Their Story (Only Up To Chapter 15)

Track Pratice

She taps on the door frame of the empty classroom where an older woman, maybe in her early forties to late thirties with short brown hair, tan skin, green eyes, a teal shirt, tall, thin build, grey running pants, and white sneakers organizes papers at her messy desk as she prepares to leave. She turns to look at the new girl and greets her, "hey how are you?"

"I'm good Ms. Evergreen," Abigail explains, already knowing her name cause Ms. Jones was her teacher for math, "I was told you were the teacher in charge of the track team?"

"Why yes," Ms. Evergreen smiles, "I'm actually off to lead practice. Would you care to join me on my way?"

"Oh sure," Abigail smiles, holding the door for Ms. Evergreen as they enter the essentially empty and silent halls, save for the occasional squeaking of shoes distantly of students who have forgotten worksheets or other school materials. They approach the exit of the school as they talk.

"It's your first day here right?" Evergreen inquires.

"Sure is," Abigail smiles, "moved her last week because of..." Abigail trails off and turns away from Ms. Evergreen, as if she's about to say to much but caught herself, "circumstances."

"Oh," Evergreen turns away, knowing not to press any further by Abigail's somber tone, "well you'll like it here. It'll be fine."

"Yeah," Abigail smiles, "probably. Let's go."

Abigail and Evergreen reach the black track  which encompasses the football field's green grass and tall yellow field goals all of which is overshadowed by the tall wooden bleachers, their color worn by the weather and time as Abigail removed her sweater, revealing a black t-shirt made out of a breathable mesh made for running. She notices a group of students wearing matching navy blue jerseys with the school's mascot on the front, a bluebird.

The songs of such birds fill the air, one last song before they leave prior to the Winter chill as Abigail approaches the other runners with a kind smile, "hey guys."

"Howdy," a young woman with short brown hair greets. Her brown eyes hold determination and competitive spirit as she looks up at the sun, her skin like the color of a sunset but then tanned by the very light it mimics, "you new here?"

"Yeah," Abigail smiles, "my name's Abigail, what's yours?"

"I'm Lucy," the determined girl smiles, "word of advice, make sure you have a water bottle or something. Tuesdays we work on endurance, which means we run far and we run fast."

"One step ahead of you," Abigail smiles takes out a bottle of orange sports drink with an alligator head on it, "I'm always prepared."

"Nice," Lucy smiles, "well we better get ready. We take a route through the forest so just watch where I go and try to keep up OK?"

Abigail nods in response as the runners begin to not into the forest, following a hilly dirt trail which cuts between the trees and begins the school, the ground rising and falling like an ocean's waves as the pitter patter of dozens of feet fill the air under the melody of the forest as it goes into a rest, the pack lead by Abigail and Lucy, the two slowly speeding up in a friendly but competitive way, trying to outrun the other by just a few inches. Until they leave the others behind in a full sprint, smiling at one another as they loop around the school, past the nearby gas station visable through a break in the trees about at the halfway point with a large neon orange sign with its figure eight logo of the "Infinite Gas" chain and back to the school.

Laughing and catching their breath, Lucy smiles, "damn you can run."

"I ran track at my old school," Abigail smiles, "you're pretty athletic yourself aren't you?"

"Yeah," Lucy smiles, sitting down opening a water bottle, "I'm the star runner on this team for long distance. Always run the five mile at the big meet. You?"

"I'd run the five mile too," Abigail smiles, "best at my school too."

"Nice," Lucy begins to catch her breath, "what else you do?"

"I dabble in poetry," Abigail smiles, "just write one every now and again, it's really fun when you get a feel for it."

"Oh you would get along with that writing kid," Lucy suggests, "kid writes a story on the whiteboard most days. Loves writing from what I've heard."

"You mean Shawn?" Abigail asks.

"That's the one," Lucy smiles, "I don't know him myself but I read his story sometimes. Good shit."

"I talked to him a little," Abigail shrugs, "but he just sorta shut himself off."

"I've never spoken to him," Lucy admits, "but he seems alright from what little I do know."

"You guys finished early," Evergreen comments, "you two alright?"

"Yeah just tired," Abigail explains.

"Still better than last meet," Lucy sighs.

"Last meet?" Abigail inquires.

"Lucy," Evergreen shakes her head, "you can't keep beating yourself up over that."

"I gotta be the best," Lucy sighs, "but last year at the end of the meet some chick looped around and sprinted pass me taking the win by this much."

Lucy places her hands up with a six inch gap.

"Well you'll win this year," Abigail reassures her with a smile.

"Just don't push yourself to much," Evergreen reminds, "alright?"

Lucy nods as the other runners return, in response to which Evergreen goes to make sure they all get water as Lucy and Abigail sit under the cool Sun as the chilled air fills their lungs, soothing them in its grasp. They turn to small talk as they recover from the taxing sprint they just took part in, making jokes and laughing about said jokes as other runners, begin to speak to Abigail, impressed by her athletic ability and before they know it the duo are the center of attention. Abigail already making herself a place at her new school with her new friend Lucy.

Abigail has already found a place in her new life...