Øn yøur mind // Tyler Joseph

Graduation

    Today was my very last track meet. Of the year, ever. Spring had sprung up on us, summer was near.

Every senior here had a melancholy feeling over them, our high school days almost over.

Otterbein wanted me for Track, I'd agreed, but it wasn't until spring of next year.

"Ro, baby?" He called out as my group of girls chatted while stretching.

He ignored the giggles and stares of my teammates. And pressed a kiss on my cheek.

"Hey." I smiled while bending over, he giggled and stared at me. Me slapping his hand for reaching out to grab my bottom.

"I'll be waiting on the bleachers with Josh. Then ice cream? Double date?" He asked.

"Sounds perfect." Oh yeah, Josh had found a girlfriend, the girl he went to Prom with.

Tyler went back to the bleachers with Josh, as I jogged around the track with my friends.

"Hey." Kelsey surprised me with an arm around my neck.

"How was Vegas?!" I squealed in surprise that she was back. Cheer went to nationals in Vegas, I couldn't afford the trip but wished them luck nonetheless. Track had a couple meets around Ohio, but none out of state.

"Enough about me! Look at you, going to Otterbein for Track. Tyler full ride scholarship! Couple goals." She smiled.

"So Jack's doing medical school huh?" I was surprised such an immature child-like guy like him, was studying to be a doctor.

"Yeah. He's going to save lives at a children's hospital." She boasted as I smiled. Jack was good with kids, his loud tone, but he could be serious if he wanted to be.

"Ladies! Formations!" My coach yelled as I turned to Kelsey.

"Wish me luck. Last home meet." Last sport of the year. High school was over for me. A sad smile plastered on as I jogged off to the rust-orange track.

Kelsey and Jack shared a lemonade on the bleachers and gave me two thumbs up.

My legs stretched out, my neck loose, I swung my arms out to warm them up.

My feet aligned with the spikes. "Runners take your mark." I was first heat. First lane, a simple hundred meter dash. Other girls from other schools beside me.

"Ready?" He asked over a speaker.

A gunshot fired, my cue to take off running. My feet pushed forward, for being five' seven, my strides were shorter than the taller girls.

But I pushed just as hard, the finish line in sight. My time incredibly fast as I ran and pushed my body forward.

"Time!" A person wrote mine on a clipboard. I knew another girl was close to me, maybe I'd taken second this time.

I couldn't handle a loss at our last meet. And me representing our whole school as first heat.

"Congrats." A lady looked at my numbered shirt and shook my hand.
I'd won.

"Thank you." I turned to shake the other runners hands with a red face, my pony tail sagging after running the mile, and a four by one-hundred relay.

Medals were gathered around my neck afterwards. A picture with my team as we held up a trophy. Every team got a participation trophy, but we got a winner's one too.

"Congrats." Tyler hugged me tightly as I cringed, knowing my tank was soaked in perspiration.

"Thanks." He grabbed me as I said my final goodbyes to my coaches, half of our team crying.