Finding Balance
The Beginning
September 15th, 2013, 6:30 am, Georgia, US, Kennedy's POV
*Beep-Beep-Beep* I wake up to the sound of my alarm that I set extra early for this morning. It's about 6:30, which really isn't that early, because I remember back in high school I'd have to get up around 4:30 to get chores done, and get to school ontime, because we lived outside of Savannah, and that's where the closest high school was. Getting up early usually doesn't phase me, because on the days it's not school, or chores, its gymnastics meets, or practice.
I rub my eyes before finally allowing myself to think about what day it is. September 15th, I think to myself with a giddy smile. Today I'm flying from Atlanta to London for the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships. "How did I get so far?" I thought to myself. But really, How did I get so far? Only last year I was back in Tuscaloosa training to compete against Georgia Tech, no intentions of going World class, but now I'm flying to London for the World Championships. I've never even left the Southern part of the US.
I quickly check through all my suit cases, running through my check list to make sure I have everything with me. I refuse to forget something important. Finally making sure I have everything I pack my gymnastics bag. I go over to my dresser and open my leotard drawer. I need five competition leos, and probably 10 practice leos, just to be safe. For team competition I grab my two red, white, and blue leos the comitty gave us, especially for Worlds. Every girl on the team would be wearing the same ones. For All-Around, I get my three favorites, a white leo with one silver sleeve and silver design on the torso and one skin-tone sleeve with silver rhinstones, a pink leo I got for my birthday this past year. The sleeves were mesh of a lighter pink with dark pink fabric strips on the left wrist representing Adidas, and KW on the right shoulder in silver rhinstones, my initials. The third leo I picked was a simple royal purple with a rhinestone design on the torso. I grabbed my Team USA warm-ups, uneven bar grips, wrist-savers, and of course tape and pre-wrap, and thick-skin spray and through it all in my bag.
I showered and through on some capri-leggings and one of my Alabama gymnastics t-shirts and left my hair to air dry. I dont really wear makeup other than for meets, so I skipped that step. I grabbed my things and set them by the front door after walking down stairs and then went to the kitchen. My parents and Will were all sitting at the table eating breakfast, which I should've figured and come down earlier because the whole house smelt like biscuits and gravy, of course, that wasnt my breakfast though, that was theirs. Because of my gymnastics diet, my breakfast was egg whites, with cut up banana, and whole grain toast on the side, no butter, and a glass of milk, and a glass of orange juice. I grabbed my plate that was already made for me, courtesy of my dad, from the counter and sat down with my family, next to my brother.
"I dont know how you eat the stuff, Ken" Will said.
"Beleive me, if I had the choice I wouldnt, I cant even tell you good that gravy looks." I replied.
"Ah, is someone jealous?" He replied with a wavy of the bite on his fork in my face, before snatching it back and eating it with a chuckle.
I stuck my tongue out at him and punched him in the arm before looking back to my plate.
"William do not tease your sister. And Kennedy is it not polite to punch your brother at the table." my mom scolded us.
Even though I was 19, and Will was 22, we still fought like we were kids, and my mom still scolded us like we were kids. She couldn't help it, it was motherly instinct, besides I wouldn't think its be very easy to just switch off motherly instinct the minute your kids turn 18, I definitely appreciate everything my has done for me. But there was no stopping, Will and I's behavior.
Will and I have always been close, and usually our fighting in just joking and sarcasm, usually. He's 22 and I'm 19, so naturally we grew up as siblings and playmates. He's about 6'1, probablywhat I would've been if gymnastics hadnt stunted my growth, I'm only 5'2. We both have the same fair blonde hair our mother has, but he has brown eyes like my father, and I have blue eyes like my mother. We both also unherited our fathers tanner skin and freckles on our noses and cheek bones. My best friend Riley, from elementry school and on, always thought him handsome, and I'm sure she still does. He has my fathers bright smile, and I have my mothers, sweet and shy smile, so I'm told. Will's going to Georgia Tech for architecture, but works the farm with my father too. Before I quit school I was studying to be an equine veteranarian, I love horses. My dad's a peach farmer, and my mom's an Anesthesiologist.
Around 4pm, Will and I finally leave for Atlanta to catch my flight to London.
"Big day, huh?" he asked.
"Very big." I replied.
"Nervous?" He looked over with a sympathetic smile.
"A little. This trip could change everything, ya know?"
"Yeah, you'll be ok though. Ya know mom and dad and I'll be cheering you on from our living room, we're actually having a viewing party too, Riley's coming, and I think Aunt Michelle and Uncle Jim might come too with the baby..should be fun!" He smiled.
"That sounds great, I'll me y'all a whole lot. Ive never even left the south, and now I'll be in a whole other country for three months, training and competeing. It's so crazy."
