Race of Love

Chapter 5

Maya's alarm blared in the still-dark room, dragging her out of a restless sleep. She groaned, reaching over to silence it, and for a moment, she considered skipping her morning run. The queasiness in her stomach had returned, which now seemed like a constant companion over the past few weeks.

Today, it was worse than usual. Her limbs felt heavy, as if weighed down by invisible anchors, and her head pounded with the remnants of a headache that hasn't fully gone away.

She forced herself to sit up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. The room spun slightly as she stood, making her grip the edge of the mattress for support. After a few deep breaths, the dizziness subsided enough for her to stumble toward the mirror. Her reflection was pale, with dark circles under her eyes that no amount of concealer could hide.

Maya grabbed a loose hoodie from her chair and slipped it on, she noticed how tight it felt around her middle. She tugged at the hem, frowning as it barely covered her stomach. Her jeans, too, seemed snugger than usual, the waistband digging into her skin uncomfortably.

"It's just the freshman 15," she muttered to herself.

Trying to shake off the unease. College was stressful, and everyone put on a little weight during their first year. That had to be it, but as she reached for her running shoes, the team was counting on her today. She worked hard for this spot, and she would be damned if her nerves kept her from going.

Maya laughed to herself as she grabbed the rest of her gear. Seems like Kaeo was rubbing off on her in some regards.

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The sun beat down on the track as Maya lined up for her event. The usual pre-race jitters fluttered in her stomach, they were accompanied by a wave of nausea that made her swallow hard to keep it down.

She glanced over at Kaeo, who gave her a thumbs-up from the sidelines. Maya forced a smile in return, but her confidence was fading fast. As the starting gun fired, Maya pushed off the blocks, falling into the rhythm of the race, but something was off. Her legs felt sluggish, her strides shorter than usual.

Each breath became ragged, and by the time she rounded the first curve, she was already struggling to keep up with the other runners.

Panic set in as she realized she was falling behind. She tried to push harder, to find the strength that usually carried her through, but it wasn't there. Her vision blurred at the edges, her heart pounded erratically, and her muscles burned with an intensity that was unfamiliar and frightening.

"Come on Draminsky! You got this!" She could hear Coach egging her on.

When she finally crossed the finish line, she was dead last. Maya bent over, hands on her knees, gasping for breath as the world spun around her. The nausea that had been simmering all day suddenly surged, and she clamped a hand over her mouth, fighting the urge to vomit right there on the track.

Kaeo was at her side in an instant, guiding her to the grass where she could sit down. "What's wrong with you?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.

"I'm fine," Maya lied, wiping sweat from her brow. "It's just... I didn't sleep well last night. I'll be okay."

But as she sat there, watching the rest of the team finish their events, the weight of her poor performance settled heavily on her shoulders. Something was wrong, and it was becoming harder to ignore. Truth was she felt terrible, ashamed, frustrated, and scared. She can only imagine the chewing out she would get from Coach after the meet ended.

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The restaurant buzzed with the chatter of athletes unwinding after a long day. Plates clattered, silverware clinked, and the warm glow of the overhead lights cast a cozy ambiance over the gathering.

Maya sat quietly at the end of the table, picking at her food, while the rest of the team engaged in lively conversation. Across the table, two teammates Jordan, a short red head and Abby, a platinum blonde, were mid-laugh when their conversation shifted to the day's meet.

"Did you see how Draminsky was struggling out there?" Jordan said, shaking her head. "I've never seen her run like that before." she forked a piece of lasagna into her mouth.

Abby nodded, lowering her voice slightly. "Yeah, I don't know what's going on with her. It was like she wasn't even in the race."

Kaeo, who was sitting beside Maya, overheard the exchange. Her expression darkened as she glanced at Maya, who was still pushing her food around her plate, clearly lost in her own thoughts. Kaeo leaned in closer, trying to offer some quiet support without drawing too much attention.

"Don't let them get to you," Kaeo whispered, giving Maya's knee a gentle squeeze under the table.

Maya nodded slightly, but the words of her teammates still stung. She knew she hadn't performed well. Everyone could see that, but hearing them talk about it so openly made her feel even worse. She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks, the familiar prick of tears threatening to spill over.

Jordan, oblivious to Maya's discomfort, continued. "I mean, I get it, freshman year is tough and all, but you can't just fall apart in the middle of a race. She needs to get her shit together before the next track meet."

"Yeah, especially if she wants to keep that scholarship," Abby added, a hint of laughter with her critique. "Coach is not going to be happy about today."

Kaeo's jaw clenched, she opened her mouth to say something, but Maya shook her head subtly, stopping her. The last thing she wanted was to make a scene or draw more attention to herself, let alone get Kaeo into trouble.

Kaeo's eyes softened, but she didn't push further. She could tell Maya wasn't ready to talk about it, at least not here, not now.

As the dinner progressed, the conversation drifted to other topics, but the sting of her teammate's words lingered in Maya's mind. She barely touched her food, her stomach too twisted with anxiety and nausea to even consider eating. The once comforting smell of her favorite grilled cheese now made her feel sick.

At one point, Kaeo leaned over, speaking softly, so only Maya could hear. "The ginger should help a lot with the fatigue and the nausea "

Maya nodded, grateful for Kaeo's concern. The surrounding voices faded into a low hum as she retreated into her thoughts, wondering what had gone so wrong and why her body seemed to be betraying her.

When the dinner finally wound down, Kaeo offered to walk with Maya back to the dorms. Agreeing, the two exited the stifling, warm restaurant. The cool Autumn breeze greeted them. The pair walked in silence for a while, the only sounds were their footsteps on the pavement and the distant hum of campus life.

As they approached the dorm, Kaeo spoke up. "You know, you can talk to me, right? About anything."

Maya looked over at her, the concern in Kaeo's eyes unmistakable. She wanted to open up, to share the fears and doubts that had been plaguing her, but the words caught in her throat.

"I know," Maya replied softly, managing a small smile. "I'm just... trying to figure it out. I'm not even sure what's there to tell..."

Kaeo nodded, understanding in her gaze. "Take your time. I'm here when you're ready."

With that, they entered the dorm and parted ways for the night. As Maya slipped under the covers, the events of the day replayed in her mind. For now, all she could do was try to get some rest and hope that tomorrow would be better. But deep down, she knew that things were only going to get more complicated from here.