:The Next Day:
I awoke to Anika , jumping on the bed.
" I'm going back to sleep", I said and covered my head with the pillow.
Anika rolled her eyes.
"YOU'RE GOING TO BE FREAKING LATE!!!!", Anika yelled at the top of her lungs.
I ignored her.
She pulled the blanket off me, making me roll off of the bed and onto the floor.
"OUCH!", I yelled.
she laughed like it was the funniest thing in the world.
"ANIKA!", I roared.
She stopped laughing and stared at me , her eyes wide.
" Why would you do, that? Anyway what time is it?", I asked as I sat up carefully and checked myself for cuts and bruises.
I had a few bloody shallow cuts.
I put pressure onto the cut and it stopped bleeding almost right away.
" Umm, today is the battle, and it starts in ten minutes", she said.
"WHAT!", I yelled in disbelief.
I looked at the clock and saw that it was 10:20 am.
I jumped up off the floor and hugged Anika.
"Thank you so much", I said.
She smiled and pointed at my chin.
I raised my chin high.
I knew what she was telling me to do, to be bold, to do my best, and forget the rest.
I gave her one more smile and ran into the changing room.
I put on the short shorts and the white t-shirt, with matching shoes.
Then I called Anika, and she came in to do my hair.
She did a braided bun on top of my head.
I thanked her and was taken back when she hugged me as tight as she could, like there was no tomorrow.
I hugged her back, just as tight.
When I released her, I saw that she was crying.
And....I was also crying.
I wiped away my tears, and then wiped away her tears.
I hugged her again.
Then the guard came to escort me onto the Archery shooting grounds.
Of course my mother, Anika and the other girls were going to be watching from the bleachers.
That made me feel better, knowing that if I didn't make it at least I would die in front of the people I loved.