"We'll miss you too, but it'll be worth it when you win, Ken"
"Yeah, yeah." I laughed.
I didnt actually expect to win anything, my strongest is definitely beam, but if the Romanians pull through, I have no chance.
"Here." Will said.
When I finally boarded the plane I took the window seat to make it easier for whoever is sitting next to me to get in, plus is was first come, first serve as far as seating within your row went. About 30 minutes later two guys, looking about my age sat next to me. One with dark brown hair next to me, and one with a lighter brown next to him on the outside. I smiled at the shyly before looking out the window.
"Well, why dont you just ask her. She looks nice." one whispered to the other.
"Fine!" The other replied. They both had british accents, must be going home, I thought. Then the one in the middle turned to me and tapped on my shoulder.
"Excuse me, miss" he asked sweetly. I turned.
"If you dont mind my asking, my friend Louis here would like to know if you're going to the World Championships in London, he saw your gymnastics shirt." He said.
"Oh, yes I am actually. I'll be with Team USA." I giggled at the thought. He smiled before turning back to "Louis".
"Yes, she is a gymnast Louis." He confirmed.
Louis leaned forward to speak to me. "Nice to meet you, Gymnast girl, I'm Louis, what's your name?"
I smiled at his accent, "I'm Kennedy, Kennedy Woodson. You've probably heard of Woodson peaches? That's my family's farm, we import them to London weekly."
He laughed. "I love those peaches! I've been eating them since I was a kid." I smiled and then the one next to me spoke. I looke up and noticed his bright green eyes, almost like jade.
"And I'm Harry. It's lovely to meet you." He said with a charming smile, and an intent look in his eyes.
"And it's lovely to meet you two aswell. Are you flying home? I noticed you guys have accents." I giggled.
"Yes actually, " Harry spoke, "we're actually flying home for holiday, we're here on tour, and then we'll be singing the British Anthem at your competition."
"Tour? Tour for what?"
"Wait, you mean youve never heard of us?" he asked.
"Should I have?" I asked, confused a little.
"I mean, no. But we're from the band One Direction." I stopped to think. One Direction? I think Riley has talked about them before..some blonde boy named Niall who's apparently Irish..and a boy named Harry...she says "the curls get the girls" WAIT.
The boys were laughing. "Oh golly, did I just say that out loud?" I face palmed myself. I have a habit of speaking my thoughts without realizing.
"I mean, my friend Riley really likes your music."
They kept laughing for a little. I ended up laughing too. If only Riley knew.
*Beep-Beep-Beep* I wake up to the sound of my alarm that I set extra early for this morning. It's about 6:30, which really isn't that early, because I remember back in high school I'd have to get up around 4:30 to get chores done, and get to school ontime, because we lived outside of Savannah, and that's where the closest high school was. Getting up early usually doesn't phase me, because on the days it's not school, or chores, its gymnastics meets, or practice.
I rub my eyes before finally allowing myself to think about what day it is. September 15th, I think to myself with a giddy smile. Today I'm flying from Atlanta to London for the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships. "How did I get so far?" I thought to myself. But really, How did I get so far? Only last year I was back in Tuscaloosa training to compete against Georgia Tech, no intentions of going World class, but now I'm flying to London for the World Championships. I've never even left the Southern part of the US.
I quickly check through all my suit cases, running through my check list to make sure I have everything with me. I refuse to forget something important. Finally making sure I have everything I pack my gymnastics bag. I go over to my dresser and open my leotard drawer. I need five competition leos, and probably 10 practice leos, just to be safe. For team competition I grab my two red, white, and blue leos the comitty gave us, especially for Worlds. Every girl on the team would be wearing the same ones. For All-Around, I get my three favorites, a white leo with one silver sleeve and silver design on the torso and one skin-tone sleeve with silver rhinstones, a pink leo I got for my birthday this past year. The sleeves were mesh of a lighter pink with dark pink fabric strips on the left wrist representing Adidas, and KW on the right shoulder in silver rhinstones, my initials. The third leo I picked was a simple royal purple with a rhinestone design on the torso. I grabbed my Team USA warm-ups, uneven bar grips, wrist-savers, and of course tape and pre-wrap, and thick-skin spray and through it all in my bag.
I showered and through on some capri-leggings and one of my Alabama gymnastics t-shirts and left my hair to air dry. I dont really wear makeup other than for meets, so I skipped that step. I grabbed my things and set them by the front door after walking down stairs and then went to the kitchen. My parents and Will were all sitting at the table eating breakfast, which I should've figured and come down earlier because the whole house smelt like biscuits and gravy, of course, that wasnt my breakfast though, that was theirs. Because of my gymnastics diet, my breakfast was egg whites, with cut up banana, and whole grain toast on the side, no butter, and a glass of milk, and a glass of orange juice. I grabbed my plate that was already made for me, courtesy of my dad, from the counter and sat down with my family, next to my brother.
