“Are you Tina’s parents?” Stella asked the woman sitting next to her.
“We sure are,” the woman replied with a nod as she gave the man’s knee a light pat.
“So is that true—what the announcer said about doctors telling you Tina would never walk?”
“It sure is.” Tina’s mother smiled with a faraway look in her eyes.
“But—why would they tell you something like that?” Stella pressed, eager to learn more about Tina, but also wanting to figure out if Tina’s mother was her Wisher. Her Wish Pendant wasn’t providing any help.
“It was the disease,” the woman replied softly. “It affected all the muscles in her body—especially her legs.”
“But she wouldn’t let that get in her way,” Tina’s father added, his dark eyes shining as he smiled over at Stella. “She spent months and months at the hospital, in physical therapy. And then she started working with the coaches!”
“Once she started running, she never stopped.” Tina’s mother beamed. “For as long as we can remember, she’s only wished for one thing—to win a gold medal in the Olympics.”
When Stella heard those last few words, she felt her Wish Pendant growing warm beneath her pink jacket. She shifted away from the woman for a moment so that she could check it—and, indeed, it was glowing bright pink. Tina must be her Wisher—and her wish was to win a gold medal. But…
“Here we go!” Tina’s father let out a whistle, interrupting Stella’s thoughts, and began to tap his foot as he stared intently down at the track.
Stella turned her attention to Tina, too, watching as she and the other girls all bent over and placed their hands on the dirt track. Then, just as before, a shot rang out and they all took off. Almost immediately, Tina was in the lead! Stella leapt to her feet and began cheering and whistling right alongside Tina’s parents—and before she knew it, Tina was nearing the finish line in first. But then, suddenly, the girl in the outside lane overtook Tina by a few strides. Then the girl next to the lead runner edged ahead of Tina as well.
No! Stella focused all of her energy on Tina, hoping against hope that she could somehow push her back into the lead. But it was no use. The other two girls crossed the finish line and Tina came in a very close third. Stella collapsed in her seat. How could this be? She was supposed to be there to make sure that Tina won a gold medal…wasn’t she? How was she going to do that now that the race was over?
But then Stella noticed that Tina’s parents were embracing happily. As they broke apart, they looked out at the track again and cheered even louder than before when Tina walked by and waved up at them with a huge smile. Clearly they didn’t mind in the least that Tina had only come in third place, and Stella couldn’t help smiling at how proud they all were.
“Can you believe it?” Tina’s mother flashed a huge smile as she turned to Stella and squeezed her arm. “My baby got the bronze medal! The bronze medal!”
“That’s wonderful!” Stella replied. “Congratulations!”
“Thank you,” the woman said, dabbing at her tears of joy with a white handkerchief as the man looked over and nodded his pleasure as well, his brown eyes also glistening with happy tears.
Still, Stella couldn’t help worrying that she had failed to fulfill her Wish Mission. Had she arrived too late—or was she wrong about the wish? She watched as Tina headed up to a small stage out on the field, where the medals were being given to each of the girls who had placed as one of the top three finishers in each of the last few races.
“Congratulations!” The announcer’s voice boomed through the speakers when he got to Tina, and someone else put a medal over her head to hang around her neck. “This is quite a surprise victory for you—and I know that everyone here will be looking forward to seeing you run in tomorrow’s race!”
Ah! Stella breathed a sigh of relief as the new information sank in. “There’s another race tomorrow?”
“Yes, indeed,” Tina’s mother replied. “Tina wasn’t expected to place in today’s race at all, so the bronze is just marvelous—but tomorrow’s the big event for her.”
“Everyone who’s anyone has predicted she’ll take the gold tomorrow,” Tina’s father added with a wink.
