As I lay here, at the edge of the tarp

waiting for the announcer to welcome us on the floor.

I am preparing to be thrown up in the air and caught with all the pride in the world.

We have been training since the beginning of the season,

I know when she picks me up she is nervous for the first toss.

But I know she can do it as long as she breathes.

I hear the music playing and I know this is our time to shine

She picks me up and throws me high

As I spin in the air I can see the judges recording their thoughts on tape.

I always get so nervous when she tosses me during a performance

But before I could even think about how nervous I was.

She caught me and the crowd goes wild

Because the applause is so loud she is smiling so much.

We go through the whole performance with ease

Just like we practiced.

When it’s over the crowd applauds.

The team starts running around grabbing all my friends and I

We all get thrown on top of one another and it hurts.

We get shoved into this scary dark bag waiting to be used again.

I just wish I could tell her that I feel things too

What she doesn’t know is when she drops me it hurts.

I get dents in me all the time and scratches from practicing

I know she doesn’t mean to hurt me.

But sometimes I hurt her too

I feel so bad when she gets hit by me,

and I don’t like when people get me and my friends mixed up

Because they dont treat me well, like she does.

At the start of every new season she retapes me and makes me look brand new.

She has gone through so many ones like me

I hope I am the last one she ever uses because I love performing with her.

I don't want to end up like the others and be tossed to the side never to be used again.

But I love what I do and I know she loves me.

I have been there for her last couple seasons

But I know she has college coming up and I probably won't be used for a year

Until she goes to a university.

She has always been so good to me and it looks like this is our last year for now

Until she opens up a new chapter for me to be used again.

I am a color guard rifle.