A New Life

The Race

Aiden noticed Scarlet start to pick up her pace, and before he knew it, Scarlet was running beside him. He had to admit, Scarlet was fast and good at keeping a steady pace, and Aiden wasn't afraid to let her know it as he moved closer to run by her side.

"You know you are pretty good at this." Scarlet didn't reply to Aiden's comment, but he noticed Scarlet glance over to Aiden, smirking, as she would speed up.

"So I never got your name." Aiden continued, trying to start a conversation with her. Scarlet diverted her eyes from the track and looked over at Aiden.

"You never asked," Scarlet answered, going slightly faster, causing her to become a few inches in front of him. That is when an idea came to mind. Scarlet looked over at Aiden again with a conniving smile on her face.

"How about we make a deal," Scarlet asked slyly, and Aiden immediately became curious. Aiden usually didn't make deals, but for some reason, he felt like this could be interesting, and he felt lured to hear her out and become involved in whatever she had in mind.

"What do you have in mind?" Aiden questioned, intrigued.

"We have two more laps. I say we race, and if I win, you have to come to school in girl clothes for the rest of the week." Aiden was stunned, to say the least, but laughed because it was remarkable how she would act like he was nobody, just another person in the world. Aiden was pleased that she wasn't afraid of him. Reckon, she didn't know who Aiden was, but she also wasn't drooling over him like most other girls.

"And what do I get if I win?" Aiden asked Scarlet as she thought of something he would want. When she couldn't think of something, she asked Aiden what he wanted, hoping that it would be a reasonable request.

"How about if I win, I take you out for coffee, and we get to know each other." He offered and noticed her hesitate to agree to his request, which confused him because most people would jump at the opportunity to do anything with him. Many people have tried to speak to Aiden and become his friend or date him, but he usually blows them off, but now he felt the situation had reversed, and he is the one chasing to have a conversation with her.

"Fine, I guess I can work with that." Scarlet finally agreed, and he darted towards the finish line.

"Hey, you cheated!" Aiden heard Scarlet yell from behind him, and he turned back to see her start to quicken her pace. Both were determined to win, but for the opposite reason. Aiden desired information on Scarlet, and Scarlet wished to stay as far away from Aiden as possible.

It was the final lap, and Aiden was only a few feet ahead. Scarlet was determined to win, but Aiden needed to cross the finish line first. There was no way he would be able to survive a week in woman clothes. While Aiden was absorbed in his thoughts, Scarlet made her way next to him, gradually increasing her speed.

"Have fun in those dresses," Scarlet commented, laughing with a cocky smile on her face as she pushed herself past Aiden.

"I'm not losing this race!" Aiden shouted, and they both started sprinting to the finish line. They ran side by side throughout the final lap until Aiden suddenly leaped forward and won the race by literally a centimeter. They were both panting with their hearts beating at an audible speed.

"I told...you...I would...win," Aiden said between deep intakes of breath. They had sweat dripping down their faces, and their shirts were soaked with sweat.

"You cheated... I didn't say...go," Scarlet said, trying to speak as she drew in deep breaths.

"We were already running, so you didn't need to say go," Aiden said, finally catching his breath under control.

"Fine. You won. Good game." Scarlet straitened her back and outstretched her hand. Aiden gladly accepted and shook on it.

"I guess I will see you at the coffee house tomorrow around 7:00?" Aiden asked, making sure they were on the same page. Scarlet agreed and walked off, leaving Aiden there stunned to watch Scarlet walk away.

Scarlet made her way to the coach with sweat dripping down her body. Scarlet couldn't believe that at the last second, Aiden jumped ahead and beat her. Scarlet also couldn't believe that despite her better judgment, she would be meeting Aiden tomorrow. Scarlet promised herself she would stay away from him, and yet tomorrow, she will be meeting up with him for coffee.

As Scarlet waited for Casey to cross the finish line, the coach approached her. He spoke to her of the track team and the timing of her laps. Scarlet could hear the impressed tone in the coach's voice.

"Here. I think you should try out. You could be a real asset." Coach Ramirez handed Scarlet a sign-up form for the track team that also held the information on when tryouts are for late comers. Scarlet thanked the coach and left to talk to Casey. Scarlet told her about the race and the deal that she and Aiden had made. Scarlet even told Casey about what was happening tomorrow.

"Oh My God! He talked to you twice," Casey exclaimed, shocked.

"He never talks to anyone! Except for Mark, Sebastian, and Chelsie." Casey continued rambling, and the thought that consumed Scarlet's mind was the question of who Chelsie is.

"Well, I guess he couldn't say no to the deal." They both laughed at Scarlet's reply and went to the locker rooms.

School had ended, and Scarlet was walking around town searching for any job that she could do. Three and a half hours passed of Scarlet wandering around until she came across a diner that displayed a hiring sign in the window. Scarlet entered the diner and asked the cashier about the job. Scarlet explained to the cashier that she went to school and would need to work in the afternoons.

"Do you have any experience?" the short brown-haired girl asked.

"No, but I catch on fast and will do my absolute best."

"Well, how soon can you start?"

"Today, if need be," Scarlet replied immediately.

"Alright, you're hired," she said with a bright smile. Scarlet was surprised when she told her she got the job. She didn't understand how the cashier could hire her on the spot. Didn't the girl need to talk to the boss first? However, Scarlet didn't question her, for she needed the job.

"You start tomorrow afternoon. Is that good with you?" Scarlet agreed, then walked out, heading back to her hotel room to check out and gather her things. She handed over her keycard then left. She knew the money wouldn't last long, but she hoped that soon she would have enough to pay for an apartment.

It was now 8:47, and Scarlet was back to wandering the city, thinking about where she would stay. Scarlet knew she couldn't ask Casey because they had just met, and she knew no one else in the city of New York, so she found an ally, went behind a dumpster, and stayed there for the night. Scarlet laid down, thinking about her new friend Casey and how much she reminded her of Sabrina and Jason. Casey was like a mix of them both. Jason was calm, sweet, and caring, while Sabrina was wild and always making Scarlet do things that she would never think of doing. Scarlet missed her friends, but when she hung out with Cassandra, Scarlet felt like she was around them again.