Page 94 of Walk With Me
“Babe, it’s time to go,” I say, in lieu of a greeting. Cutting her off mid-rant is the best way to save Mr Porter. It’s not his fault the ribbon for the finishing line is midnight blue instead of sky blue. I doubt anyone but Sloane really gives a shit. I certainly won’t be worried about the colour of it when I’m staggering across the finish line.
“Just one minute, Eden,” she says, turning back to Mr Porter who used the distraction to slip away into the crowd.
Frowning, Sloane plants both hands on her hips. “Well, that’s just rude,” she mutters, causing me to laugh.
“Come on, let’s go, Ms Type A.”
She rounds on me with the same look of frustration. “That’s rude too!”
Rolling my lips, I tug her close. “Sorry, baby. Here, let me kiss it better.”
She huffs, but I see the smile curling her lip as I plant tiny kisses all over her face. Sloane Bishop is powerless against my charms.
“You’re a dork.” She giggles.
“And you’re going to be late for the start of this thing if we don’t get a wriggle on. You’ve done all you can, babe. Time to let others take over now, unless you don’t want to run?”
“Of course I’m running. We’re doing it together.”
“So then let’s go. The gang is waiting. Have you seen Pia and Todd?”
Sloane bursts out laughing. “Todd looked shellshocked! How much hairspray did Pia use on him?”
We make our way through the crowd, laughing until we reach our people. Bryce has made his way over, too. It looks like he plans to run with us. The thought kind of warms my heart. I really like how we’ve expanded our group. We’re a complete mash-up of personalities and characters.
A now less harassed Mr Porter makes his way to the main stage. He announces the principal, who receives araucous welcome. We listen to him praising our efforts and blah blah blah. I’m ready to start this thing already.
Thankfully, Mr Porter gracefully boots the principal out of the way and takes the mic. He has a starting pistol, and a megaphone draped across his chest. The man looks in his element, like this is what he’s been working for all his life.
With everyone crowded close to the start line, the collective energy and excitement hang in the air. People are whooping and fist bumping, jumping up and down, trying to keep their muscles warm. A countdown begins, and everyone joins in. At one Mr Porter pulls the trigger, and the race begins.
I have no interest in winning the thing. Simply getting through it is my goal. I’m confident I’ll make good time. After all, it’s what I’ve been training for. Plus I’ve jogged the route a few times now, so there won’t be any surprise hills or anything.
The crowd shuffles forward and begins to pick up the pace. Everyone is chatting and laughing. Some of the sport nuts zoom off in a bid to take the lead. I can see Sloane’s competitiveness kick in and it makes me laugh at how she’s having to physically stop herself from bolting to the front.
“Babe, you can go for it if you want,” I call. I receive a stern look back. Rolling my eyes, I gently bump her shoulder. “Sloane, it’s okay if you want to actually race rather than lump along with us.”
“We said we were doing this together.”
“And we are. Doesn’t mean you can’t run ahead. I’m only a few minutes from sticking my headphones in anyway.”
I need music to run. I discovered my likes and dislikes quite quickly when doing my Couch to 5k sessions. I need to focus on the beat. If I hear the outside world, I get distracted.
I call to the rest of the group and tell them the same thing. Bryce sticks up both thumbs and surges ahead. Becca and Bella wave me off. They’re holding hands while jogging. Todd is already pulling Pia along, but I suspect it’s got nothing to do with her ability to run the distance and everything to do with the fact she loves it when he takes care of her. Even when she’s putting it on.
Sloane looks at me before sighing. “Are you really sure?”
I’m already popping in my earbuds and queuing up my playlist. “Go for it, babe. I’ll see you at the finish line.”
We share an awkward side hug and kiss, making us both stumble. Laughing, I smack her on the ass as she gains speed. Shooting me a wink over her shoulder, Sloane blows me a kiss and disappears.
Setting my pace, I relax into the run. This is a lot more fun than I thought it would be. The sun is shining, and the air is fresh. My body feels good, and my mind clears as I go. Perfect.
We are over halfway when things go wrong. Becca and Bella have fallen behind, but they’re still going. I’ve no idea where Todd and Pia are, so I’m running alone. That’s when it happens. A searing pain in my right ankle. The same ankle I rolled not too long ago. It’s so bad my body crumples to the ground and my hand instinctively reaches for my foot.
My head snaps up and makes eye contact with a snarling Kiera. What the ever-loving fuck? Did she just stomp my ankle? She doesn’t stop but carries on, flipping me the bird as she goes.
I haven’t got time to worry. My ankle is throbbing and I’m causing a blockage. If I’m not careful I’m gonna get trampled. A couple of students stop and help me up. They brush me down as I test my weight. Fuck, I can’t run on it.
