The Heart Never Lies

The blood thrumming through my veins. My breathing coming out in short ragged breaths. The sound of my feet pounding the cement as I ran. All around me I hear cheers of those either for me or not. Just a few more feet and I’ll be done. Pushing myself harder I crossed the finish line just in front of my opponent. I slowly skidded to a stop. I look up to all the stands seeing almost every person standing.

My two best friends came up and hugged me. “Eww! You’re sweaty. I’ll wait till you take a shower.” Kayla stepped back. Sam rolled his eyes putting his arm around my shoulders anyway.

“I still think you’re gorgeous as ever! And your long slender legs running...” I smacked him in the chest. Kayla smirked.

“Wait till I tell your girlfriend.” She started walking toward a group of girls that consisted of Brooke; Sam’s all time crush since forever. Sometimes it sucks because she never ever notices him.

Sam grabbed her arm before she could make it a few steps away from us. “You tell her and I’ll tell Jacob about the notebook that’s all about him.” Kayla glared at him before crossing their arms.

“Anyway!” I interrupted. “I don’t even get congratulation for winning the race?” They turned their attention back to me. Again they flung their arms around me. The coach came up to me.

“Congrats, Hayden. You did very well.” I narrowed my eyes at her.

“We beat the whole county and all you’re saying is congrats? I think I deserve a hug.” She chuckled before pulling me into her arms. The coach from the opposite team came up to me next.

He was shaking his head but smiling none the less. “Wow I never thought I could see someone run that fast. Congratulations Hayden. You did well.” He shook my hand before walking away.

I scanned the stands and crowds to see if any of the people were my parents. I smiled when I saw them coming to me. “I’m so proud of you honey!” My mom hugged me tightly.

“Thanks mom.” My dad shoved my mom a little out of the way. He grinned at me before giving a big bear hug as he liked to put it. My mom smacked him in the arm before smiling at me again.

“Since you won, how we take you to dinner tonight?” My dad’s eyes were filled with excitement. I nodded my head motioning to Kayla and Sam.

“Only if they get to go to.” He looked to them and back to me.

“Of course.” Kayla put her hands up apologetically. “I’m sorry Hayden but my mom is making me go to this dinner for her work tonight. Maybe another night?” My smile faltered a little.

“I can! I can! I can!” Sam jumped up and down raising his hand. No doubt he can always make me smile. I talked some more before going into the locker room. I was carrying a towel that I used to wipe the sweat off my face and a water bottle.

The bottle slipped out of my hand. I bent down to pick it up. When I came back up something, or somebody, ran into me. I stumbled back the towel and water both slipping out of my hands.

“Whoa.” I felt hands grab my arms helping me keep my balance. I looked up to blue eyes.

“You know you can let go, Daniel.” Daniel instantly let go of me. The Daniel that used to be my best friend. The Daniel that I used to tell everything to. The Daniel that left me because I wasn’t popular enough.

He never even acknowledged me anymore. Before it was a hey to a nod to walking right past me without any sign that he notices me that I’m there. I’m quite fine with that. I mean my life isn’t going to evolve around him.

Yeah he was the only one that said hi to me when I first moved here. But that doesn’t mean anything. Apparently not for him. I gave thanks to him before getting my stuff going into the locker room.

“Wait, Hayden!” I looked back to Conner. One of Daniel’s closest friends. I think he’s the second best friend. Where as Rafe was the best-est friend.

“What,” I asked him. He smirked at me. Yep, as always, he was full of him self.

“Congrats on winning. Looked like that girl you beat was going to rip your head off.” I grinned at him. That’s all I did before going into the locker room.

Sucks that the locker rooms didn’t have showers. I had changed back into my shorts and t-shirt. I walked back outside stumbling to put my shoe on right. I ran right into something again.

Arms came around me again to help me keep my balance. I looked up to the same blue eyes that I did maybe twenty minutes ago.

“We really need to stop doing this.” Daniel chuckled. I did the same finally fixing my damn shoe.

“Tell me about it.” We weren’t mean to each other when we talked. Quite the opposite really. We tried to stay friends. But he always loved the attention while I preferred to stay back and mingle in the shadows.

I tucked some of my sandy blonde hair behind my ears and hitching my gym bag on my shoulder better. “Anyway,” He began. “You did an awesome job tonight. I learned to never challenge you to a race.”

I smirked at him. “That seems like something a lot of people would enjoy. The star soccer player race against the fastest track team runner.”

He laughed out loud. His eyebrows rose. “Is that a challenge I hear from you?” I shrugged. We talked a couple minutes more until Rafe came up behind him. He smiled at me. I gave him a little wave.

When I first met Rafe I thought he was a thug. But once I really started to talk to him I found out he was friendly and extremely funny. “Hello Hayden. How do you do?”

He bowed to me. I giggled making him stand up again. “I am fine thanks.” I gave me another smile before turning to Daniel. “Dude your mom is looking for you.” Daniel nodded.

“I’ll see you later Hayden.” I said by to the both of them. I headed to the parking lot to find my parents car. Sam stood by it arguing with Kayla. I swear one day there gonna cross the line. Either that or finally figure that they have feelings for each other and don’t want to admit. Bull crap they have crushes on Brooke and Jacob.

“Hey guys what’s happening?” I semi-yelled throwing my stuff into the back seat of the car. Kayla pushed Sam out of the way to stand in front of me.

“He says I should be more open with guys.” I looked at Sam who was shuffling his feet looking down. I shook my head. I can never leave them alone.

“Guys.” I scowled them. My mom and dad came to stand beside us.

“Sweetie we are leaving. You have to get ready. And reservations were made,” My mom told me. And I think Sam too. Since he was going with us. He came with us. So we kinda have to take him back.

“But I thought we were going because we won,” I asked confused. My dad narrowed his eyes at her.

“Way to go. We said it was going to be a congrats dinner.”

“Oh whatever, John.” I laughed saying goodbye to Kayla and promising that I would text her later.

Sam and I got in the backseat. As we drove out I barely noticed how many had come to see me race. But something inside me was especially excited that one of them was Daniel.

And quite frankly, that scared me. I sat back trying to relax my body. I hope dinner tonight went well.