Start with a colorful friend. Meet another girl through her, a lovely self-possessed person who you grow to know. In a year or two, this second girl is a better friend. You have more commonalities.
Watch her conquer. Because she does, she excels at everything. You wouldn't know it to talk to her, though. She is quiet.
Watch her win race after race. Pay attention, she will be done so quickly. Not just with this race but this school, this town, her life. Her beauty will wear out and her muscles will wear out and she will leave--
She will leave me.
(Put on "Fuzzy Blue Lights" by Owl City, it is essential.)
She deals with this mercurial wonder as if it were nothing. "When I stop running I'm going to get so fat," she says. "My father was really fast when he was in high school, have you seen him now?" She smiles. She knows what is coming, and deals. A week ago she qualified for states in the 200-meter dash, and the 100 isn't far off. There she is, finishing first in the latter.
When I saw the picture I was first shocked at how muscular her legs looked. Then I shifted. There she is, Alice--glowing pale, shining hair, feet that must hate the ground--if not an angel, an apparition.
(photo credit to a talented father who posts his pictures online)
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