Where the Sun Shines (Aceves Series #1)

Beginning

Beginning

Rendezvous

Looking straight ahead with my hands trembling and my knees shaking, I waited for the gun to fire. This is a matter of life and death for me. I've been longing to win this game for such a long time. I've trained and stretched so hard. I endured the heat. In short, I suffered a lot of things.

At ngayon, hindi ako papatalo.

"Ready?" Maven beside me asked, his brows wiggling.

Tumango ako at ngumisi, trying to hide my nervousness. "Trained hard for this. Baka matalo ka?"

"In your dreams."

Yabang. Ikaw na magaling. I rolled my eyes.

As soon as the gun fired, I started running. Hard. I better win this game. I didn't mind looking at Maven because he will just distract me.

When I saw my first hurdle, I tried my best to remember the tips I've got from my friend.

Drag the trail leg sideways over the side of the hurdle after the lead leg has passed over.

Oh, shoot. Malapit na ako. Don't panic, Millie.

My running has slowed down. I saw Maven jumping flawlessly at his first hurdle.

I shook my head. Nope, he's not going to win.

I ran fast and when I reached my first hurdle, I forgot how to jump on it so I pushed it down. That was what I did to the rest of my hurdles. While Maven was still ahead of me - no hurdle of his was lying on the ground.

'E di wow.

That was just because of his long and athletic legs.

Up to my last hurdle, kasabay ko na si Maven. I don't really know if he just slowed down for the challenge or I really am stepping my game up this time. I think, it's the former.

Buong pwersa kong tinumba ang kahuli-hulihan kong hurdle at tumakbo papuntang finish line.

I knew I was gonna win it. I felt the victory. I felt that this time, Lady Luck was with me. Diretso lang akong nakatingin, hindi pinapansin ang paligid hanggang matapakan ko na ang puting linya.

"I won!" I shouted at the top of my lungs and circled around like a fool.

See? I'm not an athlete but I still won over Maven who is a sport enthusiast. I knew I could do this. I am Millie, after all. I am good at ever-

My enjoyment stopped when someone pinched my nose. It was Maven. I stuck my tongue out to tease him. Ano ka ngayon?

"Sorry to break it up to you, Poopy Head, but I won. Got here first." He casually said.

"No, I got here first. I didn't even see you at the finish line."

He got his phone from his pocket and showed me a video of a girl in her white striped with black sports bra and sweat shorts and her Balenciaga Speed Trainers with hurdles on the ground as her background. Oh, that's me.

"You are no fair, Maven!" I rolled my eyes for the nth time. "You can't expect me to win! I'm not an athlete nor a sport enthusiast!"

"I thought you trained hard?" Pang-asar niya. Sinipa ko siya sa paa, ngumiwi naman siya. "A bet's a bet, Poopy Head."

"Stop calling me Poopy Head, you annoying big brother."

He offered me a deal last week. A good one. He said that his friend will stop bugging me if I ever win. And if I lose, we'd have a date. The good one would be the part wherein that certain annoying person would stop bugging me.