So there it was. Stella would somehow need to help make sure Tina got that gold medal at tomorrow’s race. She sat back in her seat and felt a warm glow rise to her cheeks as she looked out at all the people in the stadium—especially the little girls, waving flags and cheering for the next group of athletes. In that moment, Stella flashed back to the conversations she’d had with her friends at Starling Academy about Wishling girls and Wishlings with darker skin having fewer opportunities than others. Yet there was Tina, showing the world that she wouldn’t be limited by anyone or anything—including a disability. Everything she had already accomplished proved that anybody could make their wishes come true, no matter what body they were born in, so long as they believed in themselves.
No wonder Skylar had emphasized the significance of this mission for the Wish-Tank and all of Starland. It actually didn’t even sound like Tina would need Stella’s help making her wish come true! But as she looked up at the sky and noticed a bank of dark clouds beginning to roll in, Stella couldn’t help remembering that there were no guarantees—especially when it came to Inspirational Wish Orbs.
The next afternoon, Stella sat on a bench near a practice area not far from the stadium, watching Tina and a few other athletes warming up for their events. As the hot sun beat down, Tina stepped away from the dirt track and grabbed a small towel from the bench to blot her forehead. She glanced over at Stella and gave her a quick smile as a little girl with light brown skin and a pale green dress began to approach, clutching a small notebook and a pen. But before the girl reached Tina, she turned and raced back to a woman who must have been her mother, burying her face in the woman’s floral skirt. The woman laughed softly and shrugged at Tina, who slowly approached the girl—who was still hiding her face—and gave her a gentle tap on her shoulder.
“What’s your name?” Tina asked.
The girl turned around and blinked up at Tina. “I’m Ruby,” she said softly.
“Well, hello, Ruby. I’m Tina.” She smiled down at the girl. “Are you going to watch the Olympics later today?”
“Yes!” Ruby’s face suddenly brightened and she didn’t seem nervous anymore. “I can’t wait to see your race! You’re going to win the gold medal! I want to be in the Olympics one day, too!”
Tina nodded and laughed kindly. “I’m sure you will, Ruby. I’m sure you will.”
“May I have your autograph?” Ruby asked, holding out her notebook and pen.
“Of course.” Tina took the notebook and wrote something in it before handing it back. “There you are, Ruby. I’ll see you at the race later today, okay?”
“Okay!” Ruby twirled around and turned back to her mother, who gave her a hug.
Stella smiled as she watched the girl and her mother walk away while Tina headed back onto the practice track. After a light jog in place, she headed over to a woman who Stella figured was Tina’s coach. The woman wore a red jacket and blue pants, and had a whistle hanging around her neck. After Tina squatted down and placed her hands on the dirt track, the woman blew the whistle and Tina took off, sprinting so quickly that she almost became a blur. After crossing the finish line, she wound back around toward her coach.
“That was your best time yet!” the woman said, looking down at a round silver object in her hand.
“Really?” Tina was breathing hard as she bent over and put her hands on her knees.
“Incredible,” said the coach, who smiled and shook her head as she checked the device again. “But I think that’s enough practice. You should really take a break and rest up before the race.”
“Okay,” Tina replied. “I’m just going to do another run or two with Barbara and then I’ll meet you back at the stadium.”
“Sounds good,” the coach said, waving a quick good-b
ye as she departed.
After doing several deep stretches, Tina walked over to an athlete who had flushed pink cheeks and curly brown hair. She wore white shorts like Tina’s, but her sleeveless shirt was blue instead of red. A young woman with a blond ponytail stood off to the side; Stella figured she must be the other athlete’s coach. Tina and the athlete chatted for a few moments, and then they both bent over and placed their hands on the track. The blond woman held up a round device like the one Tina’s coach had been holding and blew the whistle that was hanging around her neck. Tina and the other athlete began to run a practice race around the track.
Though it was only a practice run, Stella couldn’t help getting caught up in the thrill of competition as she watched Tina bolt into the lead, just like she had during the previous day’s race. Tina was at least ten paces ahead of her competitor as they wound around the track and neared the finish line. Stella had to resist the urge to leap up and begin cheering for Tina. But then, as a dark cloud drifted overhead, blocking out the sun and casting a shadow down on the track, Tina suddenly stumbled and went crashing to the ground. The other athlete stopped abruptly and crouched down next to her. Horrified, Stella instinctively jumped to her feet and rushed over to them.
