I have a room full of silver medals and trophy’s that say second place. She has been taking first away from me since we were only fourteen years old... I have spent the last ten years living in her shadow. This time was just like all of the others and probably many more to come. I was standing on the second place podium with Mai Na standing in the first place spot. I tried to smile and pretend that I was thrilled to death of my second place medal but I just wanted to smack her with it. “Don’t. ....and then another one in my right breast.......... Sylvia, I won't lie to you. This is bad. I've got cancer all over my body..........the oncologist doc says it's stage three, heading for four..........I said to him, all naive and stupid:"What does that mean?" though I knew, of course. He said "You might have a year, Miss Greenburg, but these types of tumors tend to be quite aggressive in women of Ashkenazic descent..........we can decide if surgery or chemotherapy and radiation or. I gave her a pat on the back and put her down. I ignored her and went back to unpacking my things, hoping that she would go to her room. "Do you love me?" She said. "Of course I do..?" I said. "Then why don't you ever say it?" She replied back immediately. "I thought the hugs and kisses spoke for themselves in that regard." I said confidently. I knew she would be clingy when I came back, but not this much! "Alright, my love, unpacking is going to take a while. I'm really tired, and I think I'm. ”Willowbud bent until our eyes were level. I averted my gaze, no longer sure if I should prostrate reverently, or look her in the eye. I had a feeling that I would be punished no matter what I did. As if on cue, the back of Willowbud’s hand crashed into the side of my face. I spun to the ground, and lay still, uncertain if I should cower for her, or stoically accept my punishment. “I understand that the dramatic change in our relationship is jarring,” Willowbud said from above, “but we should.