To Be Alone With You

19. fireworks

CHAPTER NINETEEN

FIREWORKS

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"So, are you excited for today?"

Kaspian looked at Atreya in bewilderment. "No, I'm not excited! I'm fucking terrified."

Their school was holding a track meet, one which they held every year, just a week after their break ended, and Kaspian was nervous, to put it lightly. "Ugh, this is so nerve-wracking. Fucking hell. How are you not scared? I'm gonna shit my pants."

"Please don't do that. There are way too many people here, shitting your pants will create a scene."

Kaspian groaned, placing his hands on his neck. "I hate this. Why did I even sign up for track, knowing that I hate the feeling of competing with other people?"

Atreya laughed. "You say this at every track meet. Be glad this is in our own school though, not in some other school with a bunch of random strangers."

"That doesn't make me feel any better! Honestly, how are you not panicking right now?"

Kaspian was supposed to run his eight hundred metre race, and a relay with Atreya and two other dudes. He knew he was good, he knew he had the potential to win, but that didn't stop him from being any less nervous.

Hunching over, he grumbled softly. "I'm going to literally shit myself, I'm so fucking nervous."

"Stop being dramatic, dumbass. Come on, we have to warm up." Atreya lightly tapped Kaspian on the head, offering a hand to him. Kaspian took it, still grumbling about how he didn't want to do this.

Kaspian stared at the sea of people in the stands, and the extremely intimidating eyes of the people who was up against. As he was warming up, he suddenly had a thought which made him gasp involuntarily. Shit, is Rowan going to be here? Wait, of course he's going to be here, Atreya's running too. Oh my god, what if I fuck up in front of him?

"Oi. Knees up. Shut your brain off for a minute."

Kaspian obeyed, focusing on the tracks in front of him. Even though he was still nervous, he maintained light conversation with Atreya, who was so calm that it made Kaspian jealous.

"Wait, so your dad wants you to continue the family business? Even though you don't want to do it?"

Atreya nodded. "Well, it's not so much my dad. He's trying to open himself up, be more liberal and shit, props to him. My mom's a bitch though. Can't stand her."

"At least you'll be going to college soon, right?"

Laughing, Atreya sat down, and Kaspian followed. "Yeah. My mom wants me to go to community college so that I'm close to home. She wants me to be around for Ananya and Aryan, but as much as I love them, I intend on going far, far away."

Kaspian nodded in understanding, tying his shoelaces tight. When he looked up, he saw Coach Adamson's face, staring down at him.

"You're up, son. Go. They're starting your race soon."

The nerves floating around in Kaspian's stomach returned with a vengeance, and he groaned. "Fuck it, I'm not doing it."

Atreya smacked him on the head. "Kaspian, don't be fucking stupid. You say this every single time, and this is my reply every single time too. You're doing it, and you're going to do it well. Now go."

Kaspian got up, stomach churning and shoulders tense. As he made his way to the starting line, he looked over at the stands and saw his friends sitting there, anticipation on their faces. Next to them was Rowan, who made direct eye contact with Kaspian, and gave him a big thumbs up.