shine - grayson dolan

0.14 «Emerson Samuels»

[edited]

Elliot and Evan left for Jake's house right after breakfast. Max was coming over in half an hour, and I sat waiting on the couch, flipping lazily through channels, but not really focusing.

I heard the doorbell ring, and I ran to open the door, and it was Max. I attacked him a hug, and he stumbled back on the front steps.

"Hey, Emmy," he chuckled.

"Hi, Max! Come on in!"

He followed me up into my room, and collapsed on my couch.

"So, what do you want to do?" I asked him.

"Uh, whatever you want," he shrugs.

I think for a moment before Max interrupts me, "You wanna do some hurdles in the backyard?"

I smile, "Let's go."

We ran downstairs and into the backyard, where I had my hurdles set up for practice. Max was a master of hurdles and the long jump, while I was better at sprinting and long-distance.

Max lined up, and waited for me to give him the signal to start. "READY......SET......GO!!!"

He took off, his legs a blur and his arms pumping up and down. Max was the most amazing runner ever, and I couldn't wait for the county qualifier in a few days.

He finished, and came towards me. He wasn't even breathing heavily. "Your turn," he grins at me. He knows he's fast, he's been told that all his life. He had the perfect figure for it. He was tall and skinny, with lean muscles. He was also insanely strong.

I took my position at the start near the fence on one side of the backyard. "GO!" Max yelled unexpectedly, startling me a little. I, totally unlike Max, was not build for running. I was short and stubby. I didn't have the same long, quick-moving legs as he did, and wasn't strong by any standards.

Nevertheless, I pushed myself after Max's cry. Whenever I ran in any competition, I simply ran like it was any other day. I had found my love of running long ago, running around the garden with Elliot and Evan. They would chase me with mud in their hands, and I would cry and run away, not wanting to stain my dress. I had gotten so used to it, I had begun to run to relieve stress, exploring the woods near my grandmother's house whenever we visited.

I leaped over the third hurdle, my legs already aching. It wasn't the jump that was particularly hard, but continuing to run afterwards that was the real challenge for me.

I guess I was distracted, because I came crashing into the obstacle in front of me, falling to the ground. I groaned as I felt the hard wooden barrier under me.

"Emmy, you ok?" Max said, running to my side.

"Fine," I moaned, "It seems like every time I'm with you, I come close to injury," I joked, grabbing his outstretched hand and pulling myself up.

He laughed, "I guess I'm your bad luck charm."

I dust myself off, fixing my hair. I suddenly feel very uncomfortable, and find Max staring at me. "What?"

He doesn't answer, but continues staring at the same place. I follow his gaze, and find it on my stomach, where my shirt has been lifted up, revealing my tan skin and my glucose monitor.

Oh shit. I hadn't really planned on telling Max about my diabetes. It wasn't too easy of a subject for me, and I didn't want him to treat me differently than he did now.