by Tijan
“Does she know that?”
Emily lifted her chin and turned a haughty look our way. Her eyes were cold, and they seemed even chillier once she made eye contact with Faith.
“Oh, no.” Faith laughed under her breath. “I guarantee she thinks the hype about you is all made up. Nope.”
Emily wrinkled her nose and looked back to the front line.
Faith groaned. “I hate her. I’m not one of your fans, but if you beat anyone today, make sure it’s her. She needs to be brought down a couple notches.”
I made sure there was a deadpan expression on my face. “Funny. That’s what everyone says about you.” And fuck Coach. I moved over a couple girls, instructions be damned. I was going to run beside someone I trusted, and starting a packed race, Faith Shaw was not in that category.
“Strattan!”
I ignored his yell and bent slightly. The start would be any moment.
I knew the route. There would be no surprises. We were on a golf course, and I’d walked it the night before with Mason, Logan, and Taylor. I wanted some familiarity, and today the entire way would be lined with flags and signs, and someone would be at every mile.
Some runners waited the first half, then pushed the second. Others were the opposite. I never had any strategy—I just ran, and with the crowd today, I had a feeling I wouldn’t be needing any extra adrenaline.
I breathed out, feeling my clammy hands. I needed to calm down. I could do that.
Stay steady. Stay strong. Stay true.
That was my phrase, and I started repeating it in my head. None of this mattered.
I began to strip it all down.
The other runners.
The whispers.
The rumors.
The hype.
Faith.
Even that Emily girl.
None of them mattered.
It was me. It was the course. It was the run.
It was my old friend. This was just another night I needed to run. Maybe I was pissed at my mom. Maybe I was pissed about Kate and her group that had jumped me. Maybe I was fuming about Cass, Mark’s girlfriend who’d hated me since high school. Or maybe I was thinking about Becky and Adam, about how he tried to set Mason up. Or maybe it was Budd Broudou in the back of my mind, when he was looking for Mason’s girlfriend because he wanted to rip her up with his dick.
All of those enemies flashed through my head.
There’d been so many, but the one that stood above the rest was Analise. And she was no longer my enemy.
They were all gone. I was done with them.
No. This was just me today. Me and my friend, the run.
Then the gun went off, and we started.
Everyone came off the line fast. I heard people from the sidelines yelling for us to slow down. We weren’t supposed to start this quick, but it didn’t matter. No one slowed. Faith surged ahead of me. That Emily girl was right behind her. I held back, just a little. There were a few runners between us.
The first mile passed.
The lead group pulled ahead of the others. This was my competition. I positioned myself at the back of that group.
Mile two passed.
We had fourteen more to go.
The lead group strengthened its advantage. The middle group was back by half a mile, at least. I still waited, content to sit behind the others, but once we passed mile six, then seven, then eight, I began feeling the itch.
I needed to go faster.
Faith and Emily were out in front. Emily had taken the lead a mile back, but Faith was on her heels. She was almost breathing down her neck.
Come on.
I heard the voice in my head. I didn’t know if it was mine, or Mason’s, or even someone else. It sounded like my mom, but no. It was me. My voice.
It’s time to go.
Tears streamed down my face. My stomach was still clenched in knots, but the voice was right. I could go faster and harder. We had eight more miles to go, a little less than that by now.
It’s time.
I moved to the side, and I picked up my pace. In thirty yards, I was ahead of the last ones in the group. Another thirty yards, and I was past the two behind Faith and Emily. They were farther out. It took me another half-mile to be right behind Faith.
She felt me. I knew she did. She glanced back once, but she didn’t react. She’d been waiting. I dug my heels in even more, and I was beside her. We matched our strides. Our arms swung in sync. Our legs tuned in to the other’s, feeling a teammate near. We moved together, and she gave me the slightest of nods. We forged ahead.
We reached Emily together.
She looked back and saw Faith. Her eyes were flat. They were full of pain, and she was exhausted, but she showed no other emotion. Then her eyes moved to mine and rounded a little bigger. But she couldn’t focus too much on me. She returned to facing forward. She couldn’t lose even that tiny bit of time, though it didn’t matter. She just didn’t know that.
Faith and I pulled ahead, then moved over to run right in front of Emily.
We went a half-second faster and began to put distance between us and her.
Tears streamed down Faith’s face as she looked at me and said, “Go.”
It was all I needed.
I ran.
I stopped thinking.
I tuned the people out.
I tuned the runners out.
It was me.
It was the course.
And I had my friend—the run.
Just her and me. Just doing what we always did.
In the beginning, I heard Coach Langdon yelling for me to slow down. He was worried I would burn out. I wouldn’t. I didn’t look behind me, but I was alone. I knew it was only me in the lead, and when I passed each mile marker, people were surprised. Either they were surprised it was me, or they were surprised I was there sooner than they’d expected.
I didn’t care.
I ran the rest of the race with no one behind me, and when I crossed the finish line, the crowd was quiet for a moment. When I stopped, my chest heaving, the tears were still falling. Something had happened. I didn’t know what, but I knew I had run one of my best times ever.
