Without A Doubt

Chapter 47.

2 weeks later

Even though the suns out the air is still cool. I don't like the cold, but as I ran down the track I couldn't feel it. All I could focus on was the beating in my ears and the blood flowing through my body. Running up to my last hundred I held on tight to the baton in my hand, I couldn't feel my legs anymore. All I could think about was the fact that I have to run faster, I have to keep going. I only had about 10 more yards left to go when I felt someone coming up behind me. On instinct I ran even harder until I was past the finish line. The second I crossed that line I slowly came to a stop and tried to catch my breath. I put the baton on my back underneath my sports bra so I didn't have to hold it. I was so out of breath that I felt like I couldn't hear. I shook it off and started walking back towards the turf where I could see my teammates.

As I walked up to them I felt almost nervous. I've only been practicing with these girls for a week. The only girl I knew was Myra because she's run with me since freshman year, the other two girls are new. I don't know if they're freshman or if I just never paid attention to them. Both are possibilities. It's already been a week so I feel like it's too late to ask.

"Good run." One of them said to me. I think her name is Alexa.

"Uh thanks." I couldn't remember the other girls name, Myra gave me a look. She knew I didn't know the girls name still.

"You did good too Grace." Grace smiled at Myra and then went to talking to Alexa. I think they're in the same grade. Today's meet isn't an actual meet. It's just a tri-meet. District doesn't start for a few weeks. I didn't bother to make small talk with Myra. We've never been great friends seeing how I only ever talk to her during track season. I started to walk away when I heard her say,

"The next race is going to be around 2. Don't be late." I saw her smirking at me. Once during sophomore year Eli and I missed a race because I was having a panic attack and Eli was trying to calm me down. Myra thinks we were messing around. So now she jokes about me missing races. I just waived her off and kept walking. Walking towards the stands I felt almost nostalgic. The smell of the turf and the feeling of my legs and chest burning just made me feel great. I almost felt excited. When I got up the stands and saw Liv there sitting with Em and Jason. I couldn't help but smile. Liv jumped up, ran to me and wrapped her arms around me. I felt her body hesitate for a second before she pulled the baton out of my sports bra.

"Forget something?" She laughed. I pulled it out of her hand and put it back in my sports bra.

"No. It goes there." I smiled.

"It's my lucky baton." Liv smiled then kissed me on the cheek. We went and sat back down with Emma and Jason. When I sat down Em gave me a hug then gave me a somewhat stern look.

"What?" I asked.

"Your time was off." I just started laughing.

"I know. I'll get it down as season goes on."

"I thought she did great." Jason said as he nudged Em.

"She did, but that girl from Denton almost caught up to her at the last 15 yards." We all just laughed.

"I'll get it down coach." Emma just hugged me and said

"You know it's because I love you."

"Yeah I know."

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We ended up winning the tri-meet. The other two teams were kind of terrible. Me and my team came in first for all the relays. Aside from the races I stayed with Liv pretty much the entire day. Em, Liv and Jason all skipped school today to come to the meet. We sat in the stands for a lot of the races to commentate on the runners and their performances. Liv knows a lot about track. She was even talking about the hurdlers form. I've never run hurdles but my brother did for a year or two. He always preferred baseball but he would run track just for fun. In the middle of the day I started to get tired of the sun so we went down to our camp under the bleachers so I could take a nap. The one thing I like about track is that you don't have to know everyone or worry about their drama so to speak. When we went down to the camp there was hardly anyone there, I guess everyone else was watching the field events. Liv kept trying to get me to eat something but I couldn't. I can't eat during track meets, it's just a thing. When everything was said and done Emma dropped Liv off at the school so I could take her home, since I had to ride the bus back to the school. My parents wanted to come to the meet but they were both working, and I didn't mind because it wasn't a real meet. When Liv and I were back in the car she just looked at me and smiled.

"I'm exhausted." I breathed out.

"I'm sure you are."

"The four hundred killed me."

"Yeah I could tell, but you still did great." I just looked up at the ceiling of the car and let out another breath.

"Come on. Lets' get you something to eat and then we can go to your house." She's spending the night tonight. It's not even late though. It's only 6:45. It was a short meet because there were only 3 teams there.

"Yeah, I need to eat." Until she mentioned it I hadn't realized how hungry I actually was. We stopped at Whataburger and then went back to my house. I ate an entire double meat burger by myself, I normally don't finish a regular burger. I was so tired that after I took a shower all I wanted to do was go to sleep. It was only 7:30 though. Liv and I laid down in my bed and started to watch a movie. Normally Liv is laying on me, but I was so tired that all I wanted was for her to hold onto me. I fell asleep 10 minutes into the movie.

I woke up in the middle of the night in almost a panic. I sat up and tried to breathe but I couldn't. Everything was dark and I couldn't find my phone for light. I was looking around for it on the bed when I felt something solid. I forgot Liv was here. I backed up and fell off the bed, I'm wasn't on my side. By now I had woken Liv up.

"Mayson? Are you okay?" We were still in the dark and I felt like I was suffocating. I could hear Liv jump out of the bed and then saw her turn the light on. I was still sitting on the floor with my elbows on my knees and my hands in my hair. Liv sat down on the floor next to me and wrapped her arms around me. Once I realized where I was and that I was okay I started to calm down. Liv kissed my cheek and rested her head on my shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm okay. Sorry I woke you up."

"It's okay love." Liv was still holding onto me.

"What happened?"

"I don't know. I don't remember if it was a dream. Sometimes it just happens. It's like I just stop breathing." Liv didn't say anything. She just hugged me tighter and kissed my cheek again. Her warmth was making everything better.

"Let's go back to sleep." Liv nodded her head and got up. She's still half asleep. We got back into my bed and she cuddled in close to me. She fell asleep as soon as we were in bed. I stared at the ceiling for a while before I actually fell asleep. It's my house, my room, my bed. I finally slept with Liv. It might be the first time I've ever actually slept with someone. I was just glad it was Liv.