Shadowing Practice: My Coach Became My Bodyguard - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Hi, I'm Ava from Ohio.
260 sentences
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Hi, I'm Ava from Ohio.
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Please don't forget to like and subscribe to MSA.
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School was always a breeze for me.
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I aced all my classes.
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Math, English, science, you name it.
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All A's.
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But grades were never my main concern because I had a bigger dream.
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To become an Olympic gymnast.
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My gymnastics coach Jenny saw potential in me.
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I was her star student and she was confident I'd bring home a gold medal someday.
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Jenny was more than a coach to me.
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She was like a second mom.
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She'd invite me over for dinner after practices.
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You see, my own mom wasn't a bad person, but we didn't always get along perfectly.
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She was often moody and quick to anger, which made my three older brothers keep their distance as much as possible.
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I knew she wasn't a bad person, she was just a bit challenging at times.
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And hanging out with Jenny just felt easier.
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One night, after a really hard practice, Jenny saw I was feeling down.
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So she took me to her place, picked out some inspiring sports movies, and got my favorite snacks ready.
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everyone what it means to love what you do.
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That's why you're amazing.
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We laughed, cried a bit watching the movies, and talked about our dreams.
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But Jenny had one flaw: her daughter.
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Becca, a year older than me, often behaved like she was five years younger than me.
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She was impulsive and wild.
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Becca would dress weirdly and act irrationally, and she never respected Jenny.
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During dinner one time, she showed up wearing the brightest neon colors and chewing gum.
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"You know, Mom, I always thought I looked like you, And I suddenly realized that I was pretty.
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Like, model pretty.
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So there's no way I look like you, because, Mom, let's face it, you're ugly.
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Well, I'd love for my daughter to be prettier than me.
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Any real mom would love that.
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Real mom?
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Yeah, right.
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You're a hypocrite who's too busy kissing her trainee's butt for some extra money.
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No, she's nice to me because I'm good with her and treat her well.
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So why don't you go home and be good with your own mom?
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This is not normal.
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You have your family.
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Spend time with them.
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Try it.
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It's okay, Jenny.
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I'm leaving anyway.
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Are you joining us for breakfast?
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Then maybe Mom might make breakfast for a change.
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Otherwise, she's hurrying off every morning for your training sessions.
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And with that, she left for some late party.
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Jenny apologized to me and I said it was fine.
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I kissed her cheek and left.
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But after that day, Jenny suddenly changed.
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She became distant and colder towards me.
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Then, unexpectedly, she said she couldn't be my coach anymore.
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With the Olympic trials just a month away, I couldn't understand why.
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Why are you quitting on me now?
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You're amazing.
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Really.
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It's just - Is it because of Becca?
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I promise.
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I'll stop hanging out at your place.
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She wouldn't spill what was really going on.
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She just kept crying and saying she was sorry and then shut down her gym.
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Next thing I knew, she'd even moved from her current place.
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I was crushed.
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I stayed in my room for days, feeling really down.
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I thought I was done with gymnastics.
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Without Jenny, it seemed pointless.
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I swore I'd never practice again.
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to make me feel better.
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I even tried reaching out to Jenny, but no luck there.
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Then one day, mom came into my room and said something that really hit me hard.
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"You're my favorite, and it hurts me to see you this sad.
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I know it's tough, but your talent and determination make me so proud to be your mom.
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Maybe you could try to start training again?" What mom said really affected me.
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Even though she had always let me do what I wanted, I never really knew she appreciated my
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focus on the love I had for my real mom and her encouragement made it feel right to pick up gymnastics again.
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But little did I know, training for the Olympics on my own would be a lot harder than I'd imagined.
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Especially when I found out that Olivia, the richest and most popular girl in school, was a gymnast too.
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And she was going to do anything to get me to give up.
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She'd turn up in the gym whenever I was practicing and kept ruining my focus with her dumb comments.
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Next, my equipment started disappearing from my locker.
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trying to sabotage me.
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So I started hiding it in the school boiler room.
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Olivia had a boyfriend named Derek.
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He was a nice guy.
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Not like Olivia at all.
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He wasn't rich or from her social circle.
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And I thought Olivia was only with him because he was attractive and seemed perfect.
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They often fought in public.
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Olivia would yell at him, calling him terrible names.
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When he finally said he wanted to break up, she'd start crying and begging for forgiveness, making a scene until he stayed.
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which was odd because she was usually so tough and bossy.
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One day, while I was practicing my routine in the school gymnasium, Derek saw me do two full rotations in a pipe position during basketball practice.
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Whoa, Ava, that was amazing!
