Love Lives and Lies

Fall Senior Year- 1

Chapter 49

My senior season is finally here. I arrive on campus with a nervous energy coursing through my body. I know I have the starting spot sewn up, but you never know what the new freshmen bring to the table or who worked extra hard this summer. That's why it's so important for me to constantly better myself in the off season.

My goals this year are to make it into the record books and to be on all tournament teams or even all conference. I picture myself at the end of the season and how I'll be feeling and I don't want to be sad. I want to feel like I put my everything into this last year.

One nice part about being back on campus a little early is that the football team is here as well. I finally get to see CJ after weeks apart. I wonder if that spark will still be there between us. It's one thing to text each other every day, but it's another to see each other every day. Our relationship, whatever that is, has been stagnant as of late and I'm looking forward to some progress.

As always on the first day of practice, we run the mile. This year is going to be a little different though because coach scheduled our run during one of the football practices. I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but what I do know is that CJ is going to see me in one of my most embarrassing moments. After all these years, running the mile still isn't my strong suit.

As we walk over to the track, I shake my inhaler to make sure it's primed, then I get my mile playlist ready to go. I've timed each lap perfectly to a song so I can keep on pace to finish in under my usual nine minutes.

We open the gate to let ourselves onto the track and I swear every head on the football field turns in our direction. I scour the crowd for CJ but with his height, it doesn't take long to find him. I'm too far away to tell if he can see me, but I decide to focus on my run instead of getting my heart rate up from the nerves of seeing him for the first time in weeks.

As we all get into our starting positions, I take a hit off my inhaler. Sexy, I think to myself. I tuck it into the side of my spandex before realizing that these guys will undoubtedly be checking us all out as we run circles around them. Great.

Coach blows her whistle and everyone takes off.

As per usual, I'm one of the later finishers. I'm used to it by now, but I hope CJ doesn't judge me for my lack of running skills. I try to look around for him again, but they're on the field running drills now and I can't pick out his height when they're all bent over. Maybe I'll see him tonight in the cafeteria.

We have our first full practice that evening before dinner and by the end of it I am absolutely spent. I'm covered in sweat from the hot gym and the workout coach put us through. We all trudge over to the cafeteria, not caring that we look like drenched rats. I head straight for the pasta line, my favorite, before grabbing a few pieces of fruit. I set my tray down on the table before leaning back in my chair and letting out a loud groan.

Clarissa and Lizzy sit down on either side of me and laugh at my theatrics. "It's only the first day, Ava. You know coach is just getting started," Clarissa shudders.

I groan again before noticing the football team start to file into the room. One after another, I watch them walk in, waiting to see that familiar face.

"You looking for loverboy?" Lizzy pokes me in the side.

"Who told you?" I grumble. It's not that I didn't want them to know. It's just that I don't even know what we are, so I didn't want to get their hopes up...or mine.

"Margo of course," Lizzy grins. "So where is he?"

At that exact moment, CJ enters the room and I sit up straighter in my chair.