Then Logan was there. He let out a cry and picked me up, swinging me around. Nate came with him. He hugged me too. I knew it was just those two. Mason couldn’t come. He had a football event today because they were getting prepped for their game tomorrow, but I knew Logan had been on the phone with him. He had it in his hand, and I reached for it. I wanted to talk to Mason.
My whole body was buzzing, so when Logan tapped me on the shoulder and said something, I didn’t hear it right away.
His mouth was moving before I heard the words. “You beat the record, Sam!” His hands held my shoulders. “The record.”
“No.” Coach Langdon was next to him now, a shocked expression on his face as he looked from me to his watch. “According to this time, you would’ve qualified for the Olympics.”
It was all a rush afterward.
I took first, and even Faith was happy. She hugged me as soon as she crossed the line.
“That was my best time ever,” she gasped into my ear. “You helped me do that.” She pulled back, and then hugged me once more. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.” She kept crying and saying the same thing. A bunch of people came over to hug her. They were congratulating her, then me.
Everyone congratulated me.
Taylor was crying. She came in fourteenth out of seventy runners.
Coach Langdon had a frazzled look in his eyes, even after the medals were handed out. Our team took first, and wondering if I could get some favoritism, I asked if Taylor and I could ride back with Logan and Nate. He said no. We needed a team-bonding ride back, but that was fine.
We stopped for food on the way, and so did many of the runners’ family and friends who’d traveled to our meet. We took over an entire restaurant, and the whole time, I just wanted to talk to Mason.
I’d only gott
en a few words in with him over the phone before, and it hadn’t been enough. People kept coming over to me, and I couldn’t hear. Then he had to go.
After eating and going to the bathroom, I slipped outside for some privacy and called him again. I didn’t know if I would catch him. It was around six, so he’d either be in the weight room, or already heading home to rest before his game tomorrow.
“Hey.”
I sagged in relief. “You picked up.”
He chuckled. “I’d pick you up any day of the year.”
I smiled. “You sound like Logan.”
“I have a sense of humor. Sometimes.” Then he grew serious. “I hear some major congratulations are in order.”
He’d already said it, but I loved hearing it again. My throat swelled up. “Thank you.”
“Even the guys heard about it here.”
I clutched the phone tighter in my hand. “Really?”
“It’s a big deal if we might have an Olympian at our school.” He was somber. “Your life’s not going to be the same, Sam.”
He was warning me.
I nodded. “I know,” I whispered. I’d watched him go through it. “I can’t believe it, but it might not happen. This was just the first race. It might’ve been a fluke.”
“Stop.”
“What?” But I knew what he meant.
“You know it wasn’t a fluke. You know the rest will be the same. The only difference now is that everyone else knows how good you are.”
Those damn tears. I felt them again. They were threatening to spill. “I heard your voice in my head.”
“Yeah?”
I laughed. “It was telling me to go.” It had also been my voice, and my mom’s too, but I kept that to myself. I didn’t know what it meant, and I didn’t want to give her any credit. She didn’t deserve it.
“I hear your voice in my head sometimes too.”
“You do?” I sat down on a bench. Some people had started to leave the restaurant, heading for their vehicles.
“I do. When I’m holding back, and I have to make a good play or something. You’re always yelling at me—why am I holding back? Why aren’t I going for it?”
“Are you messing with me?”
He laughed softly. “Kind of. I never hold back when I need to make a great play, but I do hear your voice. You’re always urging me on. You make me stronger. It means a lot to hear that I do the same for you.”
I fell silent. I just held the phone and listened to him on the other end.
“I love you,” he said.
“I know. You tell me often.”
“I feel it often. I mean it every time.”
“I love you too.”
The door opened, and I heard Logan’s voice.
“I should go. I think Logan’s looking for me.”
“Tell him I’ll be at the parking lot to pick you up. I want that privilege.”
“You’re still there?”
“I am. I’m waiting.”
He wasn’t alone. When the bus pulled up to the building, the entire football team was waiting. The family and friends who had gone ahead of the bus joined them, and they all started clapping as we got off.
I started crying. I couldn’t stop. I stepped forward and just stood there. I was dressed in the warm-ups the university had given us, and I held my bag in one hand. I covered my face with the other. I hated crying, but I hated crying in front of others even more.
Mason broke from the crowd and came forward. He lifted me up, and I wound my legs and arms around him.
Then I let everything go.
“Honey, your father and I are coming today for Mason’s big game. I only wish we’d known about your first run, or that you were even on the team. We had no idea. And that’s so exciting, hearing about how fast you ran. I’m not surprised at all.”
Malinda was gushing in my ear as I tried to dress and talk at the same time. I’d slept late since Mason didn’t wake me when he got up to go in earlier.
My stepmother kept going. “And don’t you worry about making room for us at the house or even cooking. We’ll get a hotel room. I already have it reserved, and we’ll be treating you to dinner. All of you.”
I paused. “Dinner?”
“Of course. We have to celebrate your run and Mason’s first game.”
