Slipping Through My Fingers

Wait

State.

I'm at the state track meet eating the rest of my apple while I stretch out my legs once again. There are five other people from my school that qualified for state, and I'm the only sprinter. I shiver with nerves, but I'm grateful for the cloudy, cooler skies. Trevor should be here. I wish he was. My first race is up in a few minutes after the hurdlers. I scan my surroundings. The stadium is crowded with people and I start to feel nauseous at the thought that they'll all be watching me in just a few short moments. I feel light headed. I take a sip of water. I get on my feet and jump up with high knees a few times. I decide to take a little jog near the edges of the track to ease my nerves and loosen my legs, but they won't stop shaking. "Come on Codi, pull yourself together." I've ran multiple races like this before no problem. I'll be fine. I'm cool, I'm fast, I'm ready, I'm...so terrified.

I freak out a little when I see the staff clearing the hurdles. My coaches all call me over and I feel my insides twist in a sickening knot. They each give me their own words of encouragement and Coach Rush even manages a knowing smile and a pat on the back. "You'll do great kid." He grins. I simply nod. The 100 Meter dash is called to attention over the speaker and the coaches jog to the start with me for encouragement. First up is the girls race, and this time we only have one heat. One chance. I glance over my competition and notice they're all taller than me, and more fit. I rub my hands together as one of the state staff checks us in and assigns us a lane. I'm in the fourth lane between two tall brunettes. I double check my shoes and pull them tight, tucking the laces inside to reduce chances of tripping. I hop up and down to ready my legs and get my blood flowing, pumping throughout my body and my heart beat quickens. I feel like I'm going to vomit. Okay, alright, I'm set. I'm in the second heat. I hear the bang as the first heat of girls race off and the staff is already having us settle into our blocks. I adjust them to my liking and settle my shoes into the blocks. My heart is thumping profoundly, and as I set my hands, ready, behind the line, they refuse to stop quivering. I smile to make me feel more confident and wish my fellow racers good luck. They ignore me. That's okay, no problem. I get it. The gun man is beside the start and painfully slow he calls out, "Runners take your marks...set..." I can't. I'm gunna puke. I'm gunna win. I'm gunna die. Oh gosh I'm so-"Go!" I leap from the start. Pounding, pulsing, praying...all my hard work is pushed into this single moment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am beyond hungry. I gaze longingly as Trevor's mom drives past a pizza joint. Oh and look...there goes Subway. My stomach gurgles with anticipation. "So when are we going to reach this fabulous destination again? My stomach feels like it might eat itself."

"Oh Codi, calm down we are almost there! Oh and put this on in the meantime." She tosses me a strip of cloth.

I catch the material and pinch it in my fingers. I study it with a quizzical gaze. "Is this supposed to be a blindfold? Looks like Trevor's handiwork." I smirk at the way the dark fabric is unevenly cut. What a trademark.

"Yes, but you must hurry and put it on before you spoil the destination!" She bites her lip and eagerly shoots me an encouraging glance.

"Alright alright," I sigh while tying the fabric securely around my head, "but if there was a new burger diner in town, I'm certain I would've already known about it."

"Yes well, Trevor has been meaning to show it to you for a while, and now that it's finally open, you know, now you guys can go and binge together." I hear her chuckle as I adjust the blindfold. I'm not the biggest fan of surprises. I don't like not being able to see or know what's going on. It freaks me out a little.

After a couple more minutes of driving I start to get antsy. I drum my fingers on my thighs in impatience and sigh heavily as my stomach lurches in another growl of hunger. "I hope these burgers are delicious or I will literally have one upset tummy."

Trevor's mom just laughs as if my desire for food is hilarious. "Well Codi, I hope you're not too disappointed if it's not what you expect." 

 I raise my eyebrow under the blindfold in suspicion. "Yeah, I hope not either."

We pull up and the car is set in park. Trevor's mom hops out and shuts the door. I sit in silent avidity as I await for her to unlock my door. I hear muffled chatter from outside the car and my heart starts pattering a tad bit faster. Someone get me out!  Wait, I can unlock it myself, how silly of me. I click the handle and unlock the car door. I swing it open and step out cautiously so I don't trip on any curbs and such. The chatter goes quiet and scuffles rush off into the distance. I'm very tempted to peak, just a little...but before I'm able to even lift my hand to adjust the blindfold the voice from T's mom makes me jump. "Alright, well, here we are! But don't remove the blindfold before told to do so okay? I'll walk you in." She pats my head and tightens the blindfold, making sure I can't see a spec of anything besides blackness. She has me put a hand on her shoulder as we start to walk. The pitter-patter in my heart increases once more, growing with intensity at each step.

"Stay right here okay?" T's mom backs away leaving me, supposably at a burger joint, sightless and alone.

"Okay!" I call out as I hear her sneak away. I look around even though I can't see anything anyways, so that's pretty much pointless. I wiggle my toes and wonder if the feeling of nauseousness is because of my empty stomach, or my sudden nerves that something bad might happen. Heart beating fast. Hunger is rising inside of me. My patience is on edge. Ah heck, who says I can't look now? I reach for the back of my head to untie the blindfold knot, when a strong hand stops me.

I can feel their rough breath in my hair as I'm hit with the words that send a shiver down my spine.

"Don't move."