The Track and Me

Thirteen

I know you are expecting me to tell you about the extravagant night that was prom. If I did that I would be lying.

"This sucks." Maddie said sitting on one of the chairs in the gymnasium floor. "What was this place thinking when they decided to have a prom like this?"

We looked around. Almost everyone was sitting down and if they weren't sitting they were waiting on an open seat.

You know those pathetic proms that sometime come up on tv? Those really sad ones where you're just like oh. That sucks. Yeah. That's this one.

The DJ was an old man playing some kind of old music I have never heard before. The decorations were a few balloons and streamers.

"Guys. Can we please just leave. I can't stay here." Maddie said banging her head against the table.

"I think I have an idea." Jake said as he grabbed my hand and pulled me along with him.

==========================

Jake made a few calls and we walked back to where Maddie and Dylan were sitting.

"I'm going to send out a mass text. I need you guys to send it to everyone that goes to school here. We are going to move prom." Jake smiled at me and we went back towards his car.

Jake never told me what he was doing. We ended up pulling up in his driveway. Turns out he called his mom. She agreed to having a party in their large backyard. Once we arrived Kelly was in the back yard giving instructions to members of the track team.

Not only did Jake call his mom he called all of the guys on the track team. They all agreed to come help set up.

"Carrie!" Kelly said waving me over. "I'm so glad you're here. Maybe these boys will actually listen to you." She chuckled as she hugged me.

Kelly had a beautiful backyard already. It was simple, yet elegant. Lights were hung from one side to the other. The guys moved the patio furniture so the band would have a place to set up. Kelly called in a favor and got a local band to come at such short notice. Soft colored lights replaced the normal lights. I had to say Jake really out did himself on this plan.

I walked up to Jake as he was typing on his phone.

"There she is." Jake said smiling at me kissing me on the cheek. "I just sent out the message. People should be getting here any minute."

Jake stood behind me, wrapped his arms around me, and hugged me.

People began to arrive and the band began playing

"Have I told you how beautiful you are?" Jake whispered in my ear.

I chuckled and pushed him away.

"I'm being serious. Prom attire or not, you are absolutely stunning." He said holding both my shoulders looking in my eyes.

"How did I get so lucky?"

"I think you mean how did I get so lucky?"

"No. No one has ever truly stayed with me except my grandma. But you still are still here. You found me when I was broken and you didn't leave. You helped put me back together and I can't thank you enough for that. Without you I don't know what I would had done."

Jake pressed his forehead against mine. "You may think that I only help you but you have helped me in so many ways. You showed me what it is like to completely love someone. You have helped me make decisions I never would had even considered." I seen his smile disappear.

"It's about your biological dad isn't it?" I said placing my hand on his cheek as he closed his eyes.

"The trial is next week."

"It will be fine."

"Will you please go with me." He said placing his hand on my hand that was still on his cheek. "Please." He said opening his eyes.

"You know I'm here for you. And I'll stay here until you're ready for me to leave. Of course I will go."

"Thank you." He said smiling. "But you know I won't get tired of you."

"Carrie!" Maddie said running over to me. "Lets dance!"

She grabbed my hand and pulled me into the crowd of people dancing wildly. Jake and Dylan followed us to the crowd and we danced the night away.

=====================

There was a small pond farther out in Jake's backyard. Later on in the night we ended up there. There was a small dock. We sat on the end and dangled our feet into the water.

"You have made this past year the best year of my life." Jake said as I rested my head on his shoulder.

"You don't have to say cute things every time we talk." I said smiling.

"I just want you to know how I feel about you and never forget it."

"I don't think I could even if I tried."

"I've been thinking."

I raised me head and looked at him.

"About colleges. I got a letter from Mars Hill." He said pulling a letter from his back pocket. "I wanted you to be there when I opened it. I don't want you to think I'm insane for following you or that I am creeping you out."

"I think it's sweet." I said placing my hand on his.

I thought about what Jake told me before. If my attacks came back who would be there to pick up the pieces. Jake said he wanted to follow me but I want him to follow me just as bad. It scares me how dependent on him I am but I'm learning to do things that scare me.

"Here." He said handing me the letter. "It's as much our future than it is mine."

"No." I said pushing it back to him. "It's your letter. They would be stupid not to accept you. You are the most talented track star I know."

"It's not that. It's my academics. We all know I'm not going to get accepted because of those and I don't think track is going to be enough."

Jake stared down at the letter in his hands. I could see the fear in his eyes.

"Hey. No matter what the letter says, nothing, and I mean nothing, will change how I feel about you. Out of all the things we've been through don't let this piece of paper define you. Whether you get in or you don't, you will always be Jake Stanley and I think he is pretty great."

Jake looked at me and smiled. He looks at me as if I'm the only girl in the world. He makes me feel cherished and loved. I still feel butterflies when he's around. Jake Stanley is something else. He deserves so much more than me but I'm glad he didn't go looking.

"Okay." He said as he began to open the envelope.

He opened the envelope and pulled out a few pieces of paper.

I watched him as his eyes began to scan the paper. He was one of the best runners, if not the best, in Tennessee. If they accepted me I couldn't see why they wouldn't accept him.

"Ryan." He said looking up from the paper. "I..."