Ivy

Chapter 1

"Ivy, come on, everyone is going to be there!"
"Sorry Bailey, but I've got track practice tonight," I say, giving my best friend a sympathetic glance.
"Can't you just skip for one night?" I stop dead and study her up and down.
"You're serious?" I laugh. "Bailey, you know how important track is to me, it's the only way I might be able to go to college."
"I know it's just... we don't really hang out very much anymore since high school. I mean, I know you're really busy and I understand why, you're a hard worker Ivy, I just- I miss it. I miss you coming over after school and us watching movies together. I miss staying up till five in the morning talking with you about life, and celebrities, and how we can't wait to travel the world together, and, and-.
"I'm sorry Bailey," I say enveloping her in a hug. "We'll do something together soon, I promise! I just really need to train for the upcoming meet, I heard a recruiter from USC is going to be there!" Just then, the bell rang, signaling the beginning of another dreadful day at Alvernend High.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'll see you at lunch," she said and slouched off.
I did feel bad for Bailey, and I had been ignoring her a lot lately. But this was just too important. Neither of my parents had ever gone to college and I could see them suffering from it to this day. In fact I don't think that either of my parents had, at any time, ever been considered exactly "studious" by anyone in any given situation.
The day drags on endlessly, and I am so relieved, after a brief change of clothing to shuffle my old black and white running shoes- that I had kept in surprisingly good condition considering how long I've had them- up to the track. Coach Kirby stands with a few other girls discussing the expectations for the district's upcoming track meet.
"There will be lots of bigger girls, but bigger isn't always better. They may have longer legs than some of you..." He looks at me and chuckles.
"Hey, it's not my fault I'm only five foot one," I laugh. Technically, I'm only five feet and a half an inch but I just always decide to round up. Makes it easier I repeatedly tell myself.
"But you've all got speed," Coach continued. He's still looking at me. "And heart, I don't think I've ever had a team that put as much effort into what they do than any of you." I blush as the whole team turns to me. Coach Kirby had spoken as though he were addressing all of the team's members, but we all knew that he was talking specifically about me.