Runner's High (ON HOLD)

Chapter 32: One Final Night (Pt. 2)

Once we get back to the room, I walk into the bathroom and close the door. I look in the mirror, for really no reason, I just want to see what I look like.

Pink long sleeve shirt, jean shorts, blue team jacket, black rose print converse. My makeup is decent, and I put on a bit more mascara. Then I look at my hair. The braids are a bit messy since I slept with them in. I open the bathroom door and poke my head out.

"Hey Elliot," I call back into the bedroom.

"Yeah, what's up?" She walks out towards the bathroom.

"Can you fix these braids please?"

"Yep, hang on a sec!" She comes back a few seconds later and quickly takes out both of my braids and fixes them.

"Okay, its 4:55, we gotta go," she tells me. I grab my phone and unplug it, then pick up my wallet from on top of my suitcase, and Elliot does the same. We step outside right as Ryan, Todd, and Megan are coming out of their rooms. The coaches are carrying what look like gift bags, Todd has two and Megan has one.

"Ready to go?" Megan asks. We all nod. "Okay, let's head out!"

It's about a half-mile walk from the hotel to Olive Garden. We have a 5:15 reservation, and at this rate, we'll get there at about 5:10. I know it's going to be crowded, since it's a very popular spot for racers, but since we have a reservation we should get in no problem.

We arrive at the restaurant at exactly 5:10, and we wait in the front for a waitress to take us back to our table. Eventually, a waitress named Alana greets us and leads us to a table near the front window, and she seats us, takes our drink orders, and brings us a basket of breadsticks. I already know what I'm going to order. Spaghetti. I always have it before races and I'm not going to risk trying anything else.

After Alana brings us drinks and takes our orders, I excuse myself to go to the bathroom. When I walk in, it's surprisingly empty. I lock myself in one of the handicap stalls and stare at myself in the mirror.

Fat.

Ugly.

Worthless.

Why would anybody want you? Why would anybody believe in you? Why would anybody love you?

I choke back tears as the voice in my head gets louder. I know it's just my mind trying to psych me out, but it's still hard on me. I bite my lip, and I dig my fingernails into my wrist, so deeply and roughly that it starts bleeding.

"Crap," I mutter to myself, grabbing a paper towel and wiping off the blood, holding pressure to the marks to get them to stop bleeding. They do quickly, and I pull down my sleeves, make myself look presentable, and walk back out to the table.

"Everything okay?" Todd asks as I take my seat. I nod quickly, not making eye contact with him. I feel Elliot nudge my hand under the table, and I look up at her and mouth "I'm okay." She nods and we jump back into the conversation about brands of running shoes.

"What shoes do all of you prefer?" asks Megan.

"I prefer Saucony and Asics," Ryan says. Todd nods, and I laugh to myself because he knows what specific shoes each of us prefer, since he's the one who fits us for them.

"I like Asics and Brooks," I add, "although I like Saucony spikes the best." Ryan nods in agreement and says he does too.

"I like New Balance the best," Elliot says. "I also like Saucony spikes." According to the older runners, Todd used to buy anyone who qualified for states new spikes, so that they could all match. Now, everyone on the team gets them as part of our uniform. The girls got blue and purple spikes this year, and the boys got red and orange spikes.