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How'd you learn to do that?
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I told him I was naturally good at most sports, and we were having a good time talking when Olivia walked into the gym.
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And when she saw the two of us together, she got jealous.
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Nice shirt, Ava.
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Where did you get it from?
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The lost and found?
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Oh, babe, that wasn't very nice.
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Joking, Derek?
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It looks awful.
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I don't think it's awful at all.
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Why are you always like this?
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As the two of them started fighting, I walked out of the gym to avoid their drama.
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Then, later that day, Derek caught up with me and said he and Olivia had broken up.
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Ava, would you like to have dinner with me sometime?
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Are you asking me out?
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Yeah, is that okay?
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Isn't it too soon?
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You just broke up with Olivia.
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I've broken up with her a hundred times before, Ava.
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Our relationship's been over for a long time, but if you don't feel comfortable with this, I understand.
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I guess losing my coach and training alone had made me feel quite low lately.
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And Derek seems like a nice guy, so I said yes.
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That was a huge mistake.
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At first, Derek was great.
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He was fun and seemed to care a lot, and I appreciated his love and support.
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But after a few days, Derek started to act like I owed him everything.
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He got super clingy and always wanted me to hang out with him.
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I can't today, I have practice.
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snob.
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Suddenly, I could see through him.
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He was just trying to mess with my head.
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Maybe even Olivia had put him up to it to throw me off my training.
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I see what you're up to, Derek, but why?
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Are you just playing games like you did with Olivia?
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Or are you caught up in Olivia's games?
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Do you really see what I'm up to?
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Here's a clue.
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Coach Jenny.
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What does Coach Jenny have to do with you?
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Let me spell it out for you.
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Becca, Jenny's daughter.
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What?
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Why would you be involved with that psycho?
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Don't call her that, okay?
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I don't like that.
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Oh, wow.
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So there is someone who sent you to ruin my life, but it's not Olivia.
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It's Becca?
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Oh, Olivia's nobody.
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Her tough act is just a facade.
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She's the weakest person I've met.
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I had the best time with her.
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She'd buy me whatever food I wanted.
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Yes, she's crazy and would call me names whenever I drove her mad, but she'd regret it instantly like a scared toddler.
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Okay, listen.
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I'm bored of this drama already.
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It's over, we're over.
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I go back to my training and you go back to your girl.
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Olivia if you're hungry or Becca if you're thirsty.
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After what we did to Jenny, you think we'd stop?
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It's your turn, babe.
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What do you mean?
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What did you do to Jenny?
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Man, you're annoying.
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I'm out of here.
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Just go home.
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With that, he stormed off.
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I felt a mix of confusion and worry.
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What had they done to Jenny?
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And what was happening at my house?
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Driven by fear, I rushed home.
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And upon arriving, I was shocked to see smoke billowing from the house.
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I ran to my neighbors, who immediately called 911.
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The police and firefighters arrived on the scene in minutes.
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Fortunately, nobody was able to see the smoke billowing from the house was home, so there were no injuries.
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And because I got there when I did, the house didn't suffer much damage.
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I shared Derek's comments with the police, but they got back to me later saying he denied having said anything of the sort, and they had no proof to take any action against him.
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Also, when they'd tracked Jenny's address down and gone to her place, her daughter had answered the door saying she was completely fine.
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Becca can't be trusted.
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Can you please give me the address so I can make sure?
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That's private information, ma 'am.
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We can't disclose it.
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You are not related to Miss says she is okay.
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We have no reason to believe otherwise.
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After the fire incident, I felt upset and lost and unable to focus on anything.
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Finally, I decided to meet up with Olivia and told her everything, who was apparently also fed up with Derek for being a manipulative jerk.
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I know we're not friends, but sometimes you have to join forces with an enemy to take down a common one.
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Do you have any clue what Derek meant?
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He once introduced me to his cousin named Becca,
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which was obviously I actually have Becca's number.
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Can you reach out to her?
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Get her to meet me, please?
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I have to find out if Jenny is okay.
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I might do that.
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Or maybe even more.
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My dad can hire someone to track down Jenny for you.
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And in exchange, you want me to back out of the competition, so you have a better shot at winning, huh?
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Exactly.
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Deal.
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But for now, can you arrange a meeting with her?
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Just tell her you want to meet her.
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Don't mention me, of course.
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The night before the big meetup with Becca, I couldn't shake off the unease.
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I was about to trade my dreams for some peace of mind.
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All the Sweat and tears I'd shed in the gym would go to waste.
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But I also needed to know if Jenny was okay.
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So I ended up pouring my heart out to my mom.
