Soraya's First Bout: Synonyms and Antonyms at Fencing Club

Soraya's First Bout

1On Tuesday afternoons, the old gym on Pine Street turns into a fencing hall. Soraya had watched the older students from the doorway for weeks. Their blades flashed, their sneakers squeaked, and their masks hid every face. Today, at last, she was zipping up her own white jacket.

2Coach Ferreira handed her a mask. "Fencing is not a wild fight," he said. "It is a calm game of thinking. A good fencer is patient, not hasty." He showed her how to stand with her knees bent and her front foot pointing ahead. Then he taught her to lunge, a long step forward with her arm stretched out.

3Soraya felt clumsy at first. Her feet tangled, and her blade wobbled like a noodle. Her partner, a tall boy named Tavi, was graceful. He glided across the long, narrow strip as if it were ice. "I was awkward too when I started," Tavi told her. "Everyone is."

4After an hour of drills, Coach Ferreira said they could try a practice bout. Soraya's stomach fluttered. She was not exactly scared, but she was nervous. The two fencers saluted each other by raising their blades, and then they pulled down their masks.

5Tavi moved quickly, and Soraya kept stepping backward. Then she remembered her coach's words. She waited, watched, and lunged at just the right moment. The tip of her blade tapped Tavi's jacket. Coach Ferreira raised his hand. "Point for Soraya!" he called.

6Tavi won the bout, five points to one, but Soraya did not feel gloomy. She felt cheerful, and even a little proud. She had scored her very first point. On the way out, she grinned at the doorway where she used to stand and watch.