Page 56 of Hateful
“That’s why I said Thursday, nottomorrow,” Heath replies, quirking one eyebrow. “We’re all exhausted. It’s not gonna do us any good to practice as worn-out as we are now.”
He has a point. My legs feel a little jelly-like as I reach down and rub my calves.
“We’ll just have to focus extra hard on Thursday.”
Beck scowls. He throws the baton onto the ground so hard it makes a sharpcrack. Jasper rushes over to snatch it up, but Beck’s already turned his back and is storming off toward the locker rooms.
I go stand next to Heath and watch Jasper pick up the baton and inspect it. Thankfully, it’s not the one we’ll actually be using during the race, otherwise we’d already be out by half a dozen of them.
I take a deep breath, enjoying—just for a moment—the absence left behind in Beck’s wake.
“Since there’s no practice, I’m going to run tomorrow after class,” I say, glancing across the track towards the forest. It’s been a while now since I was allowed to disappear beneath those branches. I find myself itching to feel the rough trails beneath my feet, to smell the pine and damp earth.
Running the track is nice and all, but it’s not the same.
Especially when my trail running is as much about solitude as it is the actual running. Heath gives me a sideways look, which I return with raised eyebrows.
Well, almost solitude.
“Your usual time?”
I nod, and he mirrors me.
“Fine then,” he says. “Meet you at the bend.”
Ahead of us, Jasper straightens up with the baton in hand. He holds it up to the light and squints at it for a second before announcing that it’s not broken after all.
Not that it really matters. These boys could afford to buy an entire stadium full of batons if they wanted.
Beside me, Heath just grins even wider and nudges me playfully with his elbow before heading off to the locker room. It’s a motion that Jasper doesn’t miss. He scowls at Heath’s back for a second before following after him a few paces behind.
I walk straight back to my dorm to shower, grateful that for once Beck isn’t here to hassle me into following after them. I don’t want to deal with any locker room situations, especially not alone with The Brotherhood. Not one member of faculty has come out to supervise our practices. I’d be defenseless in there with them.
I let myself into the hallway that leads back into the school from the track. I’m hyper-aware that the next hallway over is the school records room, where I’m supposed to get those records for the headmistress.
I can’t see myself actually doing it now, not with the way things have been quickly changing for the better with The Brotherhood … but I also know she can get me expelled. I wrap my arms around myself as I creep down the hallway, trying not to think about it—but definitely thinking about it anyway.
“Alex! Wait up!”
My stomach clenches and I freeze out of habit. I hear a door shut, and as I look over my shoulder, Jasper comes jogging down the hall.
I turn and keep walking.
“Alex, please,” he says, but I don’t look back.
I don’t want to talk to him. He comes up beside me anyway, his dirty running clothes slung over his shoulder. He still smells slightly of sweat, and his hair is damp, meaning he didn’t shower in the locker room. Did he skip out on it so he could catch up to me?
“Alex, there’s something I have to—”
“I’m not talking to you,” I say, keeping my eyes trained forward as I quicken my pace. I’ve refused to speak to him since our last real conversation. There’s no point, not when I have nothing to say to him until he’s ready to admit the truth.
“But you just did.”
I shoot him a glare and the smile on his face dies and falls away.
“Sorry,” he mumbles. “It’s just that—I need to tell you—”
“Pissoff, Jasper,” I snap, jerking toward the dorm wing.
