Love Double Dutch!

by Doreen Spicer-Dannelly

  Cameron is driving back with my aunt and uncle and cousins. They would take a flight, but my uncle Larry has a terrible fear of flying. I have no idea how he is an army veteran and still hasn’t gotten over his fear. As for me, our sponsors bought us all first-class tickets and got us a hotel right in the middle of Times Square! As long as I’ve lived in New York, I’ve never stayed in a Manhattan hotel. I guess sponsors are a good thing, because I’m not just going home, I’m going home in style! I’ll also be competing in the double Dutch competition I’ve been dreaming about since I was like eight years old. Now I have a bigger team with crazy costumes, an awesome routine, and the best coaches, and best of all, everyone’s become really good friends. Even Sally and Ivy are cool again, like “peas and carrots,” as they say in the South. I never would have thought I’d be so excited, not in a million years. Well, I shouldn’t get too excited; we still have work to put in at Madison Square Garden.

  In the morning, the coaches hurry us to get ready because a bus will be there to pick us up outside the hotel. A bus? We’re only about six blocks from the Garden. Why don’t we just walk? But when we get to the curb, this huge bus pulls up. “Wow!” the whole team says as it stops right in front of us. The bus is covered in a tropical forest theme or something. Ah, sponsors, right! I’m guessing the sponsor logo is for some special water that’s supposed to help us stay hydrated. Cool! When we climb on, we see other teams all ready to jump. I am amazed to see kids from all over the United States. I can’t help but think we look like a can of mixed nuts with sprinkles—all dressed up in fresh gym clothes and anything that sparkles, glitters, or shines. And there are more boys! What? Now, that’s different. But who cares? They all are about to get smoked by the Carolina Fire Jumpers! I’m repping North Carolina. Really?

  As we pull away from the curb toward the competition, I wonder if both of my parents are going to be there. I know my aunt and uncle and the boys will be there for Sally, but I don’t know about my family. Will my mom and dad make excuses? And if my parents do show up, will they be together together or just together?

  The bus driver clicks on the sound system, and it gets everyone’s attention.

  “Welcome to New York City, everyone!” he says, and we all cheer. His heavy New York accent suddenly sounds weird to me. “As I understand it, you guys are on your way to a competition for double Dutch, which, I’ll be honest, I didn’t know existed.” Everyone laughs or boos. How can you live in New York and not know about the biggest double Dutch contest in the world? “Ah, what are you gonna do?” He laughs to himself. “But since I was hired to get you guys to Madison Square Garden safe and sound, I want you to sit back and enjoy the ride.” He clicks off, then clicks on again. “Oh yeah, but I did remember a song from back in the day. I’ll play it for you. It might help you guys get into the mood to jump around.” No, he didn’t. “So take your earplugs out and take a listen to”—no, he isn’t—“ ‘Double Dutch Bus’!” Yes, he did. All of us laugh, but without a doubt we sing along to every word….“There’s a double Dutch bus coming down…”

  * * *

  —

  We arrive at Madison Square Garden and it’s everything I hoped it would be. As teams move between velvet ropes into the entrance of the huge arena, the place is so full of excitement that I can feel it on my face. And with all the cameras flashing from everywhere, I feel like a pop star! People hold up banners and wear T-shirts supporting teams. It looks like people brought everyone in their family, including Grandma and Grandpa. I look around for my family. I don’t see any of them, but I do see Ms. Jackson! I run and catch her off guard with a big hug.

  “Well, well, well, look who made it to nationals,” Ms. Jackson says as we both smile. Seeing her after all this time makes me realize how much I look up to her. “How was your summer?”

  “It was great.” I giggle. “I mean, I’m here, aren’t I?” It’s like I suddenly forgot about how much we got on each other’s nerves.

  “That doesn’t surprise me.” Ms. Jackson stares a bit. “I knew you could.” I just smile and hug her again. I miss her being my coach. It’s really because of her keeping me in check that I’m here. Then I spot my New York friends right behind her, looking at me like I’m crazy. I let Ms. Jackson go and I’m over to them in a flash.

  “Oh my gosh!” I yell as we all hug. “This is crazy! You made it!”

