My Saving Grace (book 2)

June 5, 2025

A/n contains racism and homophobia! Also brief touch in depression at the end.

Alex's P.O.V.

That week went pretty quickly and so did the week after that. Soon Scott and the rest of PTX were home again. For the first couple of days they were all over riled with jet lag but after that they were fine. So on the first Friday after they came back we had to take Jessica to a race.

Scott closed the door to the passenger seat of the car and smiled at me. "Ready?" I asked and he nodded. I looked through the rear view mirror at the kids. "Ready?" I asked and they all nodded vigorously.

"So we need to drop the twins off at Kevin's?" Scott asked and I nodded in response. "Who would've known that you guys would hit it off with his kids so well. We should put y'all together in a room more often." He mumbled.

"Well my personal preference would be to go to Kirstie's to see Sam but she's not available so I guess I'll settle for second best!" Toby explained. I rolled my eyes and began to start the car.

"Yeah and you also want to spend time with your amazing twin brother!" Noah stated, making Scott and I snort.

"Yeah, you keep thinking that!" Toby answered back, playfully. Both of them burst out laughing like it was the funniest thing in the world.

I proceeded to drop both of them off at Kevin's house. Scott, Jess and I then going on to the small stadium just outside of town. "Are you nervous?" Scott asked as we approached the gate to the track.

"A bit but I think I'm gonna do good." Jessica answered as she came to a stop, spotting her trainer and the rest of her club warming up at the side of the tracks. "If I come at least second I qualify for the state championships!" She said, excitedly.

"Yeah, well you just concentrate on having fun and it doesn't matter where you come! It's an added bonus if you come first or second." I said, crouching down to her level and handing her her gear bag. She nodded and I brushed her hair out of her eyes with my hand.

"We'll be up in the bleachers watching, okay?" Scott said. She nodded and ran towards where the rest of her club was warming up, immediately joining in. "Sports!" Scott cheered as I turned around to him. I shook my head, laughing.

"Dork!" I mumbled, walking along to find some seats. We sat down at the front, right in the middle, so we had the best view of the tracks. The bleachers were about a metre off of the ground and raised up with every row. Down on the ground was a small walkway with a fence stopping people from getting on to the tracks. It began to fill with trainers who wanted to be there when their kids came off of the track.

I watched as the bleachers became more and more occupied by siblings and parents and family members and people who wouldn't be racing for a while. It all looked so competitive. Which it was for the older ones. But it scared me a little to see these parents who looked like they would kill if their child didn't win!

"Is she just doing the one hundred metres?" Scott asked. I nodded in response. "God, I hope she does good." He said, running his hand up and down his knee in anticipation. I reached over and took his hand in mine and smiled.

"Don't worry okay? She'll do fine." I told him. He looked at me and I realised my use of the word fine. "She'll do great." I corrected myself. He smiled again and turned back to the track.

We sat through a few races. The under 6s through to the under 9s and then it was time. "We now call all under ten girls, for the one hundred metre sprint to the starting line." I heard over the intercom.

"This is it." I told Scott. He squeezed my hand and sat up to watch. I immediately spotted her at the starting line. Nine other runners. I recognised a couple from past races that she would be in front of in a heart beat. But there were some there that looked as though their parents had reared them with the world purpose of them becoming an athlete. I swallowed hard as they were called forward.