Love's Not A Competition

“We are getting a new kid!”
“Girl or boy?” asked Zeke.
“I heard she is a girl and she’s from Las Vegas. Do you think you’ll know her?” Brittney asked me.
“Do you know how big Las Vegas is?”
She shrugged before standing up. “That’s all I wanted to say. I have to go now; Aidan and I have some anime to watch.”
She grinned before leaving. I sighed and lay back down. Zeke sat next to me on the bed.
“What’d you want to tell me?” he asked.
“It doesn’t matter,” I sighed.
He looked at me funny before sighing.
“I was thinking, uh, do you maybe want to hang out at the track meet this weekend?” he asked.
“Uh, sure,” I smiled.
Saturday morning I sat on the bus next to Zeke. I had tried to sit at the front but when he stepped onto the bus he grabbed my arm and led me to the back of the bus. Everyone seemed to look at us as he pushed me across the backseat until I was pushed up against the window with him right beside me. When we arrived at Breakwater, Zeke didn’t move.
“Are we getting out?” I asked.

He turned and stared me in the eye for a few minutes before getting up. I shrugged off his weird behavior and followed him to the athletics track. The marathon races were up first. I stretched, getting ready for my own races. I could see Susie stretching with her classmates and frowned. I would beat her today, I had to. I could hear Brittney and Eric cheering in the bleachers. They waved when they saw I was looking and I grinned back at them. Sprints were up next and I walked up to the starting blocks. I had two races today, both 100m. It was another friendly meet but I was taking it seriously. I bent down, pushing my feet against the blocks and waited for the gunshot.

I smirked as it went off, gaining the lead immediately. Everything disappeared around me; I couldn’t hear anything or see anything except the finish line. I crossed it, taking a deep breath before everything came flooding back. The cheers from the crowd shook through me as Mr. Kingston came over. He passed me my water bottle before patting me on the back. I grinned at Brittney and Eric as they cheered louder. My teammates gave me the thumbs up as I walked over to where they were waiting for their own races. I was bathing in victory as I watched the others run their races. I won my second race by a split second. I could see Susie yelling at her coach after the race, making me smile. I could do it, I could beat her and soon enough I will be able to beat my own record.

I was silent on the bus ride home, a smile stuck on my face. Eric had driven to the meet with Brittney so I only had Zeke to talk to on the bus. He had forced me to sit with him again. We had sat together while watching our teammates and eaten lunch together with Brittney and Eric. I looked at him now, wondering how long this good mood would last. He was being civil and I was slightly worried if it was just an act. When we got back to the dorm I had to get ready with Brittney. Even though I didn’t like football I came for Brittney and Eric. They always came to my track meets so I would always go to their games for support, even though Brittney was only a cheerleader.

“Have you told him yet?” Brittney asked on the drive to the football game.
“No, you interrupted the other day and I haven’t rebuilt the confidence to tell him. Maybe I shouldn’t tell him at all. How do we know if he even likes me back? He’s out of my league.”
“That is not true! Look, maybe I can casually bring you up in a conversation and see how he feels.”
“When will you have time for that?” I asked.
“When you are training before dinner or at breakfast,” she grinned.
“Okay but make sure you don’t say anything that will make him suspicious.”
“I promise,” she said, a glint of determination in her eye.

I was slightly afraid of that look but didn’t get time to take back what I had said as we pulled into the parking lot. I sat by myself, not finding Zeke in the crowd. I watched Brittney as she led her squad and Eric as he tackled a player with the ball, making them fall to the ground. There was one point where Eric went flying into the ground after being tackled. I jumped up, ready to run onto the field as he lay still for a few minutes. The medics ran onto the field and he sat up, shaking his head under the helmet. He stood up and waved to the crowd, telling us he was alright. I sighed in relief and sat back down.

It was Monday morning when I saw the new girl. She looked oddly familiar but I couldn’t place her. She had long bleach blonde hair, blue eyes and a few light freckles scattered over her nose. Eric walked over to me, sighing deeply.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“I have to share a room with the new girl.”
“Why would you be sad about that? Aren’t you always complaining that you want a roommate and now that you have one you don’t want one, we just can’t please you,” Brittney said.

I smiled at her comment and kept an eye on the new girl.
“What’s her name?” Zeke asked Eric.
“Katie something, she told me but I forgot.”
“Geez, aren’t you a great guy?” Brittney teased.
“She sure is hot though,” Zeke said.
My eyes flashed to him quickly before looking away. Did he really not feel anything for me? We had been roommates for a while now and he still felt nothing? My feelings for him grew everyday and I can’t bear to hold it in any longer. I had to tell him soon before he found himself a girlfriend.

After training I walked back to the dorm room slowly. I had the new girl in a few of my classes and I still couldn’t figure out why she looked so familiar, maybe I saw her in passing or something. I hadn’t talked to her yet but I guess I was jealous that Zeke had said she was hot. I opened the door and glared at Zeke and the new girl.
“Jasmine, this is Katie,” Zeke said.
“I know,” I said, walking into the bathroom.
After my shower Katie was still in the room talking to Zeke. I was amazed he hadn’t made a move on her yet. I sat down on the bottom bed and waited for them to notice me. Katie turned to me first and smiled.

“Hi, so you’re Jasmine? Zeke’s told me about you,” she said.
“What did he say?” I asked, staring at Zeke.
“Oh, nothing bad,” Katie said.
Silence fell between us and Katie stood up.
“I have to go, I still have some unpacking to do,” she said.
Zeke said goodbye and she left.
“You didn’t have to be so rude,” Zeke said.
“Shut up, I wasn’t rude.”

He nodded, not believing me and climbed up the ladder to the top bed.
“So, what do you think of the new girl?” I asked after a while.
“You mean Katie, right?”
“Yeah,” I said.
“She seems nice and she is really hot. Why? Are you jealous?”
“No, why would I be jealous of her? It’s not like we are together or anything.”
“Why would we be together? We’re just friends, right?”
“Yeah, we’re just friends” I said, barely breathing.
My heart felt like it was going to explode, I just wanted to cry.