Running Against My Best Friend

Lise had decided to run for class representative on the first day of the school year. She had plenty of ideas: a book swap, a quieter study room, more trips. She was writing her speech at lunch when Cosima sat down beside her. They had been best friends since they were six.

开学第一天，莉丝就决定要竞选班长。她有很多想法：图书交换、更安静的自习室、更多的郊游。午饭时她正在写演讲稿，科西玛在她旁边坐了下来。她们从六岁起就是最好的朋友。

"I have news," Cosima said. "I'm running for class rep. Isn't it funny? We had the same idea."

“我有个消息，”科西玛说，“我要竞选班长。是不是很有意思？我们居然想到一块儿去了。”

Lise smiled, but her stomach felt heavy. They would stand in front of the whole class and ask for the same votes. What if one of them got hurt? What if they stopped talking?

莉丝笑了笑，可是心里沉甸甸的。她们要站在全班同学面前，争取同样的选票。万一有一个人受了伤害怎么办？万一她们不再说话了怎么办？

That night she nearly deleted her speech. She told herself that friends matter more than titles. If she stepped back, Cosima would win easily, and nobody would be upset. But the thought made her feel small, and a little angry at herself. She really wanted this.

那天晚上，她差点把演讲稿删掉。她对自己说，朋友比头衔重要。如果她退出，科西玛会轻松当选，谁也不会难过。可是这个念头让她觉得自己很渺小，也有点生自己的气。她是真的很想当班长。

The next morning she told Cosima the truth. "I don't want to quit," she said. "I think I should run too. But I'm scared we'll fight."

第二天早上，她对科西玛说了实话。“我不想退出，”她说，“我觉得我也应该参加竞选。可是我害怕我们会吵架。”

Cosima was quiet for a moment. "I was scared of that, too," she said. "Let's make some rules. No unkind words about each other. We share the poster paper, and whoever loses helps the winner."

科西玛安静了一会儿。“我也怕这个，”她说，“我们来定几条规矩吧。不能说对方不好听的话。海报纸我们共用，输的那个人要帮赢的那个人。”

"Deal," Lise said. They shook hands, a bit too seriously, and then they laughed.

“一言为定。”莉丝说。她们握了握手，握得有点太郑重了，然后两个人都笑了起来。

For two weeks they ran an honest campaign. They practised their speeches on the bus and gave each other advice. Sometimes the advice was almost too good. Lise's book swap was the more exciting idea, but Cosima's study-room plan was clearer.

接下来的两个星期，她们开展了一场公平的竞选。她们在公交车上练习演讲，互相出主意。有时候，对方的建议好得让人有点不是滋味。莉丝的图书交换更吸引人，但科西玛的自习室方案更清楚。

On the day of the vote, the whole class waited in silence. The teacher read out the numbers. Cosima had eighteen votes, and Lise had fourteen.

投票那天，全班同学安静地等着。老师念出了票数。科西玛得了十八票，莉丝得了十四票。

Lise felt her face go hot for a second, and then the feeling passed. She walked to the front and hugged her friend. "Congratulations, boss," she said. "Where do you want to start with the book swap?"

莉丝觉得脸一下子热了起来，不过很快就过去了。她走到前面，抱住了她的朋友。“恭喜你，老大，”她说，“图书交换我们从哪儿开始？”

"Be my deputy," Cosima said. "Please. I can't do it without you."

“来当我的副手吧，”科西玛说，“拜托了。没有你我做不来。”

Lise took the marker from the teacher's desk. She wrote her own name at the top of the helpers' list.

莉丝从老师的讲桌上拿起马克笔。她在助手名单的最上面，写下了自己的名字。