Why we run

Winner

"Bella, you are crazy-" I cut her off.

"Afi, you run long distance and relay. Those are the events Bev was for. Please don't make us disappointed." I pout at her.

And she caves!

We get back to our bench, and everyone bombards me with questions. No one says a word as I point at Afi, who is taking off the zip-up revealing her uniform.

She puts up her hair. And I help her stretch. Afi runs every morning. I know she is fit to go in.

"Bella, you know I don't run track anymore." She lays on her back.

I roll my eyes, "yeah, your dad told me you stopped because of a boy." I push her leg up.

"Let it go. That's the point I stopped because of a boy. He is still a boy!"

And she still loves him.

The boys run the 800. Olu came first with Kezie and Remus on his tail.

We ladies startup.

I start off slow. Everyone should know I love the rush of passing people.

In the first twenty seconds, we all drop toward the first and second lanes.

Afi sticks by me. We are in the middle of the ladies.

When we get to the second lap, we run the first hundred before taking off with speed.

Afi is on the same page as me.

If Katarina and Candace thought they had a chance, they are dead wrong. My only competition right now is Afi.

I take first with ease and down the last 100 Afi gains on me.

I lean forward to cross the line, and I have no idea who won.

I wrap my arm over Afi's shoulder as we wait for the results.

They can't tell. So, they are going to look at the camera.

Afi won.

We were apart by less than a tenth of a second.

That's absolutely insane.

"You have to compete again!" I yell at her over the screams of our audience.

Afi shakes her head and leans towards my ears, "I'm only doing this for you Bella. I love being your manager even though you piss me off every day." She laughs.

The heptathlon event is over.

We take an intermission.

Both teams head to their busses for lunch.

My team heads to the hospital. I'm worried about Bev.

Shockingly they let all of us in the room.

I guess they are right, the perks of having a well-known name.

"Hey, Bev, we came to see how you are doing," I say, leading the group in.

"We're you guys disqualified? This is all my fault-"

"Woah!" I cut her off, and Joey continues, "Bev, Afi is running in your place. She crossed first in the 800."

"Really? That's crazy. I didn't know you ran track?" She says.

Afi laughs, "how do you think I know how to tame that one? Do you think an ordinary person could keep up with her?"

I scoff, "when did this turn into insult Izzy?"

"Princess, it's not insulting if she's spitting facts."

I punch him in the arm.

That may have hurt me more than him. He needs to stop toning.