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I didn't expect much, honestly.
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But mom, in her own surprising way, gave me the clarity I desperately needed.
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Ava, sometimes the hardest choices reveal our true priorities.
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It's not just about winning or losing.
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It's about what you're willing to fight for.
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Remember, your value isn't measured by a medal, but by the courage to follow your heart.
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Even when it leads down a difficult path, with me.
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I was going to meet Becca tomorrow.
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When I arrived at the cafe, Olivia was waiting for me at the entrance.
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Her look had a hint of sympathy.
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Becca isn't alone.
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Jenny is here too, and I think there's something wrong here.
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It's like Becca treats Jenny as a slave.
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She brought her to this meeting to hold her bags and stuff.
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I was stunned for a few moments.
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The thought of seeing Jenny made me emotional.
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Olivia stayed with me for a couple of minutes outside until I calmed down.
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Then I went inside.
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Ava, you can't be here.
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Tears welled up in my eyes.
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Why?
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What's going on?
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Here come the tears.
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Let's hold hands and cry.
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What are you even doing here, Ava?
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Ava, you know I care about you, but Becca, she's...
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What, Mom?
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Say it, Jenny.
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This is your chance.
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Becca, you've been unstable.
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She threatened me, Ava.
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It was getting out of hand.
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One day, she tried to do what she and Derek did to your house while locking me in the bathroom.
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She said she'd let me out, only if I promised to close my gym and stop training you.
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I'd do anything to ruin you and Ava.
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Derek and I have more plans.
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Derek is the only one who loves me and worship me.
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I always loved you, but I couldn't make you happy.
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Oh, shut up.
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Suddenly, Becca lunged at her mom.
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Right then, police officers surrounded us and restrained Becca.
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Becca, you're going to need to come with us.
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We've heard enough, and it sounds serious, so you and Derek might be facing juvenile detention.
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Olivia and I had called the police beforehand in case Becca made any confessions, and they heard everything.
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Thanks, Olivia.
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Giving up the competition felt worth it.
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Winning only means something if I compete with the best and that's you, Ava.
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I guess this is me trying to do the right thing for once.
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So this is about respect?
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Yeah, respect and maybe a bit of trying to be better myself.
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I'm sorry for everything, Ava.
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She winked and walked away.
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Overwhelmed with gratitude, I hugged Jenny again.
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Although I could feel how hurt she was over Becca.
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Looks like we're back to the hard training.
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Just like old times.
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And Becca, she'll always be my daughter.
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Two weeks later, standing on the stage, I won first place.
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Surrounded by my proud mom, Jenny's joy, my brother's support, and even Olivia's half smile, I felt on top of the world.
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True victory comes from within, beyond any medal.
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Learn English with a Compelling Story: "My Coach Became My Bodyguard"
Practice your English speaking skills while diving into a real-life story from the video "My Coach Became My Bodyguard." This engaging dialogue is perfect for shadowing technique (or "shadowspeak") practice, where you mimic the speaker's tone, rhythm, and pronunciation to build fluency. It’s also great for IELTS speaking practice, as it includes everyday conversations and emotional expressions you might encounter in the test.
Speaking Goals for This Clip
This clip targets two key fluency milestones: expressing emotions naturally (like sadness, frustration, and warmth) and using conversational phrases in context. You’ll learn to navigate tricky social interactions, such as comforting someone or responding to criticism, which are essential for real-world communication and IELTS speaking tasks.
Phrase Bank: Reusable Expressions from the Dialogue
- "School was always a breeze for me" – To say something is easy.
- "You name it" – Used to emphasize a list includes everything.
- "She was like a second mom" – To describe someone who acts like family.
- "I aced all my classes" – To get top grades in a course.
- "She apologized to me and I said it was fine" – How to downplay a problem politely.
- "With that, she left" – A natural way to transition after someone speaks or acts.
Fix Your Weak Spots: Pronunciation & Rhythm Tips
Focus on reduced forms in casual speech, like "it’s" instead of "it is" and "she’d" instead of "she would." Notice how the speaker shortens words in phrases like "I knew she wasn’t a bad person" – the "wasn’t" is quick and connected. For shadow speak practice, pause the video after each line and repeat it, matching the speed and stress. Pay attention to the emotional tone: when Ava says "It’s okay, Jenny," her voice is soft and reassuring, which you should mimic to sound natural.
Using videos like this is a fun way to learn English with YouTube while improving your speaking skills. The story’s relatable characters and real emotions make it easy to stay engaged, and the shadowing technique will help you sound more like a native. Practice daily, and you’ll soon notice your fluency and confidence grow!
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.