Take Your Time

Chapter 1

We got led to a trail in the woods. We are running two deep, so Peyton and I stay side by side. "I'm not adopted. Both wanted to go through childbirth, but Momma J couldn't carry or had some problems. I don't know exactly. For Logan it was Momma P who had him and it was her egg. For me it was Momma J's egg in Momma P's body."

I look over at her to see if she looks confused. She must notice me looking at her because she turns her head as we are still running. "Life is amazing and so is science. I think it's wonderful that your Momma J was able to contribute. Sorry for the word choice..."

I look forward as I laugh. "It's fine I know what you mean."

We come to a sudden stop. "Everyone pairs up. For the next thirty minutes your partner and you need to venture off. Of course, we want you to keep on running but trust us we know half of you won't be. Everyone meets back at camp at the horn."

I see Peyton looking around. "What are you doing?"

"Looking for someone to pair up with."

I give her a hard push. "Jerk."

"I'm only kidding." She tugs on my shirt. "Try to keep up."

She takes off at a much quicker pace than before when we were running with the group. I stay about two steps behind her. It didn't take her long to go off trail. She kept up her speed even with having to jump over fallen trees and dodging whatever is laying on the ground.

I went to jump over one of the trees on the ground when my foot smacked the side causing me to fall.

There was an instant pain on the side of my knee as I felt like my arm was being stabbed.

"Oh my god, are you alright?" Peyton's voice turns to worry as she comes over to me. She helps me up and I take a seat on the tree that was the cause of my fall. "You're bleeding."

I look down at my knee and see that she's right. She takes off her bandana that she had in her hair and wipes the blood away. She then wraps it around my knee and ties it.

"You are lucky that it isn't my favorite one." She looks up at me with her blue eyes. "Does anything else hurt?"

I point to my arm. "My arm feels like it's being stabbed."

Peyton takes a seat on the side of the arm that hurts. "This might hurt." She warns. "I think you fell in a thorn bush when you crashed to the ground."

"See if I go running with you again." I tease as I clench my teeth together.

When she was finished, I turned my head to her as she was giving me a puppy dog frown. "I'm sorry you got hurt."

"It was my own fault." I look out in the woods. "I don't want to move though until we have to go back." The last thing I want is to fall again.

"I don't mind resting unless you want me to go and let you rest on your own." I look down at my hand on the tree and notice a hand over it.

I take a deep breath. "You can stay."

***Flashback over***

I went to answer her, but I guess it took too long because she started talking again. "Did you hear there is a new girl on our team?"

"Why do you say, 'our team' if we haven't even tried out yet?"

"Because I heard she is really good so it's almost certain she will make it if the rumors about her are true." McKenna says. "Some of the seniors are already plotting her haze treatment with her being a newbie and probably taking time away from others."

Glad I'm not her. "Do you know her name or what grade she is in?"

"She is a junior. I have no idea her name." McKenna gets off the bench. "But it will only be seconds until we find out."