Like Maps

A Well Kept Secret

"So you're ditching me for the track team." Mamrie is the coolest older sister a kid could ask for, she's funny, she's smart, she's caring and protective, and I'm not ashamed to admit that she's basically my best friend.

"Yeah, its just... well I have to take pictures of them in competition and this is the only chance. Assuming that they don't make it to nationals, and if they do that's in Texas and mom is never going to let me go to Texas."

"Are you sure is doesn't have anything to do with the giant creepy crush you have on the tall girl with no name." Mamrie asks not looking away from her computer. She's always writing things, and when I ask what they are she says, 'someday mini hart' but someday has yet to come and these days I have to settle for not knowing. I'm okay with that though, because you never fully know anyone, not even yourself. And that's part of life. I think. Yeah, no that sounds super right. Anyway, with the 'okay' from my big sister I found myself standing at the school at the crack of dawn a duffle bag and back pack at my feet and sleep in my eyes. My mother didn't even bother saying goodbye which is normal I guess, so I wasn't surprised not even a little. Instead I found my way over to the assistant coach to check in.

"Um, Coach Moore." My voice comes out a bit shaky and sometimes that's just how it is when I speak to adults for the first time. I guess you can say I'm getting a feel for them. Because after the first time I come back and start talking like a dictionary with a speaker. Which isn't always smiled upon.

"Hart? What the hell are you doing here?" The women asked her dark brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail. I wouldn't say coach Moore is breath talking but she is one very attractive woman. Attractive enough to distract some of her male students and yours truly for a whole semesters worth of C's

"oh, I- I'm here for year book. I'm gonna photograph the team. But-"

"Just hop on the bus Hart we'll write you into the room sort." she says cutting me off. When I hesitate to move she smiles at me with this soft warm look witch is another big reason for why she is so well liked by the students. "You're fine Hannah, just find a seat, sit down and relax. Set this in the under the bus pile." she says nudging my duffle with her foot. I nod and pick up my back but I don't move because I don't know where the 'under-the-bus-pile' is. she smiles again and then chuckles a little."Helbig!" Coach Moore shouts over me towards the line of students. Grace turns from the edge of the crowd and I feel my breath catch in my throat. Even though her hair is in a messy bun and her long legs are hiding under thick baggy sweat pants she still looks beyond words. She takes long effortless strides and rolls on to the tip of her toes and back to her heels when she reaches us.

"yeah coach?" she smiles at the woman who's only a few feet taller than herself.

"get Hart settled please, I'd like to make sure she's on the bus don't wanna lose all those live action shots of you breaking records." Moore grins and for a second it sounds a little like she's mocking Grace but then when I look at the girl she's blushing with embracement. "okay." the woman grins slapping my back rather hard and causing my to lose all attraction I had for her in a near second. "you take care of my star Hart, I don't want anything happening to her." She walks away from Grace and I with a smile that says shes pleased with herself and I can't pin down why but I sort of feel like someone should remind her that Grace is a human. not a track horse.

"star?" I questioned very obviously recalling our first interaction being a large tumble to the asphalt together.

"she was kidding" Grace grins happily grabbing my wrist and pulling me towards the bus, "she says it about all of us, like hey you can do it,your awesome, so do not lose because then you are a huge disappointment to everyone! " she sounds like its a joke but the words just scream someone help me. I laugh anyway, because she laughs, and the laughter feels oddly right. Grace doesn't say much after she just takes my bag and tosses it into a pile of suitcases and duffle bags. "shit, I didn't ask if there was anything important in there I just threw it I'm sorry Hannah."