“Are you okay?” Stella asked when she got to Tina, who was writhing in pain and clearly not okay.
“I—I don’t know,” Tina gasped, her legs covered in dirt, as she curled up on the ground. She reached down to touch her ankle, right where a small patch of blood had streamed out and marred her smooth skin. She winced.
“Don’t worry—my friend is getting you some ice,” the other athlete said, motioning to the blond girl who Stella had mistaken for her coach.
“Thanks, Barbara,” Tina replied with a weak smile.
Stella swallowed hard, trying not to panic, and breathed a sigh of relief as Barbara’s friend approached with a small white bag and handed it to Tina.
“Thank you,” Tina said as she took the bag and tried to sit up, flinching when she placed the ice against her bruised ankle.
“Do you think it’s broken?” Barbara’s friend asked, her pale blue eyes wide and reflecting concern.
“I’m not sure,” Tina replied.
“Are you going to be able to race?” Barbara asked softly.
Tina shook her head and tears began to well up in her eyes. “I hope so—but I don’t know,” she finally responded after pondering the question.
Stella felt queasy as she looked at Tina. But then she noticed her Wish Pendant was growing warm beneath her pink jacket. She stood up and walked away for a moment so she could consult her Star-Zap, which immediately gave her the guidance she needed.
“We need to get a medic,” Stella said to Barbara.
“Right—of course!” Barbara replied. She nodded to her friend and they both raced over to a small brown building halfway between the practice area and the stadium while Stella stayed with Tina.
“I’m Stella, by the way,” she said as she sat down on the dirt track by Tina’s side.
“Hi, Stella. I’m Tina.”
“Yes.” Stella couldn’t help smiling. “I know. I’m a big fan of yours. I met your parents at the race yesterday.”
“That’s where I recognize you from,” Tina said, her eyes filling with tears as she tried to control her emotions. “I should probably get word over to them and my coach that I can’t race today.”
“No!” Stella insisted, reaching out to give Tina’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “You’re going to be okay—I’m sure of it.”
“I’m glad somebody is,” Tina said as she stared down at the track, clearly struggling to remain calm and brave.
“Let’s at least wait and see what the medic has to say,” Stella told her.
“Okay, I guess you’re right,” Tina agreed.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Barbara and her friend returned with a man dressed in a white jacket and pants. He had a confident look in his dark eyes as he set down a white metal box with a big red cross on it.
“Don’t you worry, Tina,” the man said after he examined her ankle and carefully began to wrap it with stretchy white material. “It’s just a little sprain.”
“But—what about the race?” Tina asked as he continued to bandage her up.
“Well…” the man began before inhaling and shaking his head, “I don’t believe you’ll be competing in today’s race, but you’ll definitely be able to run again, eventually.”
That wasn’t the answer Tina was looking for, and it certainly wasn’t what Stella wanted to hear, either. But what could she do? She sat there, at a complete loss, as the medic finished wrapping Tina’s ankle and then helped her up and over to the bench. After a while, and with repeated assurances from Tina that he didn’t need to hang around any longer, the medic departed and wished Tina good luck. Next Barbara and her friend said their good-byes as well.
“I hope we’ll see you at the race later,” Barbara added softly, touching Tina’s arm before departing.
“Thanks,” Tina replied with a weak smile. “But if I don’t see you there, good luck.”
Barbara frowned and thanked Tina before turning to walk away.
After the others had left, Tina looked at Stella and, once again, insisted that she didn’t need to stay.
“Yes I do,” Stella replied immediately.
“But I don’t think there’s anything you or anyone else can do for me right now,” Tina said. “I’m going to have to bow out of today’s race, like the medic said, and focus on competing again another year.”
