Life in lane one

Failure was not, is not, and never will be an option

Hey every body, So I know like no one reads this but I'm really grateful to those few that do! I would still really like some feed back if any of you could drop me a comment or vote that would be great. I'm still not entirely sure where this story is headed but oh well. If it turns out well I guess I'll know if I start getting more readers. Until then here's the next chapter enjoy!

The rest of the day went by quickly and before I knew it I was on the track warming up with some of my team. I had left Robert in the stands so he could watch without getting in the way. I hadn't seen Tommy since lunch, and we didn't exactly talk then. He was with the football players, so I didn't stick around very long. He usually came down for study hall but I didn't really know what his normal was anymore. The team had changed on the field like we always did but it was weird with some one watching from the stands. So I was feeling a little uncomfortable when I went to the starting mark to run a warm up.

I was staring down the track trying to get into the mind set to run. Then I glanced over and saw Bezzy, "Hey! I didn't know you came to school today. How are you feeling?"

"Oh I'm fine. I didn't want to sit in an empty house all day, so I decided to come." she seemed normal, or as normal as Bezzy ever is.

"Got cha. Hey did you see Tommy last period?" I didn't mean to change the subject I just really needed to know what was up with him.

"Ya I did. I almost forgot he told me to tell you he's going to skip out early and go to the lake with the football guys. He said not to wait up." He smiled warmly at me and I returned it unenthusiastically.

"Oh.. Thanks. Well I'm going to start. You coming?" I asked getting into my  starting blocks.

"Umm. No I'm not going to run until practice starts, I'm kind of tired." She said, but I saw through it.

"There's water and protein bars in my bag. Go eat something." I said sternly. She just nodded and I gave her one more meaningful look and took off. 

The first lap I took it slow trying to build up, but then by the second lap I remembered there was someone watching me so I kicked a little. I couldn't seem to find a rhythm so I was slowing down again. Then I heard a loud voice call me.

"Frenchie! Frenchie!" I looked to the grand stands and saw Robert standing up. He saw that he got my attention and screamed down to me, "You call that running?! I could pass you with my eyes shut!" He smirked and I knew that was a challenge. So I kicked this time not giving my self room to fall into a pattern. I just kept kicking and when I hit lap four I was speeding. I loved the feeling of the wind blowing through my hair and the turf under my feet. I stopped after the fourth lap and walked up to the stands to go talk to Robert.

"With your eyes shut eh?" I chuckled, raising an eyebrow.

"Okay maybe not there at the end but the first couple laps I totally could have had you!" He nudged me with his shoulder as he said this.

I rolled my eyes before saying, "Ya in your dreams. That was just my warm up!"

"What ever," Robert laughed, "Hey? Where's lover boy?" He said it playfully but lately anything concerning Tommy wasn't playful.

"Oh... Prior commitment I guess you could say... Any way do you want me to take you home before track practice starts or do you want to stay and watch?" I really wanted to get off the topic of Tommy.

"I'll stay. If that was just your warm up I want to see what you can really do!" Robert said shrugging his eyes brows at me.

I laughed, "Okay but I'm warning you it's boring as heck." I said as I went down the stairs.

I got to the bottom of the stairs and I wasn't paying much attention so I ran smack dab into Coach. He gave me a stern look and I knew I was in major trouble, because I hadn't talked to him since Fridays track meet. He had seriously pissed me off so I ignored all of his calls and text messages, not wanting to deal with him.

"Hey coach. Lovely day isn't it..." I said trying to slip by him, but I knew it wasn't going to work.

"You stop right there young lady!" I stiffened. Knew it, "You haven't checked in all weekend, and you expect to just walk past me like nothing is wrong?!" He looked agitated but not royally pissed... damn him I was going for royally pissed!

"Well ya know coach I don't really know what you want me to say. Obviously you weren't all that worried because you never called Pop or Tommy to see where I was so I must not have been the most important thing on your agenda." Okay I admit that was a little harsh but honestly if I had a kid I would be taring up the city looking for it if it didn't check in for three and a half days.

His look softened and he seemed to at least try looking at it from my point of view... or so I thought, "When did your stepfather become Pop and I become just Coach? Look Frenchie I don't know what to do with you. You don't listen to me, you stay out till God knows when with Tom, and you lose races. It's not like you, and I'd like to know if this new you is here to stay or if your planing to re inhabit your old self any time soon. If your not, then we need to make some changes because this obviously isn't working." He put his hand on his hips and looked at me like I was honestly going to work with him.

"Look I do-BEEEEEEEEEEEEEP" Just as I was about to tell him to F off the final school bell went off signaling the end of the school day and the start of track practice, "Saved by the bell. I have to go do some real work, and so do you. So if we could finish this conversation another time that would be great."

With that I ran past him and out onto the field to lead the stretches even though half of us where already good and stretched. We where half way done when my Dad decided to finally come out and call role.

He did it silently until he came to, "Tom!" He looked around and found me, "Where is Manning?"

I snorted, "How am I suppose to know. He's his own person you know." Coach looked at me like ya fucking right, and went back his silent roll.

Practice was shorter than usual but Coach still ran us like crazy. If I had to do another set of Pyramid runs I was going to kill him. If you don't know what those are it's when you start from a one hundred meter and go all the way to a twelve hundred and then back wards to one again. When we where finally dismissed I was sweaty and tired. My feet felt raw again and I pulled off my trainers to see the scabs had come off of my feet and they where pink and sore again. I cursed under my breath before pulling myself up and sliding my feet into some Adidas sport sandals. I limped my way to the base of the stands and gritted my teeth before making my way up the stairs to Robert.

When I got to him I was holding back tears every time I stepped, "Are you okay? Your limping on both legs." Robert actually looked concerned and it was kind of cute if you ask me.

"I'm fine. I just have spike sore on my feet from my last track meet." He looked at me puzzeled.

"What's spike sore?" He asked wrinkling his nose.

"It's when you leave your spikes on after you run. There's no support in spikes so it's like your standing on needles for a long time, and then if it's like that for to long your feet start to bleed. And then of course there raw and sore and ya." I said limping my way to my car.

"Can you drive like that?" He asked with a slight smile  on his lips.

"Oh no! I know what your thinking! You are not driving my car! No! No way." I said shaking my head vigorously as we got to my Fire Bird.

He just smile at me devilishly holding out his hand for my keys, "Oh come on. I wouldn't want you to get worse." He smile was growing wicked as he saw me about to give in.

I dug in my bag for my keys and held them an inch above his hand, "Not a scratch you hear me?!" I lowered them but then snatched them back quickly, "You do have your license don't you?" He just nodded amused at my little charade, "Okay but I swear one wrong move and I'm driving crippled!" I said dropping my keys into his hand in defeat.