"I dont know how you eat the stuff, Ken" Will said.
"Beleive me, if I had the choice I wouldnt, I cant even tell you good that gravy looks." I replied.
"Ah, is someone jealous?" He replied with a wavy of the bite on his fork in my face, before snatching it back and eating it with a chuckle.
I stuck my tongue out at him and punched him in the arm before looking back to my plate.
"William do not tease your sister. And Kennedy is it not polite to punch your brother at the table." my mom scolded us.
Even though I was 19, and Will was 22, we still fought like we were kids, and my mom still scolded us like we were kids. She couldn't help it, it was motherly instinct, besides I wouldn't think its be very easy to just switch off motherly instinct the minute your kids turn 18, I definitely appreciate everything my has done for me. But there was no stopping, Will and I's behavior.
Will and I have always been close, and usually our fighting in just joking and sarcasm, usually. He's 22 and I'm 19, so naturally we grew up as siblings and playmates. He's about 6'1, probablywhat I would've been if gymnastics hadnt stunted my growth, I'm only 5'2. We both have the same fair blonde hair our mother has, but he has brown eyes like my father, and I have blue eyes like my mother. We both also unherited our fathers tanner skin and freckles on our noses and cheek bones. My best friend Riley, from elementry school and on, always thought him handsome, and I'm sure she still does. He has my fathers bright smile, and I have my mothers, sweet and shy smile, so I'm told. Will's going to Georgia Tech for architecture, but works the farm with my father too. Before I quit school I was studying to be an equine veteranarian, I love horses. My dad's a peach farmer, and my mom's an Anesthesiologist.
Around 4pm, Will and I finally leave for Atlanta to catch my flight to London.
"Big day, huh?" he asked.
"Very big." I replied.
"Nervous?" He looked over with a sympathetic smile.
"A little. This trip could change everything, ya know?"
"Yeah, you'll be ok though. Ya know mom and dad and I'll be cheering you on from our living room, we're actually having a viewing party too, Riley's coming, and I think Aunt Michelle and Uncle Jim might come too with the baby..should be fun!" He smiled.
"That sounds great, I'll me y'all a whole lot. Ive never even left the south, and now I'll be in a whole other country for three months, training and competeing. It's so crazy."
"We'll miss you too, but it'll be worth it when you win, Ken"
"Yeah, yeah." I laughed.
I didnt actually expect to win anything, my strongest is definitely beam, but if the Romanians pull through, I have no chance.
"Here." Will said.
When I finally boarded the plane I took the window seat to make it easier for whoever is sitting next to me to get in, plus is was first come, first serve as far as seating within your row went. About 30 minutes later two guys, looking about my age sat next to me. One with dark brown hair next to me, and one with a lighter brown next to him on the outside. I smiled at the shyly before looking out the window.
"Well, why dont you just ask her. She looks nice." one whispered to the other.
"Fine!" The other replied. They both had british accents, must be going home, I thought. Then the one in the middle turned to me and tapped on my shoulder.
"Excuse me, miss" he asked sweetly. I turned.
"If you dont mind my asking, my friend Louis here would like to know if you're going to the World Championships in London, he saw your gymnastics shirt." He said.
"Oh, yes I am actually. I'll be with Team USA." I giggled at the thought. He smiled before turning back to "Louis".
"Yes, she is a gymnast Louis." He confirmed.
Louis leaned forward to speak to me. "Nice to meet you, Gymnast girl, I'm Louis, what's your name?"
I smiled at his accent, "I'm Kennedy, Kennedy Woodson. You've probably heard of Woodson peaches? That's my family's farm, we import them to London weekly."
He laughed. "I love those peaches! I've been eating them since I was a kid." I smiled and then the one next to me spoke. I looke up and noticed his bright green eyes, almost like jade.
"And I'm Harry. It's lovely to meet you." He said with a charming smile, and an intent look in his eyes.
"And it's lovely to meet you two aswell. Are you flying home? I noticed you guys have accents." I giggled.
"Yes actually, " Harry spoke, "we're actually flying home for holiday, we're here on tour, and then we'll be singing the British Anthem at your competition."
"Tour? Tour for what?"
"Wait, you mean youve never heard of us?" he asked.
"Should I have?" I asked, confused a little.
"I mean, no. But we're from the band One Direction." I stopped to think. One Direction? I think Riley has talked about them before..some blonde boy named Niall who's apparently Irish..and a boy named Harry...she says "the curls get the girls" WAIT.
The boys were laughing. "Oh golly, did I just say that out loud?" I face palmed myself. I have a habit of speaking my thoughts without realizing.
"I mean, my friend Riley really likes your music."
They kept laughing for a little. I ended up laughing too. If only Riley knew.
9/3/13