The wind chased Melanie down the tallest slope. Her dark red hair blew in her face. 

     “Josie, watch out!” Her friend skidded to a stop just feet from where Mel was headed.

     “Be more careful, Mel. One of these days I’ll be a goner.” Josie kicked up her board and joined Lynn on the bench. She flicked her water bottle lid up and guzzled the whole thing.

     “Mel!” Lynn called, “Come and take a break. You’ve been stuck on that rotation for the past hour. You must be exhausted.”

     Melanie brushed her hair out of her face. There was no way she was going to fall behind. Her dad’s agreement was that if they all got their rotations down in a week, they could go watch skateboarding in the Olympics. Lynn and Josie had achieved their rotations five days ago. She couldn’t picture herself giving up on the easiest trick in the book.

     “Just five more minutes. I need to get this.” 

     Melanie’s grandmother had skated for her entire life until she got in a serious accident due to a rotation that nearly ended her career. Mel had her grandmother’s name, so it was only right if she lived up to the responsibility. Even she, in her old age, had gotten rotations down in less than a weekend. 

     Josie explained, “I have to head out. I’ll catch y’all tomorrow.”

         Lynn dropped her board and skated out of the parking lot, her cargo pants flapping in the wind.

     Melanie’s board flipped up from under her and she slid down the ramp. The tan concrete scuffed up the shredded high tops that she had just gotten for Christmas. 

     “Ugh. I swear I will destroy this ramp the second I find a sledgehammer big enough to,” Melanie exclaimed, exasperated.

     “Mel, we should head out. It’s getting late and I have this English paper that’s due tomorrow.” Josie swung her crossbody over her head.

     Melanie sighed and kicked up her board.

     Tomorrow will be different.

     Mayonnaise squirted onto the tablecloth as Melanie bit into her wrap. Highlights of Tony Hawk’s best jumps were playing on her computer. Her phone began to ring so she dashed through the house. Tearing through every room, she made her way down the hall. 

     Of course, it’s the time when I can’t find my phone that I’m expecting a call. 

     She dashed into the living room, and, in the center of the coffee table, sat her phone, blaring “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles. 

     “Yes?” Melanie answered, out of breath.

     “Hey, Mel, I was just wondering if you, Josie, and I would like to have dinner tonight?” Lynn sounded excited.

     “Uh… yeah, sure! Let me talk to my dad and I’ll get back to you.”

     Lynn explained, relieved, “Just meet us at Mike’s Roadhouse at 6. No need to dress up, just wear something casual.”

     Melanie rode down the sidewalk, her skateboard echoed against the alley walls. A $20 bill was stuffed in her back pocket, along with her iPod and earbuds, and a picture of the park where the Olympics would be held. As her grandmother taught her, always hold onto your dream, for one day, it will no longer be a dream, but a reality.

     Melanie angled her board against the door frame and met up with Josie and Lynn. A few crumbs were left in a basket that sat across from Josie.

     “Mel! I’m starving. We decided to get some waffle fries, but we finished those five minutes ago,” Josie said.

     Melanie finished her burger and coleslaw while her friends were in the restroom. She glanced at the front door as four younger boys walked into the diner. They pointed at Melanie’s board and whispered amongst themselves. 

     Mel got up, picked up her board, and headed over to where they were standing. 

     “I saw you pointing at my board. Do you need any help?”

     One of the boys piped up, “We saw your board and wanted to know if you skate. We aren’t very good and need a teacher.”

     Another picked up from there: “Could you just show us what you can do?”

     Melanie smiled at herself and nodded. “As long as you don’t boo me off the street, I’m in!”

     She followed the boys outside and got on her board. She built up speed and jumped up onto the railing leading down to the parking lot. 

     Nothing is going to stop me. I’m going to do it. She was going to do it, and she could.

     Her board left the rail. She reached for her board. It met her hand at the right angle.

     So far so good, she thought.

     Her body rotated 360 degrees and she landed, not missing a beat.

     All of the boys came rushing over. They began complimenting her expertise, her skill, her hard work— but all she could think about was how she had just achieved her goal.

     She didn’t do it thinking about Lynn and Josie.

     She didn’t do it thinking about the Olympics.

     She didn’t do it thinking about her grandmother.

     She did it for herself.