Shoot Your Shot

XI: Jump The Turnstile (Dina)

Ever since she was little, Dina loved to run. Something about the feeling of cold air entering her lungs and swirling about before she exhaled, sending it flying out of her and back into the atmosphere, just made her feel alive.

Eugene had encouraged her to keep going, to even consider joining track, but Dina's heart had always belonged to soccer and soccer alone.

It didn't mean she didn't run in her free time, however.

Her feet slapped the cold pavement as her mind raced. She couldn't go back; she wouldn't dare, not after everything. Between wordlessly leaving after Jesse went to the trouble to publicly ask her out to everyone's eager faces awaiting her to say yes, while the person she maybe did want just avoided her gaze blankly, not a care in the world.

It all felt like a punch to the gut.

Dina just kept running, step after step, breath after breath, leaving the house behind, leaving Jesse behind, leaving her teammates behind.

Leaving her behind.

She ran and ran and ran until she felt her lungs were going to come up with an exhale. Her hands shook as she slowed to the curb and sat down. The winter air whipped across her overexerted arms and legs as she rested her head in her hands.

Why, why the fuck did he have to do that.

Dina would be lying to herself if she didn't admit that she once have a crush on him, but it was fleeting, long gone for several years.

She knew deep down she shouldn't have run, and it was a remarkably immature response. But she had no idea what she would've done otherwise. Going up to Jesse and straightening him out in regards to her lack of attraction towards him in front of everyone was out of the question. All ways would've embarrassed him as Dina didn't reciprocate and she wasn't about to say yes to people please, especially when the fucking girl beside her was basking in the limelight that was Dina's romantic focus.

Feeling cold droplets hit her head, Dina spared a glance up and noticed snowflakes beginning to sprinkle down onto her warm face, the ice turning to small beads of water as she pulled her knees to her chest, resting her forehead on them. She sat there for what felt like hours, slowly growing colder and colder in the long sleeves she had worn as she weighted the downsides of going back, panic setting in as she realized all the people she impacted by vanishing.

She was interrupted from these thoughts as she heard a car pull up near her and pull to a sto.. She didn't lift her head as she spoke.

"Jesse I'm sorry I just-"

"Get in the car before you freeze to death."

Dina tilted her head up and was met with brown eyes looking at her blankly as she put her head back down.

"I don't need you to-"

"I'm not going to repeat myself. Get in the fucking car number 11."

Dina just looked up at her before slowly standing, her legs a bit tired from her sprint as she climbed into the passenger seat of the car, the heat enveloping her body like a hug as Riley shut the door behind her, getting into the drivers seat.

"I'm shocked I was able to find you this far out, you ran at least five miles away from the house."

Dina put her head back into her hands with a soft sigh, not saying a word as she felt Riley place a tentative gentle hand on her back as silence fell between the pair.

"It's better to tell the truth than lie." Riley said gently.

"But I did neither, I ran away. Which one could argue is worse." Dina said with a dry chuckle, making Riley grimace and fall silent again.