Page 53 of I'm Gonna Get You Back
I’ve been through enough of that. I can’t let the same thing happen to him.
As soon as the crowd breaks up, Reid’s face falls and he squeezes his eyes shut as if mentally preparing himself before he starts walking.
He’s always been competitive. Too competitive. Even with himself. At the hot springs last year, he opened up to me about the mental tricks he plays on himself to stay motivated. I get that he couldn’t get where he is without that fire, but I always thought that he pushed himself too hard.
I pause.The hot springs.He told me once nothing ever helped his thrashed body like the hot springs did. He needs to get there. Today.
Josh steps right into my frame then, breaking my concentration and ruining my shot. I lower my camera, and he’s staring at me, a smirk on his face. He’s beet red and smells like alcohol is leaching out of his pores.
“You catch me crossing the finish line?” he asks, gesturing to my camera.
“Yeah, I got everyone,” I say, eager to rush over to see if Reid’s okay.
“Making sure you’re not just focusing on Golden Boy over there. You saw Delaney’s posts, right? He shouldn’t even be the guest of honor.”
I frown. “What do you mean ‘Delaney’s’?”
Josh shrugs. “It’s obvious she’s the one making them. She always knows everything about everyone.”
I open my mouth to defend her but pause as my thoughts collide.
She’s been weirdly distant for a while now, avoiding me every time I try to talk to her, like something is going on or she’s carrying a secret. Shedoeslove to gossip…
I shake my head quickly.
No. There’snoway. I could see it if the posts were only about Josh, but she would never compromise her scholarship to start rumors about Reid. Not unless she had a reason I don’t know about. Josh is trying to get in my head.
Probably because Reid’s right andhe’sthe one behind the posts. After the way he treated Reid last year, it’s not hard to imagine that Josh would make an account like Legacy Lore just to take Reid down.
When I don’t respond, he goes on. “I’m just saying, if my dad wants anyone featured, it’s me—”
“I said I got everyone,” I snap.
“Damn, chill.” He pulls up his T-shirt to wipe the sweat off his forehead.
Principal West hasn’t said one word about making sure I feature Josh. He’s cared only about Reid.
“Joshua!” Principal West barks.
I inch closer and catch a snippet of their conversation on camera.
“I was ahead of him the entire first half of the race,” Josh complains.
“But you didn’tfinishahead, did you? You never do,” West shoots out, his stern expression morphing into a smile as he greets someone else and walks off toward Reid at the finish line.
I manage to capture the hurt in Josh’s eyes before he shuts it away when the older alumni surround him and the other runners. They make jokes and slap Josh’s back, and though he’s laughing, I don’t miss the glare he shoots at Reid and his dad.
I cross the square and get close enough to hear what West says. “Nothing to worry about, I take it?”
Reid shakes his head. “Of course not.”
“Excellent. Let’s walk around—I have several new donors I’d like to introduce you to.”
There’s a spark of panic in Reid’s eye, and I put my camera away and square my shoulders. I got interviews with older alumni and a solid one with Nicole earlier. I can step away for now. Though I should give him the distance he clearly wants, I know him. Istillknow him. Between running with an injury and his insomnia coming back, it’s clear he’s not taking care of himself the way he needs to.
“Reid!”
They both turn to look at me. Reid’s eyes are guarded.
