Can't Run From You

Chapter 44

Wednesday morning, I woke up to the sound of my alarm blaring in my ears. In all honesty it scared the crap out of me. I sat up straight in my bed and reached for the clock on my night stand. I had to start using this dinosaur of a clock because I don't have my phone anymore. I started climbing out of bed when my bedroom door opened, and in walked my mom.

"Oh, good you're up." she said smiling at me. It annoyed me.

"Yeah I am. Why are you?"

"Your dad and I are going to you track meet today." The smile still plastered on her face. My parents both had full time jobs and never went to meets that weren't important. It didn't offend me or hurt my feelings that they didn't go, I understand that they have to work for the things we have.

"Why it's just a regular meet. It's not even district."

"We want to see you run." No, she wants to keep an eye on me to make sure I'm far away from Eli. I got out of my bed and walked past her to the bathroom.

"We're leaving at 6:45 because we're going to take you to the school. You have to be there at 7 right?" This was because she didn't want me riding home on the bus with Eli. I'm sure if she they could drop me off at the meet and have a leash on me the entire meet she would. I brushed my teeth and started getting my shit together. This was going to be a terrible meet.

The 5-minute car ride to the school was torture. My mom had on my track shirt from last year and my dad had one on that just said our schools name. I know my dad didn't really want to be taking off of work but he was going to do whatever it took to keep the peace. When we got to the school my mom turned around and said

"Okay honey well we're going to meet you at the field then. You want anything to eat?" she knows I can't eat before meets, but she's trying. It hurt me to do what I did next. Well after I did it, it hurt.

As I got off of the car I saw Eli's jeep pulling up into the parking lot. As soon as she parked I walked in front of my parent's car, making sure they saw me and also to be a bitch, and got into Eli's jeep. I saw my mother's face when I got in. If she could have dragged me out of the jeep without making a scene she would have. Next thing I saw their car drive off.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Eli asked me anxiously.

"Pissing my mom off." Eli messed with her eyebrow a bit and then looked at me.

"Thea they already hate me. You using me against them isn't going to solve anything." Now the hurt was kicking in. The look my mother gave me was angry, but I know it was because she hated this.

"Eli, I don't know how I'm supposed to fix this. I don't know how I'm supposed to just pretend I'm still their perfect little daughter who doesn't love you."

"I don't know either. I wish I did." Eli gave me a look but then laced her fingers through mine. She rubbed her thumb against my hand. I was trying to think of every and anything I could do to make my mom see that this isn't wrong.

Eli and I sat together the entire bus ride just talking about different things. Lucy and Molly were in the seat adjacent to our but they both passed out as soon as they got on the bus. When we got to the field Clark told us our events and then told the field event people the times each one would be starting. Half of the girls stayed on the bus. Molly and Lucy included because they wanted to sleep more.

I couldn't explain the way I felt. Walking up to the field I had Eli's headphones on and her hand in mine. I was trying to place the way I felt but it was no use. Before, when everything happened with Will and Eli I had felt like the gravity was collapsing on me, but now I just felt like there was a hole in me. I felt hollow. I felt like there was a piece of me taken away and I would never get it back. Like me telling my parents, and them not accepting it took something out of me. What it was I don't know. All I did know was that I loved my parents more than anything, but this division in our points of view put a crack in the whole foundation that was out family.

Despite my emptiness I was jumping really well. On my first attempt I jumped a 16'4. Eli jumped a 16 even. I jumped around in place a little bit waiting for the girl in front of me to jump. When she did and they measured it I walked to the piece of tape on the strip of track that had my name on it. I bounced on my toes some more and got in my stance. My right foot was forward and my left was back. When the guy gave me the okay to go I rocked forward then back four times and took off running. I ran the short distance with not a thought in my head. It was exhilarating, freeing. I hit the board with my right foot and flew into the air. I tucked all of my limbs forward in a plea to push myself forward. I hit the sand and flew forward a bit more. I'd rather land on my face then on my back and have them mark it as a lower jump. With sand in my bra and shoes and hair I got out of the pit. The helpers measured the jump at 16'9, that's a new personal record. As I walked back to Eli I saw her shake her head at me and take a couple steps back. I already knew what she was saying. I turned around to see my parents walking up to me.

"That was an awesome jump." My dad said as he wiped some sand off my shoulder. My mom hadn't said anything. She was looking over my shoulder, at Eli. I didn't have to turn around to know she was looking at her.

"Thanks. I still have one more jump. You guys can sit in the bleachers and watch."

"Okay but as soon as you're done come with us so we can all sit in the big bleachers." This came from my mother who was still, and not conspicuously I might add, glaring at Eli.

"Fine." I walked back to the track. Eli was standing next to Clark watching the other girls jump. I walked to the back of the pack of girls and stood there. I stood with my arms crossed as I bounced on my toes. I kept trying to make eye contact with Eli but it was no use. The girl who jumps before me got on the track and started getting ready to jump. I watched as she did high knees to warm up her legs. She was in a blue uniform top and black spandex. I watched as she took off. When she was about to jump it looked like her spike got caught on the track, she went flying forward but not the way you're supposed to. She went head first into the sand. I heard everyone behind me go "oooooohhhhhh." I wanted to laugh. I looked at Eli who was walking away from the scene because she was laughing. Thanks to all the chaos I snuck out of view of my parents and to where Eli was. When I got to her she was laughing still. She had her hand over her mouth and her other arm was crossing her body. When she saw me coming she looked at me and smiled.

"Oh my god I'm going to get my ass kicked for laughing this hard. That was fucking funny." She laughed. At this we both just started cracking up. I kept replaying the scene in my head. The girl duck dove into the pit. I thought I had sand everywhere, but she's going to have it in absolutely every crevice of her body. We finally stopped laughing when the crowd started to dissipate. I could see my mom's eyes searching the scene for me. Eli saw me looking at her so she said

"You should go. You're about to jump anyways." I nodded my head. There was still a wall of people in front of us so I leaned into Eli and kissed her. She looked at me in shock when I pulled back.

"For luck." I smirked at her and walked to the track.

I walked up to the strip of track as the announcer called my name saying that it was my turn to jump. I bounced on my toes and stared straight ahead at the sand. I lined my toes up with the tape that was my mark. When they gave me the okay to jump I rocked four times then took off as fast as I could, when my right foot hit the board I felt like I was flying. I brought my legs and arms together before I hit the sand. When I made contact with the sand I threw my body forward to get a couple more inches. I got out of the pit and wiped myself down. I walked to Clark and we waited for them to finish measuring my jump. After they finished the measuring person or whatever called it a 17'1.

"Damn good job Grant." Clark clapped my back, I just laughed. Clark always keeps score of all the other jumpers' numbers. I was by far the farthest jump. Eli walked by and smiled.

"Good job babe." She looked at my parents to make sure they weren't looking before she came a bit closer and said

"Bet I can beat it."

"Like hell you can. Your farthest jump all day has been 16'5."

"Wanna bet?"

"Alright you're on." I challenged.

"What do I get if I win."

"I'll do anything you want." I smirked. Thank god Clark had walked off before this conversation started.

"Alright and if you win?" Eli asked

"Then you'll do anything I want."

"You're on." This was going to be interesting.