samantha is using you.” Kelsey said, concerned for him.

“You’re just jealous, Kelsey. You can’t stand me with someone else, so you’re telling lies about Samantha.”

“I know what I heard a few minutes ago.”

“I got to go.” Carlson said, as he picked up his books and left.

Kelsey couldn’t believe that Carlson didn’t believe her. After all they had been to each other, he thought she would actually lie about something like this? Well, if that’s what Carlson thought about her, then he could have Samantha. Kelsey was through with Carlson! But it still hurt!!

Chapter 4

Kelsey kept busy with practice for the Olympics and her studies, but it was hard to watch Carlson with Samantha when she was at school. It hurt to watch the two of them together with Samantha's friends, but it got especially hard when she happened upon the two as Kelsey was on her way to the girls' restroom.

“C'mon, Carlson, can you just forget about Kelsey!” Samantha said in anger.

“I'm sorry, but I still have deep feelings for Kelsey.” Carlson admitted.

“OMG! You didn't just say that!” Samantha raged, leaving Carlson alone as she went off in a huff.

While Carlson sat in the hallway alone, Kelsey entered the girls' restroom as she went up to the sink area and looked at herself in the mirror.

“What am I going to do?” Kelsey said to herself.

She still had feelings for Carlson, but he hurt her went he hooked up with Samantha.

But Kelsey would have to postpone her doubts when Samantha entered the girls' restroom.

“You put Carlson up to his latest stunt!” Samantha accused Kelsey.

“I don't know what you're talking about?” Kelsey said innocently.

“You're going to pay for turning Carlson against me!” Samantha threatened.

“I told you and Carlson both I don't have time for dating. I have the Olympics to train for.” Kelsey told her.

“Yeah, I know. That's what you claim?!” Samantha said before leaving the restroom, leaving Kelsey alone to stew in her thoughts.

As Samantha was leaving, she thought of the best way to get back at Kelsey. She made a call to someone at the Olympics office. After she was through, she smiled slyly, “Enjoy your training for the Olympics, Kelsey!”