The Girl at the Pool - Part 4

The thoughts rushed through my head at a billion per second. Why should I have to apologize for exercising my right to freedom of speech? Why should I have to apologize for taking the initiative to state something that the majority of the people were thinking? I shouldn't, right? Okay, sure, maybe I didn't make my statement in the most civilized manner, maybe I didn't file a formal written complaint, but at least my voice was heard - literally. After much persuasion Mr. Forman, I was pressured to apologize, I was forced to apologize. I went up to the tournament organizer, a feminist-looking, short-haired, male-faced woman, and her short, fat, scrunchy-faced companion. I apologized for my "erratic" behaviour and I said that this will probably be the end of my debating career. They said that my outburst probably hurt the girl who actually won first place. I told them that that wasn't my intention, but regardless, I'd stand by what I said.

The night ended with my teary-face and a polite goodbye from the world's politest partner. I walked out with Mr. Forman and stepped into his car. As we drove through the dark, rainy night, I glanced into the nothingness (skyscrapers) through the dew-covered windows. The bright lights became distorted through the tiny water droplets, which I found to be on the outside part of the window, when I tried to wipe them away. Somehow, it was the perfect.

On the way, Mr. Forman gossiped about another boy in my school, and told me about how he hadn't expected me to act that way. According to him, I had always seemed so professional in my manner of being. I guess that makes sense, but it's a rather harsh judgement, considering that he only ever sees me debate. If only he had seen me outside of debate - I guarantee he wouldn't have said the same. I basically told him that I hope that he isn't mad at me, and that I hope that this action doesn't reflect badly on the school, as a whole. Alright, so that was the end of that. I walked the few steps to my building, buzzed my parents to let me in, and voila! I then proceeded to take the longest -and loneliest- elevator ride of my life. I got upstairs, and my awesome little sister was at the elevator door. She did some cute little move, to signify that she was happy that I had come home, and I gave her my dust-covered ribbon.

She was ecstatic! A first place ribbon! She devised a quick, little scheme: I would stay in the hallway, and she'd go into our apartment and show my parents the ribbon and then she'd say "presenting the best debater, Nat!" Then, I'd walk in, and the rest is banal. So, I walked in to the applause of three people. My mom saw my tears, and decided that they were tears of joy, so she started crying with me, so did my younger sister. I hated raining on their parade, still, I told them that I was actually crying because of the days events.