My Best Friend's Brother

Chapter Ten

The brisk morning air cut through the thin layer of fabric called my pants. I crossed my arms, hoping to generate some heat. Now that I look back, I can't remember how I got myself into this mess, but I did. So here I am. Standing outside the life center, about to run a 5k for breast cancer awareness. On a cold October morning. At seven o'clock. In sweatpants and a sweatshirt. Grumbling, I straightened the paper pinned to my shirt. 977 was printed in bold black lettering.

Alex was SUPPOSED to attend this with me. But his alarm didn't go off and by the time I had gotten a hold of the now disappointed Michael (because I wasn't messaging him to converse with him) to wake his brother up, it was too late and he couldn't get a ride. Now, I was alone. It was just me. I wasn't even a runner! Neither was Alex, but he was the only one of my friends who didn't HATE running.

My grandmother stood somewhere behind me near the door. To take pictures no doubt. There were nearly two hundred to three hundred people piled into the street so the likelihood of her actually catching me in the picture was slim. I shifted my weight from my right leg to my left. To be honest, I didn't plan to put much effort into this thing. The reason I was here was not for the exercise. Not for the prize. It was the cause. That's why I was here.

I hated the thought of running the entire thing alone but at this point, I didn't really have a choice. The count down on the lit up board inched slowly to zero. People all around me where set into running positions. They were here to win.

Personally, I was ready to get this thing over with. Really I would have been okay with just giving the cancer center my money. My eye wasn't on what most others' were.

The clock drew ever closer to the end of the count down. I pulled my arms from their position over my chest and watched orange numbers flash.

4...

3...

2...

1...

0...

The starting gun blasted into the air and everyone started sprinting. Some at such a pace I knew it would wear them out in less than a mile. That was the good thing about this race. It wasn't necessary to run. You could walk the entire thing if you really wanted to.

As I reached the mile point, I secretly thanked my gym teacher for making us run so much every day. If it weren't for that, I'd be like some of the people here. Doubled over on the sidewalk next to the water break stations. For the next few miles, I paced myself. Trying to keep my attention on the pink balloons, the cancer awareness signs or the police officers on the occasional corner cheering on the running, I distracted myself from how exhausted I was. How cold I was. How heavily I was breathing. How my muscles ached and begged me to stop. But I kept going. And eventually, after what seemed like a lonely eternity, the finish line was in sight. I'd run through the streets of one of the most dangerous places in town, and made it to the end. Yes. The race took place in the streets of one of the most dangerous towns in our state. Smart move, huh?

I pushed myself forward. Adrenaline pumping in my veins as I heard my foot hit the plastic that lined the road at the finish line. Finally, I made it. In forty-seven minutes and twenty-one seconds. The first thing I did when I crossed that finish line was collapse onto the bench on the sidewalk, watching my chest rise and fall at a rapid pace. With a shaking hand, I pulled my phone from my pocket and sent a message to my grandmother, asking her to pick me up. She had gone grocery shopping.

"Already!?" Was her response to me. But I felt too dead to care. I had a few hours, till eleven, until I had to meet the art comity at the school sports stadium to clean up. There was time to rest. But not enough for full on sleep. I turned over on my side and saw some of my neighbors and their daughter who was in about sixth or seventh grade. Surprisingly, I mustered enough strength to smile and wave. Kindly they returned both.

After about a half an hour or so, the race was over and people were filing inside to hear the result. My grandmother showed up just as it started to sprinkle. "You look fabulous." She snorted sarcastically.

"Thanks..." I hissed back.

"Do you want to hear the results?"

"Not really." My grandmother paused.

"Too bad. I do. Suzy," One of our neighbor's. "May have placed. Maybe Sydney placed." The neighbor's daughter. Reluctantly, I agreed and we walked back I to the building together.

The first thing we did was go to the over all placing. I searched for my name and finally found it.

Name: Bella Wexting
ID Number: 977
Age: 17
Placing: 77

Seventeen? I'm not seventeen. I'm only fourteen. I pointed out the error to my grandmother.

"Oh..." She bit her lip. "Maybe we can fix things up later."

"Geez. Is my writing that bad?" I chuckled, but only to myself. She is practically deaf and didn't hear me.

We waited through the ceremony. Sydney did place. First or second in her age ranking. I can't remember which. Soon, the woman spoke into the microphone again.

"Now, for ages seventeen to twenty. First place... Second place... And in third place..." People started to clap. I watched the two older teens walk up to receive their medals and lanyards. Only two. Why only two? "Bella Wexting?" The woman announced. My mouth dropped for a moment and I was frozen on the spot.

My grandmother looked down at me then gave me a shove. "Go!" I stumbled forward but then steadied myself and walked up to the podium. The woman holding the microphone draped the medallion and lanyard over my shoulders, shook my hand, congratulated me, then turned me around for a picture with the other winners.

Slightly limp with shock, I made my way back to my grandmother. I won. I actually placed. Against people older than me! Ecstatic as I was, I didn't smile, I still couldn't move my face well from the cold.

"Aren't you glad we stayed?" She asked. I nodded. My grandmother and I listened to the rest of the ceremony. Suzy placed too. Third as well, I believe. Once it was over, my grandmother made me get a picture with Sydney, Suzy and I and our medals, then we walked out to our white Buick to leave.

"I can't believe I placed..." I murmured. In excitement, I had messaged Alex and Michael, telling them about my accomplishment and asking if they were proud of me.

"What if I buy you some ice cream for this feat?"

"What about some hot chocolate instead?"