Twinkling in the Dark | ✔︎

Chapter 28

I never believed this would be happening. In my four years at Southridge, who would've thought the track team could make a comeback? Well, we just did. It was today. States. Finals, call it whatever you want, but I would call it Southridge's comeback. This could be the beginning of a new legacy.

"Is this real life?" Brett joked, looking up at the sky as if seeing heaven above. "Because it is one hell of a miracle that we've made it to state."

A light chuckle from our team floated through the air. Everybody was in a good mood; even McKenna was being bearable.

My eyes assessed the other teams around. Some were set up on the bleachers, clad in their school colors. Another couple teams were gathering with themselves as they looked over at other runners from time to time, undoubtedly speaking about their competition. I saw Olivia, Michael, and Sabrina at the top of the bleachers, their eyes entranced on their phones. Every once in a while one of them would look up and flail their arms at us. A sign of support, I guess.

Coach Segal was listing off names and events, averting his eyes from us to his clipboard in a flurry of nerves and excitement. He did this often: not telling us what event we're running just so we wouldn't have to worry about it beforehand.

"Aurora, you're running the 800 meter hurdles," he announced quickly before moving onto another name.

I made eye contact with a wide-eyed Joey who mouthed an 'Oh, shit' to me. Every runner knew the 800 hurdles were absolute hell, and they required crazy amounts of skill to finish it and be the best.

"Wait, wait, wait," I interrupted Coach's spewing of names and events. "The 800 meter hurdle? As in, I haven't been back in running for longer than a month, and you want me to do the 800 hurdle?"

Coach nodded flamboyantly, like his neck was composed of a noodle. "Yes, sir. Now if I can go back to assigning events and you not interrupting me?"

I nodded my head slowly, averting my eyes to anywhere other than my reprimanding coach. "Sorry." Rubbing the back of my neck due to nerves, I looked around for one person in mind.

After a couple seconds of scanning the field of runners dressed in differing colors, I felt a pinch at my sides. I yelped up in surprise and turned around to see none other than Alexander Kings adorned with a mischievous smirk.

I slapped his shoulder and squinted up at him, the sun's afternoon rays momentarily blinding my vision. "Don't do that!"

"Couldn't help myself," he reasoned with that classic smirk of his and ran a hand through his dirty blond locks. He averted his eyes to the field, as if inspecting the other runners for a second. When he did, his hair was messy-on-purpose type of way and I swear I've seen it right out of a magazine before.

I snapped my fingers in front of his eyes to bring his attention back to me. "And where are you looking?"

"At other girls. Damn, track girls are smoking," he teased, winking at me.

I rolled my eyes and turned around to see Cooper gulping water from his thermos. "Hey, Coop! Come here for a sec."

Cooper jogged over, his hair as neat as locker at school. He was the biggest neat freak I knew. "What can I do for ya, Rory?" He asked, resting his arm on my shoulder.

"Xander here thinks track girls are hot," I said, assessing Xander up and down in a challenging way.

"Really?" Cooper asked, genuinely surprised. "You being a football player and all, I would've thought you were into cheerleaders."

"The point is," I said as I averted my gaze from Cooper to Xander while putting my hand up to block the sun's light, "you should only be into one track girl, Xandy: me."