More than Big Boned

7. I Didn't Think Animals Could Race

Screaming is all I hear. People are jumping up and down and clapping and war-cries are being shouted from each school house. Splashes sound, and somehow, I manage to stay dry. Can you guess where I am?

That's right, the swimming carnival.

Since it was moved to today, I had to rush yesterday afternoon to make sure I actually had togs. Thankfully, I had a tankini, shoved in the bottom of my cupboard, and a pair of board shorts. The tankini is plain black and the board shorts are my house colour; orange.

Being in grade twelve, I had to nominate myself into one of the competitive races and a fun race. So, I put my name down for one-hundred-meter breaststroke and for the noodle race.

"Hey, Martina." I look over to where the voice is coming from and see Teddy and George sitting behind me chewing on lolly snakes. I haven't really talked to them a lot since yesterday - I barely talked to them then either - but they seem really nice. I think we could be close friends if we got to know each other.

I turn my body around so I'm facing them.

"Hey," I say, smiling. George is wearing nothing but grey board shorts and I see that he has a very toned stomach. Teddy has covered himself with a rash shirt and a towel.

They offer me the bag of snakes and I take one gladly, thinking about how I've been eating nothing lately. When I get home, I might have to have a little something. Not too much though.

"What races have you guys done?" I ask, trying to distract myself from thinking too much.

Honestly, I haven't been watching the races the whole time. I had Layla, Freya and Thomas come up to me during one of the grade twelve races so I couldn't see who was in it. I've also just been staring into space and thinking of helping teachers round up stupid grade seven kids.

"Well," starts Teddy, "I've done butterfly, freestyle, and backstroke. I just have to do breaststroke which is in, like, ten minutes."

"Nice," I nod, grabbing another snake.

"I've done all the same," George says, puffing out his chest slightly.

"Cool. What did you guys come?"

"I came second in everything but butterfly where I got third," Teddy frowns slightly. "Thanks to this big fella." He points to George.

"I got first in everything," he smirks.

I laugh slightly at their banter. "Good job, guys."

"Thanks," says George. "What have you done?"

"Nothing," I sigh. "Just been getting kids sorted for the teachers. I had to nominate for competitive so I chose breaststroke. Then I'm doing the noodle race."

"Oh, nice," Teddy says through a mouthful of snakes. "Join our team. We need one extra person."

"Who else is on your team?" I ask.

"Samantha, George and me," Teddy replies.

"Ew," I say. "Why her?"

"She was the only other one who put their name down and still wanted to do it," George says.

"Oh," I say, slightly disappointed that there was no one else. "That's OK, I guess. At least we have a full team."