Jazzmyne's Letters Were Never Meant To Be Read

The End Of Letters

I imagined the loud bang echoing, dispersing through every ear in the audience. I was running as fast as I could while the force I exerted danced through my limbs in harmony. The sun coated my body in its soft morning warmth. All my breaths fogged up in front of me, leaving a trail of smoke while I defied the wind and the breeze. I could see the streak of white that denotes the end. My muscle memory pushed my body to pump more energy and propel me further than that. But I stopped it, and skidded to a halt. My lungs were burning but not in the way it used to. It felt more like melting than scorching. I quite like the change.

I propped my heaving body down on the sidelines. For the first time, I stayed, watching the life vibrating around her. The subtle swaying of the leaves, the cascading rays, the floating whispers of the wind.

There was one other runner in the field. Kayla, I'm sure. I knew her, well, mostly knew of her. She's the star of the team, our captain. Her every thundering step is so certain, I was mesmerized by it. Her hair floated wildly around her and then she stopped just right, precisely at the finish line. Her hair directed to the sky. I smiled to myself. She broke her record. She's been trying to do just that for awhile now. For a moment, I was shocked to find within me genuine happiness for her. Kayla's hands were on her knees, her head dropped low. She stretched back up and looked up at the sky, simpering, reveling in her triumph. I grabbed my water bottle, the coolness giving a heady rush to my blood.

"Catch!" I shouted.

Kayla whipped her body around, catching it at the nick of time, while confusion was drawn all over her face. And I get it. This was probably the first time we've ever looked at each other, eye to eye.

"You broke your record. That's so fucking amazing!" I gushed, grinning to her.

"Yeah, thanks. For this, too." She said, gesturing to the water bottle in her hand, smiling at me brilliantly, still with a tinge of confusion.

"No problem, Cap." I smiled back, giving her the thumbs up.

"Are you slacking off now, Evers? You'll never be able to catch up to me at this rate." She berated jokingly, a teasing glint in her eyes.

"As if!" I yelled, the sounds of my voice carrying on the wind as I hauled myself off the ground, sprinting past her.

Arms wide open, accepting all that the world could offer.