Today was the day.

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He panted, as sweat dripped from his forehead onto the dirt. "One more time," he mumbled under his breath.

One final run before I have to face her.

He looked over at his coach and smoothed his eyebrows. The coach gave him a weary look. He sent a glare towards the coach, before getting a quick nod in return.

"Three. Two. One."

Beeeeeep!!

The timer started. And he bolted.

Fast was an understatement. Speed and time were of the essence.

This, was sprinting.

One lap around the track was all it took.

He shot past the finish, his lips pressed tightly together in a straight line. There was no happy glint in his eyes.

Beep!

"That's your best time yet, Reed," the coach looked down at his timer,"3 seconds."

The boy just nodded in return, breathing through his nose now in a calmer manner.

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Reed plugged his earbuds into his ear, and let a shaky breath escape his chapped lips. He fiddled about his thumbs and looked out the window to the cow pastures as they drove through Bakersfield, California. The corners of his mouth tilted down as he was hoping to see some new scenery.

I'm not ready yet. He thought.

His coach walked over with a wrinkled paper lunch sack in his hands.

"I'm not hungry, coach."

"Who said this is food?"

"What else would it be?" Reed said flatly.

The coach sighed and opened up the sack revealing a balled-up white tank-top.

Reed took it out of the bag, and held it up in front of him to examine it.

It was white, with a blank front, while having a distinctive "Devnor" in black letters on the back. Soft to the touch, and looked quite professional. Nothing like he had ever had to wear before.

"When did you get this?" The corners of Reed's mouth quirked up slightly at the sight of the shirt.

"Heh. I made it," the coach smirked.

"Cool beans," Reed continued to observe the tank-top in complete silence.

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He took a quick swig of his water, and wiped his sweaty upper lip with the collar of his new sleeveless-shirt.

Geez it felt like it was an old article of clothing now.

Reed shrugged it off, and started doing some stretches, including the "touch your toes without bending your knees" stretch.

All of the sudden, the people on the bleachers he was facing started standing up and clapping, looking in the direction behind him.

He turned around to see a flash of bright green hair.

"Hey~" his eyes adjusted to the unusual color, and he realized it was a girl talking to him despite the scratchy voice.

She was tall and slender, but more of her height came from her upper body than her legs. She had her hair dyed a bright, neon green, and tied as a ponytail on the right side of her head... And a huge smile to top it all off.

She walked up to him. "Hi! I'm Felicia! You?" She stuck out her hand at him.

"Reed. Nice to meet my competition, Felicia." He smiled, and shook her hand.

She sighed, "Don't be so formal, Reed! Reed Devnor is it?"

His mouth opened slightly, "H-how?"

"Oh! I saw it on the back of your shirt! Don't worry!" she laughed.

He shook his head, "Let's just do this."

They lined up at the starting line, on the dirt track.

"Good luck!" Felicia smiled at him.

"Same to you." Reed's mouth made a straight line.

The referee walked up to the starting point.

"Ready? Get set... Go!"

The sound of a pistol started the race.

Reed ran as fast as he could, and he could tell Felicia did too.

Suddenly, he slowed down, do the dismay of his coach.

Why? He didn't know.

It was like the flame went out. He suddenly lost the drive to run. Why did he do this in the first place? Why did he keep on running through the fire, when he could've just turned back?

He stood there, staring at the ground with a blank expression.

Why?

The swoosh of a checkered flag was heard, and so was the grunt of a quite annoyed coach.

"Reed! Get your arse over here!"

Reed turned around and looked at his coach with an emotionless face. He walked over to him.

"What happened out there, Reed? All this training, and you just stop in the middle of the tryout?" his coach's voice was cracking, as if he was about to cry.

"I don't know. I'm sorry." Reed approached his coach and hugged him.

Felecia walked over, and smacked Reed upside the head.

"What was that?! Were you going easy on me?! Just because I'm a girl?!" she had an angry glint in her eyes.

"What? N-no! I don't know why I stopped running! All of the sudden, it was like, like I didn't have a reason to run anymore."

"Hmph. Well, at least I am qualified to go to the statewide tryouts!" she giggled.

He scratched the back of his neck, "Yeah, congrats."

They went over to the snack table, to get some juice and crackers when she said something unexpected.

"Maybe, this was never your true calling. Maybe you were never meant to be a runner, but you did it anyways..."

Reed's eyes widened, "Maybe you're right..."

She kicked his shin playfully, "I'm always right. I just met you, and I already know you like the back of my hand."

"So this is what it feels like to know yourself," he looked down at the dirt.

"I guess so," she smiled.

"I'm not sure I'll ever get the hang of this," his feet shuffled causing a small dust could to form.

"Then I guess you'll have to sprint for it!" laughing, she turned and ran away, the sound of her shoes on the grainy gravel loud, and echoing.

A-N

Hey-o!

This was for a contest from thefictionawards ! #SEP2016

Hope I won, but if I don't, kudos to whoever does!

Word count: 987 (not including author's note)

I thanks yous.

-V