I was scrambling, trying to remember if we had any set plans. Last night had been a blur. Coach Langdon and my track coach both mentioned celebrating with the team. I couldn’t remember when they’d said it was happening, but then again, I hadn’t known Malinda and David were coming to town until she called this morning.
Mason’s game was at two. I had to find Logan, Taylor, and Nate, and we all had to head to the stadium to get seats.
No—I jerked upright from reaching for my shoes on the floor.
That was it.
Coach Carillo had mentioned us joining him in a private box for the game. How did Coach Carillo have a private box? I frowned, trying to remember what I’d said in return.
Actually Mason had stepped in, saying, “She’ll probably be sitting with my brother and a few others. Can she get back to you tomorrow?”
Coach Carillo had bobbed his head up and down. “Sure thing. That’s understandable.”
And then we’d gone home. There’d been more celebrating, but Mason had to go to sleep right away. And since Mason had to sleep, Logan suggested going out for some drinks. But I declined. I wanted to be with Mason.
Now tonight was supposed to be the main celebration night. And Malinda and David were joining the festivities.
This should be fun.
After hanging up with Malinda, I finished getting dressed and reached for my phone. I needed to call Logan, but instead saw a bunch of text messages from my biological father, Garrett.
Hey! Sharon and I are coming to Mason’s game. It’s last minute, but my firm has a private box. Did you and the others want to join us? Seb stayed back in Boston with the grandparents.
Shit.
I texted back, Do you have room for me, Logan, Taylor, Nate, Malinda, and David? They’re in town too.
He replied almost right away. There’s a few seats, but there’s standing room. As long as they’re okay standing? We’ll have food and drinks too.
I typed back, Sold.
Maybe I should’ve chosen my track and cross-country coaches, but it didn’t feel right sitting with them over family. The jaded part of me wondered if they would’ve asked if I hadn’t run so fast yesterday. I was guessing not.
Heading out to the kitchen and living room, I stopped to see if I heard anyone. Nothing. There was complete silence.
“Logan? Nate? Taylor?” I called.
Still no answer.
I started upstairs and knocked on Nate’s room first. “Nate?”
I heard a crash from inside, followed by a curse and a grumbling, “Yeah?”
“We have Mason’s game soon. Are you up?”
I was lying, but everything would take longer. This was a major D1 game. Traffic would be backed up, and getting into the stadium would take forever. Since Taylor and I were on an athletic team now, we’d gotten special parking permits for spaces closer to the stadium. I hoped we could park there today and cut back on some of the walking. I also wondered how many other athletes might be thinking the same thing.
I went to Logan’s door, but it opened before I could knock.
He peered out at me. He kept the rest of himself hidden, and he said, “I love you, Sam. You’re my sister, but if you yell for me in the next half hour or knock on this door, we’re going to have problems.”
I didn’t need to guess. “You’re having sex?”
“Yes. Go away.”
The door slammed in my face.
I turned around, and a girl was slipping out of Nate’s room. Her hair hung loose, and she was holding her shoes. Her dress had twisted up, only covering half of her body. I listened and could hear Nate’s shower running. This girl was trying to sneak o
ut.
“Hey.”
She screamed, jumping around to see me. Her eyes were wide, and her face drained of blood.
“Oh.” She cursed, raking a hand through her hair. “Fuck. Hi. I’m Valerie.” She started to hold her hand out, saw it was still full of her shoes, and cursed a third time. She switched her shoes to her other hand and held it out again.
I waved. “You don’t have to worry about being formal. Do you need me to call a cab?”
“Could you?” Her voice was hopeful. “Oh, that’d be wonderful.”
She kept sneaking glances back to Nate’s door. After the third time, and after her eyebrows pulled together in apparent confusion, I asked, “Do you remember last night?”
She bit her lip, following me down the stairs and into the living room. “I remember going to a club with some friends. I remember shots. Lots of shots. Then we went to another bar. It was a little pub type of bar, but it was so packed. And I remember a hot guy . . .” She kept biting her lip and cringing. “Yeah. The rest of the night is a long blur, but I remember having really hot sex.” She groaned to herself. “Really hot sex. Oh boy.”
I checked outside to make sure somehow her car hadn’t gotten to the house, though if it had, I didn’t want to know how. I was relieved to see the front was empty except for Logan’s Escalade and Taylor’s car. Nate’s and mine were parked inside.
I started dialing the car company. “They’ll be here shortly, I’m sure.”
“Oh good.” She looked around the house again, bending her knees. “Uh, is there a bathroom around here? That I . . . could . . . use . . .?” Her soft voice trailed off.
I pointed down the hallway. “First door on the left.”
“Oh, thank you.” She took off, rushing around the corner.
I was just hanging up with the cab company when Nate hurried downstairs. He took the phone away from me. “No, don’t call a cab.”
“Wha—” I pointed to the phone. “They’re coming.”
He cursed, then yanked it to his ear. “Hello?” He waited a few seconds, then said, “Yes. I want to cancel that cab. She didn’t know she didn’t have to call it.” He frowned. “Of course she’s safe. Here.” He thrust my phone back to me. “They want to make sure you’re okay.”