Being Ashlyn

Chapter 52

   Ashlyn stepped off the school bus and gawked at the massive town's stadium in front of her. Today's the day. The most important competition of the year for the track and field team.

"This is it girls." Coach Jenna spoke once they were all settled in the stadium. "You girls have been training your butt off for this day. So make sure you don't put all those effort to waste and make the school proud."

"Yes, Coach!" The team said in unison.

"Now get started on your stretching!" The coach ordered before walking away to talk with one of the officials there.

Ashlyn looked around the stadium. If she thought the outside was great, the interior was even more impressive. She never thought it could fit this among of people as she watched the teams from other schools endlessly walked in from the entrance. Parents and spectators kept coming in too. Ashlyn scanned the crowd and spotted her mum waving enthusiastically at her from the bleachers. Alan wasn't there though as he had to be at Jaime's water polo game instead. She was waving back to her mum when she heard someone called her name.

"Well, well, if it isn't Spongebob Squarepants."

Whipping her head around, Ashlyn came face to face with Ryan, Max's cousin who she had met at the carnival.

"I knew I'll see you here." Ryan exclaimed excitedly. "Max mentioned you were in the track and field team."

Ashlyn nodded. "I guess we're competitors today, huh?"

"I guess so." Ryan grinned. "May the best school win."

"Is Timmy here?" She asked, remembering the pair of doe-eyes that stared at her, asking for help.

"Yeah, he's on the bleachers."

Ashlyn narrowed her eyes. "You didn't leave him alone, did you?"

"Relax." He held up his palms. "My mum is here too."

Ashlyn followed his gaze and saw little Timmy sitting next to a woman that looked a lot like Coach Jenna.

As if knowing she was thinking about her, Coach Jenna approached them. "Miller! I told you to do your stretchings!"

"Hi, Aunt Jenna!" Ryan waved.

Coach Jenna eyes widened as if only noticing him now. "Ryan? What are you doing here?"

Ryan frowned. "I'm in track and field too. Don't you remember?"

"I'm not talking about that." Her coach rolled her eyes. "I meant what are you doing here talking to my runners. Go back to your team."

"Alright, alright." Ryan sighed. "Good luck, Ashlyn." He gave her a smile before jogging back to what she assume was his team.

"How did you know my nephew?" Coach Jenna raised her eyebrow. "Did Max introduced you to him?"

"Sort of." Ashlyn shrugged. "I kind of was unfortunate enough to have bumped into him actually."

Coach Jenna seemed confused but she didn't asked any further questions. "Get yourself warm up. Wouldn't want out best runner to be injured." She pat Ashlyn on the back.

Ashlyn made her way to her team and did as she was told. All her team members were there except for one. "Where's Mindy?" She asked Yvonne.

Yvonne looked around before pointing towards the bleachers. "There. Hard to miss her red hair."

Ashlyn watched as Mindy pushed a wheelchair with a woman sitting on it, making sure to place it where the woman could get a good view of the track. The woman's face looked pale and her cheeks were hollow. Ashlyn felt that the woman looked familiar but couldn't place a finger on it. Mindy bent on her knees to say a few words to the woman before going down the bleachers to join the team.