Success at Silver Spires

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Authors: Ann Bryant
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could take it. As soon as I’d jumped out of bed I started swinging my arms around to check they didn’t feel stiff. They felt fine, so that was my decision made.
    â€œYou’ve really got the bug, haven’t you?” said Emily, when she saw me rushing off before breakfast again.
    â€œGood luck, Sash!” Izzy called after me. “I’ll save you a place at breakfast.”
    I was early. It was only seven twenty-six by my watch when I went into the sports block, so I guessed I’d have to wait until seven thirty, but I didn’t care. At least I’d be first in, and I couldn’t help hoping that Holly wouldn’t show up.
    It gave me a bit of a shock to hear the unmistakable sound of machinery whirring as I pushed the door open, and an even bigger shock to see Holly on the rowing machine, and Miss Gardner on one of the treadmills. It was still only seven twenty-eight so Holly must have started before she was supposed to, but then I supposed that if Miss Gardener had said it was okay, she wasn’t breaking the rules or anything.
    â€œAll right?” Miss Gardner asked me, panting a bit and throwing me a smile.
    If I’d answered her truthfully I would have said, No, I am not all right, and why has Holly been allowed to start before half past seven? but I just mumbled, “Fine, thanks,” and went onto one of the treadmills.
    I waited twenty minutes for Holly to get off the rowing machine so I could have a go, but she never did and in the end I went off to breakfast, feeling frustrated and cross.
    â€œNever mind,” said Izzy, when I told her. “You’ll be doing the real thing in…” She glanced at her watch, then frowned. “In…erm…”
    â€œNine hours,” said Nicole.
    I smiled inside at that, and tried to ignore the little shiver that ran through me at the thought that I might have to be in the same scull as Holly and some of her friends.
    As it happened, I didn’t have to worry about that at all. The second session at Pollington Water was even better than the first. Ryan told us right at the beginning that he just wanted us to consolidate what we’d learned during our first session and gain confidence in the single sculls. Some people, who were struggling, had to stay on ropes for quite a while, but several of us were allowed to go off on our own straight away.
    George marked out various routes with buoys of different colours and told everyone which route they should use. Holly and I were allowed to go further than anyone else, but there was always at least one of the coaches keeping an eye on us. At first it was easy to keep my distance from Holly because, when we were told we could set off, she pulled away really quickly.
    â€œGood work, Holly!” called Ryan.
    â€œI’ve been in the gym,” Holly answered. “I’m going to see how often I can do the circuit George has marked out before the end of the session.”
    â€œExcellent!” said Ryan. “But don’t overdo it – and I mean that, Holly. You’re not used to sculling yet.”
    â€œYes I am. I’ve done it loads – remember, I told you!” she called back, grinning at him.
    He grinned back but didn’t say anything.
    I took my time and then set off slowly so that there wasn’t any chance that I’d catch her up. Half of me actually felt the urge to go racing after her. It would be such a challenge to catch her up, but the other half couldn’t bear the thought that she might be all hostile again.
    I felt like singing as I rowed this time and after a while I did actually start humming to myself. It was hard work, though, and I think my arms and legs might have been suffering slightly after the sessions at the gym, so I couldn’t help wondering what Holly’s arms felt like.
    The water seemed darker today, probably because it was a different time of day. And the sky was a beautiful, heavy blue

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