I Could Have Reached Higher

    I stood there at the end of the track where my mark was. I was waiting for my turn to jump. I was extremely nervous because I had failed to make the minimum jump previously. I looked down at my tape mark with my name on it. I knew I wasn’t a jumper but I had to try this at least before I could make any rash decisions. The person before me took her third and final jump. The director called my name. 

    I shook out my body and took a deep breath. This was it I told myself. My final jump. The jump that was going to decide whether or not I would do long jump again or not. I rocked back on my heels and started to run forward. I hit my foot right in the mark and jumped up. I landed in the sand and looked back. I had failed the jump again. I thought I had jumped high enough but I didn’t. I sighed and looked around at the other girls who were jumping perfectly. If only I could reach a little farther...