Crossroads-Book 1

•Chapter 28•

/Alexis/

It was really early the next morning when I woke up.

The sky was still dark and no one in the street had their lights on.

I got off my bed and walked to the bathroom.

I washed my face, brushed my teeth and walked downstairs to the kitchen for a cup of orange juice.

I poured myself a cup and walked up to the last floor.

I walked into the first room on the right.
I shut the door behind me and flipped the light switch on.

I felt like running today.

I walked to the treadmill.
I set the speed to the highest and it started running at lightening speed.
Then I got on.

I was able to keep my balance and not fall off beacuse of my agility.

Infact, I ran even faster than the machine that at a point I saw smoke rise up and sparks fly from the machine.

The movement of the treadmill suddenly seized and I stopped with it.

I clambered down and fell to the floor breathing like I'd run a marathon, which was practically true since I didn't run at a normal speed anymore but still had the same endurance level.

As I lay on the ground with my chest rising and falling in rhythm, I thought of the argument Lucy and I had the day before.

Yeah, she said some annoying things and I did too but it wasn't even the main point of the argument I was mad about.

Lucy asked me if I used my brain sometimes.

In someone else's view, that probably sounds like a random insult.

As I thought of the sentence my heart rate increased and tears welled up in my eyes.
Lucy knew I had dyslexia. I was so insecure about it and I felt stupid because of it every time I was around people my age.

It was one of the reasons I went into sports. I knew I couldn't excell in school work.

It wasn't my fault if my brain was like that.
Everyone has something wrong about them.

The annoying part was that it didn't have anything to do with the situation. I wasn't solving any math problems or anything like that.

She just had to say it cuz she knew it would tick me off. Why was she always giving herself off as a heartless monster?

If she didn't want to join us, all she had to do was say so. She didn't have to say that.

But I had to forget about it, forget about her and whatever she says.

I didn't need to be reminded everyday. Whether it was said or not, nothing would change the fact I had dyslexia.

What mattered was that I was good at something at least.

Today was Sunday and I was supposed to go to the neighborhood gym but I just stayed at home.

When I'd exercised enough to the point that my limbs ached and sweat dripped from my body like a waterfall, I got out of the gym and went to get a shower.

By the time I was done showering and changing, the day was older.

It was really bright outside and a fresh breeze flew in through my room windows, making every light object shake.

I pulled my red tank top downwards a bit to straighten it over my black shorts.

I let my hair loose and had it parted down the middle.