The Girl Who Went First

Someone had to go first. First down the slide. First into the pool. First into the dark cabin at camp. Rosa was always scared. But somehow, she was always the one who went first. Not because she was the bravest. Because nobody else would. "I'll do it," she'd say, when everyone else hung back. Her heart pounded every time. Her legs shook. Her brain screamed, "DON'T!" But she did it anyway. And then everyone else felt brave enough to follow. One summer at camp, there was a zipline. High up. Really high. All the kids stood at the platform, looking down. Nobody moved. "Who's first?" the counselor asked. Silence. Rosa's stomach dropped. She didn't want to go first. She wanted someone ELSE to go first for once. But everyone was looking at the ground. Or the sky. Or anywhere but the zipline. Rosa sighed. "I'll go." She stepped forward. Clipped in. Looked down at the trees below. Her whole body was shaking. "You don't have to," the counselor said. "I know." Rosa pushed off. WHOOOOSH. Wind. Speed. Blur of green. Then — thump. The other platform. She'd done it. "That was AMAZING!" she screamed back. And one by one, the other kids followed. Later, her friend Maya asked, "How are you so brave?" "I'm not," Rosa said. "I'm scared every time." "Then why do you go first?" Rosa thought about it. "Because SOMEONE has to. And if everyone's waiting for someone else... nothing ever happens." Maya nodded. "Next time, I'll go first." Rosa smiled. "I'll be right behind you."