The sound of small feet hitting the hot summer pavement ,dogs barking, birds chirping and music being played from stereos in passing cars. Mya raced down the street three steps ahead of the fastest boy on the block Lee Wells. I WON! Mya yelled as she crossed the finish line aka her best friend Toni's hands.
You cheated Lee said upset, he was beat by a girl. Mya and Lee are both 7th graders and attend the same middle school. Mya is about 5'1 with long legs just like her dad. She always had her hair in some sort of braids pulled up into a ponytail and out of her beautifully melanated face. Let's go Toni, he is such a sore loser they giggled and jumped on their bikes and began to head back to Mya's house.
As they approached her house they could hear the ice cream truck on the next street over. Mama, mama Mya called out. "Yes baby?" her mother yelled from the laundry room. Do you have any cash the ice cream truck is coming?. "Yes bring me my purse" her mother said. "Hi Toni! are you girls enjoying your first day of summer break?" Mama said. Yes! They both said simultaneously.
Toni and Mya ran out the door and down the front porch just in time to stop the ice cream truck. Mya reached in her pink overall shorts pocket to grab the $6.00 her mama had just given her. Hi young ladies Mrs. Faye said, what type of ice cream would you like? Toni spoke up first I would like a snow cone please she said with her hands in her purple overall shorts that matched Mya's.
Coming right up Mrs Faye said as she turned to grab the snow cone from the freezer; and for you miss lady? I would like a strawberry shortcake Mya said. That will be $5.50. Mya handed Mrs Faye $6.00 and said keep the change ma'am. Mrs Faye smiled sweetly and proceeded to turn the catchy music back on as she slowly pulled away.
Mya and Toni sat on the swing together which was located on her wrap around porch. Don't look now Toni said with a bit of an attitude. Mya looked up to see Lee walking down the street toward her house with his three best friends right behind him . They came up to the third step of the porch. "hey loser you wanna race again?" Lee said. Mya laughed.....loser? If I recall correctly I beat you remember? Lee's friends laughed he turned and gave them a stare with his lip curled; they quickly stopped laughing as their faces turned cold. Mya just race him, Toni said. Fine let's go.
They jumped off the porch and headed to the street. Let's race from here to that tree at the end of the block Lee pointed. "Okay! Let's do it" Mya said. Toni and Lee's friends walked down to the finish line. Toni stood in the middle of the street with both arms stretched outwards. ON YOUR MARK...Mya was in her racing position as Lee stood up straight. GET SET.......Lee flinched and almost took off Mya looked over and laughed "slow down there cowboy." He rolled his eyes. GO! Toni yelled from the end of the block.
Mya and Lee both took off running Lee was ahead by a couple of inches. "Come on Mya you got this you can't get beat on your own block." Mya said to herself. Lee was getting further and further ahead. Mya remembered what her dad always told her "pace yourself and stay focused". She begin to slowly catch up to Lee. the finish line growing closer and closer. Mya's feet hitting the pavement and all the other sounds around her went quiet, Mya was in her zone.
She could no longer feel her legs and was growing tired she could hear her dad in her head again "pace yourself and stay focused." She slowing began to catch up to Lee who was giving it his all. His face was blank flushed and focused. She was now shoulder to shoulder with him with the finish line feet away. She kicked it into another gear and passed Lee at the last second as she crossed the finish line.
Mya was breathing hard hands on her head unable to celebrate due to her trying to catch her breath. Lee was also trying to catch his breath as he walked toward her. "Good job Mya!" You won that one too, he said as he grabbed a bottle of water from his friend and begin to drink. "Here catch" as he tossed Mya a bottle as well. "Thank you" she said still out of breath.
Mya and Toni begin to walk back to her house. Halfway there Lee yelled "Hey Mya! Same time next week?" Mya smiled and said.....Yes! Lee laughed and turned around to catch up with his friends as they walked down the street laughing and horse playing with each other.
