Little Secret (One Direction/Niall Horan)

CHAPTER 10- More Practice

           Waking up the next morning I sigh thinking of my life.  My pathetic life.  I don't have any school today although.  I was being excused for my track career as my coach quotes ‘the biggest thing she’ll ever have to face.’  Well I’m guessing she never had any sort of depression.  That shit is extremely hard to face as a 14, 15, 16, and 17 year old.  Four years and counting now.  I don’t intend on getting any help either.  No would be able to help.  Four years of everything I’ve gone through is a lot of crap to sort out.  It would take years to actually do it. 

            After slipping into my work out clothes that let me glide through the wind I grab an apple while walking out the door.  Jogging to school is a lot easier when you don’t have a 5 pound back pack around your shoulders. 

            Once I arrive about 2 minutes later I go straight to the office where I was told to wait for my coach.

            “Hi, why are you here?  Aren’t you supposed to be in class?  Or were you late and need a late pass?  Huh darling?”  The secretary speaks a mile a minute.  Could she ask more questions or no?  I’m going to go out on a ledge and say no.    

            “Umm, I’m not late Ms. Lakin.  I was told here to wait for Coach Mince.  I’m Ashlin Carsey, she excused me for my classes today since we have state finals tomorrow.”

            “Ahh, yes Coach Mince said to send you into the gym for warm ups or something along those lines.”  She has a peppy smile.  It was just a little bit creepy.  I just nod in response though.

            I walk down to our gym to see a bunch of warm up equipment.  What a fun day Coach Mince must have planned.  Note my sarcasm. 

            “Hello Ashlin!  Are you ready for this morning’s work out?”  Coach says.

            “Uhh, as ready as I’ll ever be!  I really just want to do good tomorrow.” 

            “Well you’ve been practicing hard and I hope you do well too.” 

            “It’s all I really ever want.”

            “You need to be in the top three to get your scholarship correct?”  I cringe just thinking about me getting fourth by one second. 

            “Yup.  First, second, or third and I’m in.  The scouts already called me a while ago saying that.”             

            “Well let’s just pray you get one of those.  Let’s getting started on this thing.”

            After about 3 hours I was told to go home and that I needed to rest for tomorrow. I also didn’t have to go to my hockey game tonight.  My coach had already excused me from the game. 

           We started with the simplest things and ended with the hardest things.  We also practiced the most important race I’ll ever have.  It determined my life ahead of me.  It was the mile race.  My time was currently 3:59.  I used to be 4:05.  That was huge improvement even though it was six seconds less. 

            I get home and see my mother’s car.  I haven’t talked to her since our little fight.  She wasn’t supposed to be home either, she gets off of work around 6:30 pm.  It was about 11:30 AM.  Somewhere around that time at least.  I walk in and she was sitting in the living room watching TV. 

            “Ashlin?  Why are you home this early?”  I don't even look at her.  I just kept walking not wanting to see her. 

            “Ashlin.  I’m talking to you.”  I turn around and look at her with devil eyes.

            “And it doesn’t appear that I’m talking to you.”  I say turning around and walking into the kitchen.  She follows me into there which only meant one thing.  Apologies.

            “Ashlin, when I’m talking to you I expect you to look me.  I deserve respect.  I raised as a single parent since you were 14.  So now apologize to me.”

            “No.”  I say with real confidence.  She was not winning this fight.

            “What did you just say to me?” 

            “I said no.  Like N-O.  Like no I’m not going to say sorry or whatever crappy words you want me to say.”  I blurt while trying to keep my cool. 

            “Do not speak to me like that.” 

            “Too late, already did.”  I simply say while getting a water bottle and spinning on my feet to face her.

            “Ashlin.”

            “Mother.”  I cringe.  I hate using that word while referring to her. 

            “Ashlin!  WHY WON’T YOU APOLIGIZE!  I’M SO NICE TO YOU!” 

            “Why am I not saying sorry?  Why am I not saying sorry?!  Do you know what you have done to me all these years?  Do you have any idea?  No you don’t.  I bet you didn’t know that when I was 14 I went and tried out for the high school track and softball team.  I bet you didn’t know that I also made it.  I also bet you didn’t know that I made the all boy’s hockey team.  It’s the B-team too.  And I’m also the assistant captain.  I also bet you didn’t have any idea that I met a famous person and I really like him.  And I also think that he likes me.  But I don’t understand how he can like an ugly person like me.  And how was I pushed out of you.  I don’t even like anything about you dealing with me in any sort of way.  I DON’T LIKE YOU IN GERENRAL,” I take a deep breath trying to regain my calmness, “Did you know all of that?  Well I know one thing.  I have state championships for track tomorrow and I’m not letting you come.  I don’t need a person like you coming and ruining my chances and raise my stress levels.  Because to be honest I never want to meet another person like you.”  I say with my bravest voice and my nose up in the air.  She’s a bitch and I don’t need her in my life.  Honestly I’ll always love her a little bit but I always had a better relationship with my father. 

            Speaking of my father I wish that he was still here with us.  I wish they were all here with me.  Maybe my mom wouldn’t be so mean and be more of a mother figure to me.  I loved my family until… until, well until that happened.  I don’t want to ever think about it over again.  It’s a horrible thing to think about it.

            I get to my room and took out my phone.  I have 3 new messages from three different people.  One from Niall!  Ahh that Irish boy.  Then I have one from ‘nerd’.  Quinn called herself nerd, don’t ask me why she just did.  And then there is Maryland.  She never texts me and it’s kind of making me nervous because that means it’s something important.  Well, let’s start with the bad news first.  I opened Maryland’s text which read ‘We need to talk’.  Yup, that’s bad news.  I then open Quinn’s.  ‘When’s your meet tomorrow?  I mean like what time, I want to make sure Maryland n I r there.’  That’s not bad news at all.  Good, I’ll let her know after Niall’s text.  ‘hey babe.  Can I come to ur meet tomorrow?  I wanna c u do good.’  Alrighty then, two about the meet and one about randomness. 

            I send those texts back and rested for the rest of the day getting a good night of sleep.  So many thoughts went through my head during those hours.  Will I win?  Will I even place?  Will I get into the school?  Will I? 

Only time will tell.

************************************************************************************************************Hey guys!  I have 27 reads!  As soon as I saw that number I literally wanted to scream.  I’m want to thank you all so much.  I can’t even believe that!  Also another thing, I’m going to be updating an author’s note tonight or tomorrow.  Chapter 11 is the state meet.  So yay!  I’m also almost done writing the whole story, but that’s what the author’s note will be about.  Until tomorrow!  Byeee guys!  Please vote, comment, and become a fan.  It means a lot! 

The more you sweat in practice, the more you bleed in battle      

Edited- December 19th, 2013