From Disgrace to State Champion

etch of a 400-meter time trial, neck and neck with Molly, I sudd

putting on the most convin

er. Molly stopped, looking down at me w

f pure, calculated frustration welling in my eyes.

wrapped in an ACE bandage, hobbling around school and giving

e injury, watching Molly warm up. She looked

rd, was 19 feet. Today, without me competing, she looked sluggish. Her first jump was a dismal

an easy win for the "new star." The gun went off. She looked heavy, her form sloppy. S

around, confused and panicked, as if searching fo

out me as the pacemaker, her parasite

oom. She was lying on her b

," I said, keepin

furious. "Shut up! It

' ve been thinking. You want a big scholarship. I just want to get i

d at me,

training partner you' ve ever had. You' ll get your Stanford scholarship, and my fast times wi

her laziness, her absolute belief in her system-it

returning to her face. "But you have to

said, standing up to

all I had to do was b