FRESH- BEL- AIR

Chapter Twenty- One

Alexandria woke up to the persistent beeping of her alarm clock, with a groan, she rolled over and slapping at the snooze button with a lazy hand. The digital display read 6:45 AM in stark, red numbers.

Dragging herself out of bed, she pulled on her running gear, the fabric sticking slightly to her skin. Her stomach rumbled, a protest against the early hour, but she knew there was no time for breakfast.

Her other coach for the summer was Coach Reynolds, was a stickler for punctuality, especially during the summer months when the track team was in the throes of pre-season training. He believed that the early bird truly did get the worm, and by worm, he meant a spot on the starting line-up.

Alexandria's sneakers squeaked against the floorboards as she made her way to the kitchen after washing her face and brushing her teeth. She was surprised to see her father in the kitchen who would normally be gone already, sipping coffee and flipping through a newspaper.

"You're up early," he said, not looking up.

"You know I have summer practices daddy," Alexandria mumbled, grabbing a banana, a two granola bars and her water bottle.

The drive to the track was a blur of sleep-deprived thoughts and the hum of the car's air conditioning. When she arrived, the parking lot was already half full.

The other athletes were stretching and warming up, their shadows stretching out before them like silent sentinels in the early morning light. Coach Reynolds spotted her immediately, his eyes narrowing as he checked his watch.

"You're cutting it close, Alexandria," he said as she jogged over to the group. "Let's not make this a habit."

Alexandria nodded, feeling the weight of his expectations pressing down on her. She knew she had to shave time off her personal best if she wanted to maintain her position as the team's top sprinter.

The scent of freshly cut grass and the distant chirping of birds filled the air, a stark contrast to the tension coiling within her. As they began their warm-up laps, she pushed away her doubt and focused on the rhythm of her breathing, the pounding of her heart, and the steady patter of her sneakers against the rubberized track.

The first sprint of the day was a 400-meter, a grueling distance that tested not just her speed, but her endurance. Coach Reynolds called out times as they finished, his voice a mix of encouragement and steely resolve.

When Alexandria's turn came, she took her place at the starting block, feeling the heat of the sun on the back of her neck. She took a deep breath, the cool air filling her lungs, and focused on the finish line. The starting pistol cracked through the air and she exploded into motion.

Her legs burned and her lungs screamed for air as she pushed herself to run faster than she ever had before. The track blurred beneath her as she rounded the bend, her eyes fixed on the end of the oval.