  “Of course we did,” Mimi says. “You didn’t think we’d let you down, did you?”

  “Not for one minute!” I’m so happy to see them.

  “Look at your hair!” Nikki says. “It looks so pretty.” Before I can even thank her, Eva interrupts.

  “But we had to replace you,” Eva says, pointing to a boy with big, curly hair. Hold up, needle scratch.

  “What?” I ask. “Who’s that?”

  “Jesse,” Nikki says with a glimmer in her eye. “And he’s really good.”

  “Well, we’ll see about that,” I say.

  “We also had to add two more turners,” Eva says with raised eyebrows. “I’m jumping this time.” I look over to see two other girls, who wave when they see me looking. I wonder a moment about Jesse and if he’s as good as me, good enough to beat my new team. Competitor mode sets in.

  “Don’t worry,” Mimi says. “When you get back home we’ll start practicing for the Holiday Classic, since you’ll be back on our team.” I don’t have time to think about that. I’m still eyeing curly-top Jesse.

  “Okay, sounds cool,” I respond quickly.

  “So who’s your team?” says Eva as she sizes us up.

  I snap back to reality. “Oh, uh, these are the Fire Jumpers.” There are confused expressions on my friends’ faces as they take a look at the mixed group of girls from North Carolina. Everyone waves politely. “And this is my cousin Sally. She is awesome in the ropes, you guys.”

  “Awesome?” Eva squints. “Is that like your new word?” I roll my eyes.

  “So this is the same cousin Sally you said you…,” starts Nikki.

  “Nice to meet you, Sally.” Mimi waves and nudges Eva.

  “Hi, nice to meet you,” says Sally.

  “She’s the reason for the new hair, and we’re cool now,” I say to clear things up for them. “I’ll fill you in later.”

  “Well, I hope you brought your A game, because we came up with a whole new routine,” Eva taunts. Is she really going there?

  “Yeah, Jesse gave us some good ideas.” Nikki beams again, then beckons to Jesse. He trots over confidently. Okay, he’s cute, but not cuter than my Charlie. “Jesse, this is Kayla.”

  “ ’Ey, what’s up?” Jesse says with a nice, firm handshake. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

  “Welcome to the Jets,” I say, still checking him out carefully. “I mean, their team, for now at least.”

  “Uh, yeah,” Eva says with a smirk. “About the name…we’re now the BK Crazy Legs.” They all jump and crisscross their legs and pump their arms and chant.

  “Turn down for what?” they yell, and laugh. I smile but suddenly feel like I’ve missed something that happened with my friends this summer.

  “That’s cool!” I say, trying to hide my feelings.

  “Come on, ladies!” Coach Kirsten yells. “We’ve gotta get signed in.”

  “Have you seen my parents?” I ask my homegirls before we’re shoved off. They just shake their heads and give me weird looks, since they probably can’t remember the last time my parents showed up to anything.

  “Good luck!” Mimi yells.

  “Yeah, good luck.” I wave back.

  “I guess we’ll see you out on the floor,” Eva says with that beast-mode look in her eye. I get it, because I’m right there with her.

  As if things couldn’t get crazier this summer, now I’m competing against my own friends. Well, no matter what happens, it’s game time. May the bes
t team win!

  As soon as I step into the arena, my stomach drops like I’m on a four-story roller coaster. Wow! Madison Square Garden. I’m really here! I’ve been here once before to see the circus, but today all eyes will be on us. I will definitely have to write this down in my diary because this is one day—well, one summer—I don’t ever want to forget.

  “Close your mouth. You’re drawing flies,” Melissa jokes.

  “You don’t understand,” I say, still amazed. “I’ve always dreamt of this moment and now I’m here. This is just crazy.”

  “Okay, listen up, girls,” says Coach Kirsten. “You’re going to see a lot of great competition out there, but don’t let that shake your confidence or let anyone get in your head.” She looks to Gabriella as if Gabriella tried to intimidate her once. I don’t know how those two managed to become friends, but maybe it’s something that comes with getting older. Or maybe they both understand that we’ve all become friends for the love of double Dutch, and they get our competitiveness.

