Chapter 6
Olivia stuck her legs out in front of her and leaned forward. She felt the muscles along the backs of her legs stretch. Five days had passed since the last track meet.
Jessica sat down beside her. Her friend pulled her leg up toward her chest to stretch her hip muscles.
“This team doesn’t look that fast,” Jessica said. “It’s going to be an easy meet, I can tell.”
“I feel sick,” Olivia said. She wasn’t lying. Her stomach was rolling like she was about to throw up. But it wasn’t because she’d eaten something bad or because she had the flu. Olivia felt sick because she knew she was going to do it again. She was going to drop out of the race.
It wasn’t that she wanted to drop out of the race. In fact, what she really wanted to do was run. But as she looked around at the other team, she felt nervous. What if I come in last? Olivia thought. Everyone will laugh at me.
Jessica kept reading the meet schedule. “Oh, look, 3200 meters is up first,” she said, pointing to the schedule.
As if on cue, a voice came over the loudspeaker. “3200 meters, first event,” the announcer boomed.
Olivia took a deep breath and forced herself to stand up. As she walked past the bleachers, she heard Mom and Aunt Naomi yell, “Go, Olivia!”
Olivia swallowed hard. She couldn’t look up at them. Don’t drop out, she told herself. Just run the race.
Olivia took her place on the track. She was in lane three this time, beside the other five runners. One girl was almost six feet tall. She’s going to be fast, Olivia thought nervously. That means the pace is going to be really fast for everyone.
Olivia crouched down at the starting line with the rest of the runners and positioned her feet in the starting blocks. She kept her left foot slightly ahead of her right, and rested her fingertips lightly on the ground.
Crack! The starter’s gun sounded loudly. Olivia leapt off the line with the other runners. She had been right — the pace was fast. The tall girl sped to the front of the group. The others hurried to match the pace she set.
I can’t do it! Olivia thought. I can’t come in last in front of Aunt Naomi.
Olivia’s breathing started to become ragged. Ahead of her, she could see the tall girl still leading the pack. Everyone else seemed to be running easily. They didn’t seem to be struggling at all. The runners’ long legs ate up the track.
Olivia glanced over to her right as the runners rounded the second bend. A dark-haired girl was running next to her. The girl’s face was red, and she looked like she was struggling.
Maybe I can get ahead of her, Olivia thought. She concentrated on trying to pick up some speed so she could pass the other runner.
Suddenly the dark-haired girl shot her a glance and sped up too. The girl pulled ahead of Olivia.
Olivia started to panic, just like she’d done in the last race. There are still six more laps to go, she thought. I can’t do it. I can’t. I can’t!
As the runners neared the end of the track, Olivia slowed down and leaned over, clutching her leg. The other runners pounded ahead.
Coach Roberts ran over to her, looking concerned. “Olivia, what —” he started to say.
Without thinking, Olivia backed away, still grabbing her leg. “I don’t know what happened,” she moaned. “I think I pulled something.”
She limped off the track and toward the school. She was so embarrassed and mad at herself. Worst of all, she knew Aunt Naomi and Mom had seen the whole thing.