“Another year?” Stella shook her head. “No way. You’re supposed to get that gold medal today.”
“But how?” Tina looked at Stella like she was crazy. “I can’t even walk.”
When Tina said those words, Stella felt her Wish Pendant growing warm again. And this time she knew exactly what to say. “But you can walk—just like you walked all those years ago, even though the doctors said you never would,” Stella said firmly. “And you can run—and you will run—no matter what that medic said.”
Tina’s eyes grew wide and she sat up straighter as she listened to Stella’s pep talk. “Oh, my goodness,” she finally whispered. “You’re right.”
Then, almost immediately, a huge smile spread across Tina’s face and she rose to her feet. Although she had to lean on Stella as they began to walk toward the stadium, with each step they took, Stella could feel Tina getting stronger. By the time they reached the gates leading into the arena where Tina was supposed to compete, she was walking without any help from Stella at all.
Once they both got inside, Tina began to warm up, lightly jogging in place—with no visible signs of pain. Of course, there was still the matter of running the race and winning the gold medal. But as Stella wrapped a hand around her Wish Pendant and felt its warmth, she focused all of her energy on Tina—and on the Wish Mission succeeding.
Still, when Stella arrived at her seat in the front row an hour later to watch Tina’s upcoming event, it felt as if all the flutterfocuses on Starland had somehow made their way down to Wishworld and moved directly into her stomach. Tina’s parents, who were already at their seats, glanced over at Stella. She could see from the looks on their faces that they were feeling a bit unsettled as well.
“Well, hello again,” Tina’s mother said in a shaky voice while her husband tipped his hat toward Stella.
“Hello again,” Stella replied softly, sucking in her breath just as the booming voice of the announcer echoed through the stadium.
Stella looked down at the track and saw Tina walking slowly but confidently next to Barbara and the other four girls they would be competing against. When Tina looked up at the stands, waving at her parents and then locking eyes with Stella and smiling broadly, Stella felt the flutterfocuses begin to settle down in her stomach.
Once again, Tina had defied the medical predictions—she was going to compete in the race. Now she just needed to make sure she also won
that gold medal.
After the announcer wrapped up the introductions, each competitor crouched down in their starting positions. The moment the now familiar sound of the shot to start the race rang through the stadium, Tina took off and was immediately in the lead. In fact, it was almost exactly like the practice run earlier, with Barbara a distant second and the other four athletes several strides behind her. Stella could feel her Wish Pendant glowing beneath her jacket and had the overwhelming sense that Tina would remain in the lead this time. There was no way that she would stumble or fall. That gold medal was simply too important!
As she rounded the final turn, Tina was still ahead of the others, and it felt like everyone in the stadium was holding their collective breath, waiting and watching as she approached the finish line. Tina’s parents leapt to their feet, all set to cheer for their daughter and the gold medal she was about to win. Stella got up, too. But then, almost exactly like Tina’s preceding practice run, a cloud passed in front of the sun, casting a shadow down on the track. Tina suddenly stumbled and lost her footing!
Stella’s mouth dropped open. No! This couldn’t be happening again, could it? Although Tina didn’t fall down this time, the stumble cost her and she fell behind. Simultaneously, the dormant swarm of flutterfocuses began raging again in Stella’s stomach, but this time like never before. She held her breath as she watched Tina grit her teeth, throw back her head, and clearly work to power through any pain she might be feeling. Sure enough, within moments, she had miraculously regained her composure and edged ahead of Barbara again!
That was it—the lead runners were nearing the finish line, and Tina was heading the pack, so close to garnering the gold medal. She closed in on the finish line and then—yes!—Tina crossed it first, with Barbara right behind her.
“And she’s done it!” the announcer bellowed. “Tina Randolph—the girl who doctors said would never walk—has won the gold medal! She’s making Olympic history here today, ladies and gentleman. There’s no stopping this girl, that’s for sure!”
Good Wish Gone Bad Page 14