Promises || Road To Nationals

|12| The First Stride (Part 2)

Kai's POV:

   "Look, don't waste your time worrying about your little girlfriend, aight?" Vex holds my arm, preventing me from going after Jordan. "That was doomed to happen. She had to get it out of her system. Right now, You've got the finals to focus on." 

   I look in the direction Jordan slumped off in. That look on her face was enough to tear me apart 1000 times over. But unlike before, this time I can do something about it. "You don't understand, Vex. This is all my fault..." I should've never pressured her to join.

   SMACK!

   My spiraling thoughts go silent as well as the people around us. I bring my hand up to my cheek, knowing that there's gonna be a red handprint there, and it's not about to go away anytime soon. 

   Vex grabs me by the ear, dragging me down to her level, "Shut the fuck up, Kendrick," her voice sends chills down my body, "Jordan is gonna be fine. Don't you dare drag yourself down because of something you couldn't help. Not everything is about you, boy." She lets go of my ear. I don't dare utter a sound. No matter what I say, she'll slap me again. "I'll handle Jordan. You're racing Creed and Luca in the Finals. You gotta prepare yourself. You might think you're invincible because you've been to worlds and all, but that was on wheels. You're on the ice now, so start acting like it," she storms off in the direction of the locker rooms. 

   I can't shake this feeling in the pit of my stomach, but Vex is right. I can't constantly be hovering over Jordan. And I can't let my guard down. These guys are good skaters. That Luca guy from Toronto gave me a run for my money in the heats. 

   "Damn, she really read you the riot act, huh?" Angel says, stepping out from behind the vending machines. I'll also be racing him in the finals. Though, I'm not that worried about him. "She's even bitchier on race days," he sighs, handing me my blue water bottle. 

   "You heard?" I ask, already knowing the answer. 

   "Pft, everyone in the freaking building probably heard. That slap was brutal, man. Left a little boo-boo and everything. You should get Jordan to kiss it and make the pain go away," he baby talks me. 

   I glare but don't say anything. 

   "Aright, alright," he puts his hands up, "Just messing around." 

   "What do you want?" 

   "I'm just here to talk strategy, man," he smirks. That's the same expression he has when he's about to pull a "surprise attack" on Vex. "Creeds a strong distance skater and sprinter. We'll have trouble getting around him if we let him lead out the pace. He's got freakishly long legs and skates a wide track. Passing him is a bitch and something we want to avoid." 

   I sigh. He might be an annoying piece of crap, but he has been skating with these guys for a long time. I push Jordan to the back of my mind. "Ok, and what about that Toronto guy?" 

   "Luca's a sprinter. We won't have to worry all that much about him in this one. He'll either stick in the middle of the pack or try to climb his way to the front to slow us up so he can stay in. Either way, we should be able to keep him at bay." 

   "We?" I ask with an eyebrow raised. 

   "That's right," he smiles, "We're gonna team skate this one!" he exclaims. 

   There's no way he isn't up to something here. "Sorry, but you don't really seem like the team skating sort of guy." 

   Angel sighs, "You too!? Daiki says that to me all the time!"