  “You guys have worked hard, and now all you have to do is stay focused and stick to the routine,” adds Coach Gabriella.

  “What if we mess up? What if something happens?” Brie panics.

  “Well, well, well, look who’s nervous,” teases Melissa. “This is my first time and I can’t wait to get out there and show them how awesome we are!”

  “Great attitude, Mel,” encourages Coach Gabriella.

  “Yeah, we’re not going to mess up! Don’t even say that!” Tina adds.

  “I have to go to the bathroom,” Ivy says nervously. “Do I have time?”

  “Really? Are you serious?” asks Sally. I giggle. Sally pulled the same thing not too long ago. “This is not funny, Kayla!”

  “It’s just that they’ve acted like they were so big and bad in their small little town,” I say.

  “Don’t be such a jerk, Kayla,” Brie retorts.

  “I’m not being a jerk! You guys don’t make any sense. You were mad at my cousin because she messed up your chances to get here, and now you’re scared? Welcome to the big leagues, Belles. It’s time to step up!”

  Brie sulks. “I just didn’t know it was going to be like this!” she admits. “Look at these teams! Look at this place!” She crosses her arms and scrunches up her face like she’s going to cry. Coach Gabriella shoots me a sideways look.

  “Okay, I’m sorry,” I apologize. “But this is no time to chicken out. We’re competing against the best jumpers in the country, including my team from Brooklyn—my friends—and they’re great. But as much as I don’t want to admit it, my new team is amazing and our routine is the best I’ve ever been a part of. We can do this.”

  “All right, then! Are we ready?” Gabriella screams.

  Kirsten throws her hand out to the center. “Fire Jumpers on three! One-two-three!” she yells.

  “Fire Jumpers!” we all scream. Ivy tugs on Kirsten. She still has to go to the bathroom.

  “Unfortunately, Ivy, you’re going to settle down and hold it,” says Kirsten. “After compulsory, then you can go.” Ivy winces, but it seems Kirsten has seen her act like this before. Something tells me she’s the type who will pee on herself just for attention.

  Before we can finish stretching, the National Double Dutch Jump-off begins. My stomach is in knots, but I put in my earbuds and play my favorite beast-mode song to get in the zone. I start speed-jumping with an imaginary rope while Sally and Tina are jumping single ropes to warm up. Melissa is warming up by doing push-ups. Wow! And she sure can do them perfectly. Brie is trying to stay distracted by jumping around with her eyes closed and earbuds in. Ivy…well, she’s pacing.

  Every now and then I peek up to see where we are in the order of teams. It looks like the six- to eleven-year-olds are up first. They’re so cute. I remember when I started jumping double Dutch. I was as serious about it then as I am now, and I still hold the record for the most jumps in a minute in that age group.

  Today, since I don’t have the solo, the least I can do is top my own record and put my new team ahead in the scores. We’re up next! I look up for my mom and dad but still see only my uncle, aunt, cousins, and Cameron. I also see my friends on their feet, cheering us on. I’m so happy they came, but where are my parents?

  We take the floor to pass the compulsory test. Even though everyone takes this part lightly because it’s so easy, if you don’t pass, you don’t move on to the next phases: speed and fusion. So if we make one little mistake, all the practices, arguing, and rivalry will be for nothing. With two new jumpers, I am praying hard…on the inside. As we pick up the ropes, I squint at Ivy as if to say, You better not mess up.

  Sally and I turn first while Brie and Ivy jump to lift their legs high and then put one foot over the other, hop around on one foot, and jump out. Seamless. While the ropes are still turning, Brie and Ivy take them from us and turn for Tina and Melissa. I’m a little nervous because Tina wasn’t allowed to have her earbuds this time. Tina gives me and Sally a reassuring nod, while Melissa keeps her eyes focused on the ropes. As they get going, they count every step together. Hey, whatever works, do it! And they do. Perfect. Thank goodness! Then they turn for me and Sally, and without fail we complete the compulsory test. Piece. Of. Cake!

