Run With Me Again

Chapter 5

Everyday at four thirty am Liam and I trained for the track team. He and I would run seven miles every morning and race to school. He was definitely happy with the progress we were making and confident that we would both make the team. I, on the other hand, was only confident in Liam.

Just look at him run. You can tell he obviously had a passion for it. Now take his running and compare it to mine. Whenever we raced he always outran me and whenever I outran him, it was because he was being nice.

Today was the day of the tryouts and my knees have been feeling wobbly all day. I keep on worrying how awkward it would be if Liam made the team and I didn't. He would probably think that I was a weak runner and his ego could have the slight possibility of growing.

"Ade! Over here!" Liam hooted and waved his arms to me. I came out of science class and made my way towards him. He looked extremely excited and I tried my best to match his level of excitement.

"I can't wait! Can't you?! We'll be like the king and queen of the track team!" he said anxiously as soon as I was a couple of feet near him.

"Um, yeah, totally." I said with the most chipper I could, although it sounded very fake. He must have sensed it because he put a hand on each of my shoulders and gave it a little shake.

"It's fine Ade! You'll be fiiiiine!" he said and stressed on the word fine. I gave him a weak smile and we both continued to walk towards the track field. My knees felt more and more like jelly the closer we got to the track field. Liam and I had to separate into the boys and girls section. I looked at him and he mouthed "You'll be fine." to me with a thumbs up.

I sat alone on the bleachers and waited for Coach Mabel to instruct us. I didn't know the other girls too well that were trying out, but they all knew each other. They all laughed and joked along as I awkwardly sat there alone. Nobody at school except Liam knew that I ran. Those girls look like they've competed before and they were use to this process.

"Girls! Line up here!" said Coach Mabel as she motioned us to line up in front of her. There were about thirty girls, and half of us would be eliminated.

"You, you, you and you three." she said as she tapped on the first six shoulders in line. She directed them to their positions on the track field and told us to sit down.

"The first two girls that crosses the line makes the track team!" she yelled as the girls got in starting position. She blew her whistle and the six girls raced immediately. They were so fast. The wind blew in their hair and they all looked serious.

I looked over to the boys side and saw Liam in third place. He almost made it second until a boy with orange hair behind him bumped Liam's elbow and made him stumble and slow down a bit. Liam came in fifth but he looked determined to get in either second or first. I saw him zoom past the boy that bumped him, but the boy managed to nudge him once more, slowing Liam down.

"C'mon Liam. You can do it!" I said under my breath. I squeezed my eyes shut and gripped my hands together. I heard the whistle blow and I pried my eyes open. Liam had a sad face as he wiped his forehead with a towel. That's not fair!

"Coach Mabel! He cheated! That boy cheated!" I said trying to get her attention. She just waved me off and was more anticipated in the second round of racers. When it was my turn I went over to Coach Mabel before I got to my spot on the field.

"Coach Mabel!! The boys side! That guy cheated his way into the track team!" I said and pointed at the grinning boy as guys were slapping his back and congratulating him.

"That's not my problem. What's going on the boys team is not my responsibility." she said as she nodded her head.

"But-"