Two Seconds

Twenty-Five & Twenty-Six

PART TWENTY FIVE

I rounded back into the track after nearly an hour-long jog around the area, ready to hit the sprints for a while and then do some weights. What I saw upon coming in surprised me, Aston and Joe were sitting chatting in the bleachers.

“You’re still here?” I asked him as I grabbed my water from Joe.

“Yeah, we’re just chatting,“ Aston smiled.

“Ok…” I said, narrowing my eyes at the pair of them. I could tell something was up, and I really wanted to know what they were talking about.

“Right Jess!” Joe said, clapping his hands loudly, “Sprints!”

“But,” I started, before being cut off by Joe jumping up from his seat and dragging me over to the track. “Is he just going to sit there and watch?” I asked Joe, nodding my head towards Aston.

“Yup,” Joe said, “He’s giving you a ride home after you’re done here because I’ve got to take Stella to the doctor’s for her check-up.”

“I knew I should have driven myself today!” I said.

“Oh be nice, he cares more about you than you realize,” Joe said.

“What?” I asked, shocked, “He said that?”

“No, but I can tell by the way he acts with you that he does. He’s worried about you Jess, and for that matter, so am I.”

“I’ll be fine,” I sighed, “Let’s get this workout over with.”

I spent the next half hour doing sprint workouts around the track to work on my speed. It was one of my best assets when it came to racing, being able to pull a scorching finishing sprint out of nowhere. When I was done on the track I went off to the weight room with Joe to do some abdominal work, leaving Aston sat alone in the track playing with his phone.

“You know Aston was asking about this weekend,” Joe told me between sets of crunches.

“What did you tell him?”

“Its your birthday,” he grinned.

“Why did you do that?”

“Why does your birthday have to be a secret?” he retorted, “Thought you’d appreciate the fact some people want to celebrate it with you.”

“Celebrate it with me?” I asked confused.

“Aston mentioned throwing a party at some point,” Joe shrugged.

“No.”

“I told him you’d probably shoot down the idea,” Joe laughed, “Jessica Rego you are beyond predictable.”

“Am not!?” I protested, preparing for the next set of crunches.

“Amazingly, you are,” Joe said as he looked down on me, a scowl on my face as I did the exercise. Finishing up in the weight room I went off to find my things and rinse off quickly before heading home for the day.

“Just be nice to him,” Joe warned, referring to Aston who was still lurking about.

“Fine,” I said.

“And it wouldn’t hurt to tell him where your head is at.”

“Not making any promises Joe,” I told him as I said my goodbyes and went off to find Aston.

“You done then?” he asked.

“Yup.”

“Come on then,” he told me, jumping up from where he’d found a seat to lead me out to his car.