  I look up. No Mom and Dad. Again, I try to hide the disappointment, but it’s too hard. I can’t help thinking that they just don’t care about how much this moment means to me. How could they not show up? Why would they do this to me? I’m here! I’m here, at Madison Square Garden! As always, I’ll just bury the hurt under my feet, stomping out the pain with each fast and furious step I take.

  But first I watch the speed competition, especially Jesse, the new guy. I hear a judge say, “Three thirty-five, a new record!” Wow! Okay. I take one last look in hopes that my mom and dad finally showed up, but I don’t see them. I concentrate on what I have to do. The arena quiets as soon as I take the floor for the speed test. It’s cool that the judges recognize me and add an extra judge to count. They must know that I hold the novice record. I give Sally and Melissa my game face.

  “You can do this, cuz,” Sally says before the ropes. I nod without saying a word, but it feels great to hear her say something encouraging. Thanks. Out of the corner of my eye, I see two of the judges hunch over to stare at the center of the ropes, where they continuously tip-tap the hardwood floors. They have to simultaneously press the tiny hand counters with their thumbs every time my left foot hits the ground. I’m happy they are wearing glasses. My feet are burning to smoke up the hardwood at Madison Square Garden. On the whistle, I float between the ropes like there’s wind underneath my wings, but as soon as my left foot hits the ground, I get to work. My feet tap the floor ever so lightly while beads of sweat form on my forehead. And although I should concentrate on my speed, my mind begins to wander off to everything that happened this summer.

  If there is anything I learned from the trip down south, it’s that I will be learning about people, and how to deal with different people, all the time. How to get along, how to let things be so they work themselves out, and how to hope for things to go my way but not be disappointed if they don’t. I’ve learned I’m not perfect and I shouldn’t expect anyone else to be: not Sally, not her friends, not my friends, not anyone. And most of all, I learned that no matter what the outcome may be with my parents, they are going to do whatever is good for them, and Cameron and I will have to be okay with it. Faster and faster my feet skip the ropes as I think more and more about my parents. I even stretch out my hands to tell Sally and Melissa to turn faster! I want my parents to stay together. Is that too much to ask? Faster. I don’t care what Charlie says; I want them to stay together. I don’t want two families. I don’t want to have to travel back and forth. Am I being selfish, or is this normal? Why aren’t they here? Faster. Why don’t they know how much this means to me? I can’t jump any faster! They act
like they love me, but they don’t! They don’t love me! Tears add to my sweat as I give it my all, jumping faster and faster.

  “Time!” the judge calls. I jump out of the ropes and slump with my hands on my knees. I can’t stop crying. The judges agree quickly on the number: “Three seventy-seven! We have a new record!”

  “That was excellent!” Sally yells. Melissa is huffing and puffing as much as I am as I pace. It’s her first time and she did it.

  “That’s gotta be…some kind…of record or something,” Melissa pants. I guess she didn’t get it. That is the new record, and my parents missed it! Gabriella quickly runs over to me.

  “Are you okay?” she asks as she shoves a towel in my face. I nod and wipe my face and pretend I’m okay. She stares at me a moment, then pulls me by the hand and gets in my face. “I don’t know what’s going on with you, but you were amazing out there! Fusion is up next, so I’m going to need you to pull it together. We can do this! Yes?” I nod. The fierce competitor in Gabriella shows her face. If I wasn’t afraid of her before, I might be now. Gabriella doesn’t pull any punches. She wants to win like she has something to prove. Man, she’s tough, but she’s right. I have to get it together. I take in a deep breath and blow it out like a blowfish, but before I can move, I hear, “Kayla!” I look up and it’s my mom and dad! They’re here!

  “We saw you, baby!” my mom yells. “You were fantastic!”

  “That’s my girl!” yells my dad.

  The smile on my face can’t get any bigger. Waving to them isn’t enough. I run over and hug them both so tight.

  “Baby, you were amazing!” my mom says, hugging me. “I’m so proud of you!”

  “I love you, Mommy! Daddy! I’m so glad you’re here!” I cry.

  “We’re here, baby,” Dad tells me. “Stop crying. We’re all right.” He stares into my eyes for a moment as if he’s answering the question in my voice mail. My mom grabs my sweaty face, kisses my cheek, and looks into my eyes.