CHAPTER 2

In July Kim runs for her school in an important competition, but she doesn’t win.

Her father isn’t happy, but he says, ‘You’re a good runner. Train, and you can win every competition. You can be famous.’

In the winter there aren’t any competitions, but Kim trains at the club every week. Her father always goes with her. Sometimes he is ill, but he always goes.

For three years Kim trains two or three times every week. She wins competitions at school and with the club and she gets some beautiful trophies. There are photos

of her in the newspaper. Kim’s mother loves the trophies and photos. But sometimes Kim thinks, ‘I never go out with my friends. I only go to the club with my father.’

Then Kim has a difficult year at school. She is sixteen and she has important exams in the summer. She wants some time with her friends too.

I can only train on one evening,’ she says to her father. The competitions this year are very important. Go to the club two or three evenings,’ he answers.

But Kim doesn’t listen to him.

Kim doesn’t only think about exams and her friends. There is a new boy at school. His name is Curtice and he has beautiful brown eyes and he has a big smile.

‘Does he had a girl friend?’ . Kim asks Hannah.

I don’t know. ‘Ask him’ Hannah says. But Kim can’t.

‘Can I ask him for you?’

Hannah asks.

‘No!’ Kim says.

One evening at the club the coach says, ‘There’s an important competition on June 30th, Kim. Can you go?’ ‘Yes,’ she answers.

‘School finishes on the 15th.’

‘Good,’ the coach says. ‘You can win this competition!’

Then two days later Curtice suddenly asks her, ‘Can you come to the school disco with me?’

‘Yes!’ Kim answers.

‘When is the disco?’ Kim asks Curtice.

‘Friday, 29th,’ Curtice. says.

‘The day before my competition …’

‘Is that a problem?’ .

‘No, no!’ she answers.

At home her father is angry. ‘You can’t go to the disco. You can’t run well after a late night,’ he says.

It is June 29th. Kim is putting on a long red dress.

‘Go to the disco, and you can’t come back!’ her father says. He is very angry.

Kim puts some clothes in a bag. ‘I’m going,’ she says.

She dances all night with Curtis. She has a good time, but she is angry with her father. She stays the night with Hannah.

Kim goes to the competition.

Her father doesn’t go with her.

She doesn’t win, but she isn’t unhappy. She doesn’t go home again, and she doesn’t go to the athletics club,

“I’m not a runner now.” she says to Curtice.

At home the house is quiet. Her father doesn’t talk about last night, but he looks at her trophies and photos every day and say “come back.” he thinks:”You can be famous.”