Fallen Crest Forever

Taylor glanced over her shoulder, a worried look on her face. She was still adjusting, but this had become my norm over the years. People realized who we were connected to. They were excited. They’d give us lots of attention. They’d want to become our best friends. But that was only half of it. The other part was jealousy. Maybe they didn’t like who we slept with, or who we were connected to. Logan. Mason. Coach Broozer. It didn’t matter. If our star shone brighter than theirs, whoever they were, they weren’t happy.

Also, there was usually a small group who was indifferent. They didn’t know Mason, Logan, or now Coach Broozer, in Taylor’s situation. And they didn’t care to know. Those were the girls I usually sought out as class partners, or in this case, just a friend on the team.

I snuck a look over my shoulder too.

Some were scowling at us. Half had lit-up eyes and bright smiles, but there were two girls just doing their own thing.

My eyes skimmed over Courtney. Suspicion lurked in her gaze, mingling with something else I didn’t normally encounter.

“Broozer’s your dad?” Coach Langdon was saying.

He pulled me back to their conversation.

Taylor nodded, folding her hands in front of herself. “Yes, sir.”

He paused, mulling it over. Then he nodded. “Okay. Fine. But if you can’t keep up, you can’t have a spot.” He looked at me. His eyes hardened, like he was assessing me. “Martin told me your times. You do anything like what he says you can, you’re on the team too.”

I nodded. “Yes, sir.”

I hadn’t expected anything less, and I’d turned to go stretch when he called my name again.

I looked back. “Yes?”

“We run with the football team sometimes. Is that going to be a problem?”

My eyes rounded. I shook my head. “No, sir. Why would it?”

“I know about your relationship with Kade.” He gestured to the girls stretching. “Is that going to be a problem?”

Shit. I swallowed a lump in my throat. “No, sir. I’ll handle it.”

“Okay. Finish stretching, and get ready. You guys take off in five minutes.”

He went over to talk to one of the girls who seemed oblivious on the far side of the grassy area. Both took out their earbuds now to listen to him.

Courtney looked over to them. “That’s Faith Shaw and Raelynn Quang. They’re the stars of the team. Both princesses and spoiled by their rich daddies—and our coach too.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

Nettie and Grace were still fawning over Taylor, so they weren’t paying attention, but Courtney lowered her voice anyway. “Because you’re Samantha Strattan, aren’t you?”

“My name means something to you?”

She laughed, rolling her eyes. “I should’ve put two and two together. I was stupid to assume you were staff. You weren’t dressed like someone hired to man the bar. You were just helping out, weren’t you?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “I’d started to wonder just now, but then Coach called you Strattan. In running circles, you’re known. You’re a big deal on the track team. I always wondered why you didn’t join cross-country, but it was because of your boyfriend. Mason Kade, right?”

“Is that really your business?”

She laughed again. “No, but I couldn’t help asking.” She nodded toward Faith and Raelynn, who were now both looking in our direction. Correction: they were looking at me. There was no hostility or emotion in their eyes, but I felt an awareness in the air. Coach Langdon moved to the sidewalk, and the others began to stand up. It was almost time to run, but in that moment, everything faded to those two girls and myself.

They had competition, and they were now aware of it.

This could get interesting.

Courtney chuckled under her breath. “Nettie and Grace haven’t figured out who you are, but expect them to freak. Their reaction will be nothing compared to how they’re going crazy over Logan’s girlfriend.”

I gritted my teeth. I was Samantha Strattan. I wasn’t going to be known as Mason Kade’s girlfriend on this team. Not here. I was a runner, and I was good at it.

“Her name is Taylor,” I snapped before I could help myself. “Learn to use it.”

I broke away, grabbing Taylor by the arm and pulling her to our own section of grass. “We have to stretch quick. He’s going to blow the whistle soon.”

She dropped down with me, reaching for her toes. “How far will we go today?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know.” I turned to see Courtney, Nettie, and Grace talking together in a small huddle. Their heads were bent together. I didn’t know what they were saying, but it didn’t matter. My blood had started to boil. All these girls were going to be in my dust.

I needed to run.

Coach Langdon gave us a few minutes, but when we hopped up, he raised the whistle to his mouth. The girls knew, and everyone was ready. Earbuds went in. People shook out their arms, jumping in place.

Faith and Raelynn stood at one end of the group, as if they were their own unit. The rest of the team stood together, and Taylor and I were at the opposite end.

I asked the closest girl, “How far’s the morning run?”

“We do five in the morning. Then you can run as far as you want for the afternoon practice.”

Only five? I’d hoped for more.

“Strattan.”

I looked over to Coach Langdon.

“Follow the girls. They know the route.”

Which meant I had to keep pace with them. I couldn’t go faster on my own. This is the first run, I reminded myself.

“Okay, Coach.”

He nodded and blew his whistle.

We were off.

It was about how I’d expected it to be.

Faith and Raelynn took the lead, and the rest of the group seemed content to run as a pack behind them. I stayed with Taylor, who kept up with everyone just fine. She held steady at the back end of the group, and I ran slightly on the outside, waiting and biding my time.

Faith and Raelynn had glanced back at me as we first started, but when I remained back by Taylor, they seemed to settle in and lead the team. Both were slender, their hair pulled up in high buns, and they had a confidence to their gait. They were good, and they knew it.

The other girls paid attention to us at the beginning too, but by the end of mile four, they’d lost themselves in their own running. Taylor was still fine. She looked like she could do another five. As if reading my mind, she looked over and winked.

“You can go,” she mouthed.

I nodded. That was all I needed, and I started to edge forward.

I recognized the feeling in my legs. I could tell when we’d started the fifth mile. The girls up front picked up their pace. A mile to them was just a jog home. It’d go fast, and as Raelynn and Faith pulled away, the gap closed between the team and them. The pack had picked up speed too.

I moved on the side until I neared the head of the pack. Some girls noticed, but I held back until we were at the half point of mile five. Then I surged ahead, still running on the side, but bridging the gap between the team and Faith and Raelynn. We were rounding the last quarter mile when they noticed me. I was right behind them, almost on their heels, and this time, I looked ahead.

If I were right, Coach Langdon would be there. And when we cleared a set of trees, I saw him waiting, consulting his stopwatch.

It was time.

I put my head down and moved around the last two girls.

They surged ahead, but I kept going.

I kicked it up to my normal pace, but Faith and Raelynn could handle their own, at least for this distance. They stuck next to me until we surged past the coach. Then they dropped to a walk, but I kept running in place. I wanted to do more.

He checked his watch as he walked over to me. “Well, you’re definitely on the team. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that everyone had faster times than usual.” He eyed me running in place. “You’re still hoping to run?”

I nodded. “I didn’t know the route.” I smirked. “I do now.”

He eyed me, cocking his head to the side. “Martin said you’d have good times. I expected that. I thought you’d keep with those two.” He gestured to Faith and Raelynn, who were stretching as the rest of the team trickled in. “Did you hold back?” ns class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true">