I SPY

Chapter 9- Back on Track Pt. 2

Recap:

"Look, I have to go. I'm heading to track." I frown slightly reluctant to leave Chase but even more reluctant to be late on my first day."That's cool. I'm headed there too." Chase nods casually and I let out a smile. Of course he is.

Chapter 9 1/2

This way we'll be close to Lanie as much as possible. I bet he's enrolled in all the classes with her that I can't be. Since he's a senior, same as Lanie, there are certain classes required of their grade that juniors can't take.

Chase smiles at me wrapping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me away from the stairs I was just about to descend. "The track is that way, babe." He gestures down the hallway and I frown in confusion. No that can't be right.

"Are you seriously telling me that the- Oh hey, Sadie!" I shout waving my hands and gesturing for her to come over. She glances at me and Chase for a second looking confused before walking over slowly.

She reaches us and looks hard at me for a second before glancing over at Chase who smiles slightly at her. She looks away from him, puzzled and waits for me to tell her what's up. "Sadie, this is-" Chase pulls me closer, digging his fingers into my waist suddenly and I break off. I close my mouth knowing him well enough to see that he's telling me to be quiet.

"Jace. My name's Jason Parker. Nice to meet you, Sadie." He smiles a little flirtatiously, trying to cover up how I almost just blurted out his name. Of course he'd go for a fake name. That's more his style than mine. I only change my last name to draw away the attention. I can't exactly go around advertising that I'm the girl kidnapped 8 years ago.

Sadie looks at him for a second and smiles a polite, disinterested half- grin. She doesn't seem interested, which is probably because Chase's arm is still back around my shoulder.

"Well it's nice to meet you, Jason. What's up, Julianne?" She turns her attention to me, giving me a gesturing look.

"Do you know the fastest way to get to the track? I'm joining and Jason wants to check out the scene, you know, talk to the coach." I trail off not knowing waht else to say and her eyes widen in surprise.

"You two run?" Sadie gives me a giant smile laughing in amusement and I try not to feel offended when she surveys me. Is it really that funny to think I can run? We're both in pretty good shape.

"That hard to believe?" Chase raises an eyebrow in a way that a lot of people find intimidating and she immediately steps back making me pinch Chase on the arm, disguising it as a friendly pat. He shouldn't use that look on my friend.

"No of course not." Sadie shakes her head still looking slightly nervous. Poor girl. "I'm just surprised. I run track too." Sadie looks at me and I smile reassuringly at her, recieving a bright smile in return.

"That's perfect then. Can you show us the way?" I ask heading back the way we came. She nods and watches me for a second puzzled as I continue heading for the stairs.

"Julianne?" Sadie calls out to me quickly, making me turn around. I raise an eyebrow at her and she smiles a thin smile which rapidly turns into a smirk.

"The track's this way." Chase grins at her and she smiles back before starting to walk quickly down the hallway with us in tow. Chase waits until she is fully turned around before signing to me; his hands flying rapidly into different shapes. Told you so, loser.

I shrug and sign back quickly. Yeah, so what? My sign language has always been better. You eloquent" I throw in the most complicated word I know and then throw in an attempt to trip him up and he looks stumped. His eyebrows furrow a little and his hands twitch trying to figure out what the sign eloquent means so that he can think of a comeback.

"Hey you guys coming or what?" Sadie turns around to see that we fell behind a little and she waves us to her side. We quicken our pace and she passes by the last of the lockers to a door marked Track. They have their own special door? She enters and we come face to face with at least 50 other students all milling around in disarray.

"Students! Hurry up, get changed. It's time to warm up." A warm, friendly voice shouts out making my eyes almost pop out of my skull in shock.

The 'coach' quickly approaches us studying Sadie for a minute before letting out a warm smile. " And who are these two, Sadie?" Coach spares her a special smile and she looks surprised that the coach knows her name. Anyone can pick out the sense of humor and irony in her voice as she looks over at us. I glance over at Chase but he looks unimpressed.

"These are Julianne and Jace." Sadie explains. "They're both new and looking to join the team.

"Well it's a good thing we don't make cuts then." Coach smiles condescendingly at us, faking disapproval. Sadie smiles for a second at us before turning and disappearing through a door to get dressed. When her heel disappears around the corner I let out a long held laugh.

"Janet." I whisper in shock as she drags us away to the corner to have a private talk.

"Well, now that's Coach Janet to you." She wags her finger at me with mock sterness.

"What are you doing here? And more importantly, why doesn't anyone tell me anything anymore?" I add in a frustrated tone and Chase and Janet share a cocky smirk.

"Well, Redwood High needed a coach, and you clearly needed someone to watch over you and Chase." Janet winks at me, her face quickly going stern as some boys and girls crowd around to talk to their coach.

"I'll keep 'em busy while you get ready. Quickly now." She whispers barking out the last part for the student's benefit. She turns to face the athletes who are all now staring at her, clearly terrified.

Chase and I quickly dart back into the changing room looking around hurridly. There's no one here. I grab my clothes from Chase's back pack and find a corner to change in while Chase does the same. "I knew you would forget something to change into." Chase comments and I can picture him shaking his head and rolling his eyes. "It's amazing that you're even a spy at all."

"You're soo funny." I make a face that he can't see and pulling on my tank top and shorts. A minute later, I'm standing in behind a crowd of athletic looking people tying up my shoelace. "Here goes nothing." I whisper to Chase and he grabs my hand as we join the back of the crowd.

"It's time." Janet drones on and several girls look ready to pass out from sheer terror. "It's time to show waht you're made of. It's time ladies and gentlemen, to train. And if you're not capable of-" She breaks off after a second, her eyes locking on mine.

"Well what are you waiting for?" She snaps out. "Go warm up." The dazed runners start trudging towards the track looking overwhelmed. "I said warm up. Aren't you runners? Let's see that jog." Janet lectures and several people do start running- towards their cars.

"It's going to be a long season, Julianne." Janet whispers as I jog by.

I survey the group as they jog, sprint, and walk onto the track and grimmace slightly. "It certainly is, Janet. It certainly is."