Fitness for Dummies ✓

Nine

N I N E

.....

I was standing quietly, wondering if I should've jumped rope more often. Jumping rope is a fun activity, only when you know how to do it. Well, this theory pretty much applies to everything.

I took a few deep breaths, hoping that I'd get through this.

"So, what were you both talking about yesterday?" Olive asked.

"Who? Jesse and I?"

She nodded.

"Oh, I didn't get to play, so he was helping me to feel better. He's such a nice guy," I smiled.

"So, you both are like friends now?"

"Yeah."

She cocked an eye at me. "But you said and I quote 'I find him cute."

"I find you cute as well. Aren't we friends?"

"I'm a girl."

"It doesn't matter, Olive," I sighed.

I held the rope handles tightly in my hands. Using my wrists, I swung the rope over my head and a few seconds later, hopped over it. Excitement took complete control over me, making me want to do the skipping faster.

Hence, I jumped again and again. As always, my breathing became irregular within a few minutes, but I didn't give up. I wanted to jump more, so I swung the rope again, but this time, it ended up tangling in my feet and as a result, I fell flat on my face. 

I could smell the ambrosial fragrance of the moist grass. 

My pointed nose hurt, but thank God, it wasn't bleeding. I sensed the rush around me and turned my body around. Obviously, it was embarrassing, but I couldn't care less.

"Don't worry, I'm not dead," I giggled.

I didn't know what happened to me that I suddenly started laughing. That's probably because I was feeling free and happy on the inside. The day before, my new friend told me not to care about people. Jesse told me to be myself. He told me to enjoy myself no matter what and I guess those few words changed my perspective. If I had been the old Lizzie, my eyes would've probably welled up. However, I had changed now.

Seeing me laugh hysterically, everyone started laughing as well. 

I put a hand on my mouth to avoid any snorts from escaping my mouth. Olive bent down, sitting beside me. She slightly shook her head at my yet another embarrassing incident.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, please help me get up," I said.

It took Jesse and Olive both to pick me up from the ground. They still laughed up their sleeves, but I didn't mind. If I could put smiles on a few faces, I didn't mind anything at all.

"Ow!" I muttered.

My nose was hurting like hell. I rubbed it lightly with my index finger, hoping to get some sort of relief.

"Are you okay, Lizzie?" Christine asked, looking closely at my face.

"I guess, yes."

"Well, I guess you should relax for a while," John said.

I nodded.

Jesse and Olive put my arms around their necks as they tried to support me. They took me to a nearby bench and helped me sit on it. Soon, they took their seats next to me.