Lunar Secrets
Chapter 2 - Track Practice and the Family
“Hustle girls, hustle!” Coach Kim yelled at us as we went through our daily drills and stretches. “When you’re done, take a break and be ready to compete when I call your name.” I ran over the line, taking a deep breath as I went to the back of the line as Kat followed behind me shortly after.
“Man, coach is killing us today,” she panted, placing her hand over her head. I just nodded my head, too winded to reply back. But I jumped when Kat nudged my side. “Look who came to watch practice though,” she said as she looked over to the stands. I turned my head and groaned, seeing a group of new students gathered on the stands.
“So? They’re just some new kids.” Kat rolled her eyes.
“Look closely. Don’t two of them look very familiar?”
I squinted to try to see the boy’s faces and vaguely made out Blake and Kat’s “bad boy” among them. I groaned, turning my head as I ran a hand through my hair. “Those son of-“
“Ashlyn! You’re up,” Coach Kim shouted.
I sighed softly before I got up, stretching out my back a bit before jogging over to Coach.
“So Ashlyn, are you wanting to participate in only sprinting events?”
I shook my head. “I was thinking maybe only hurdles and the throwing events.”
She nodded her head, writing on her clipboard before she pointed over to the field. “Go do the throwing events with Coach Rob and then come back to do the hurdles. I’m going to have all the sprinting runs go first before I set up the hurdles.”
I nodded my head before I jogged over to the other end of the field where several other girls were already throwing discs or shot puts.
I waved over at the throwing coach before grabbing a disc and standing in line to try get some warm up throws before the mock competition.
“Alright girls. 10 minutes and we begin. You can continue to practice, but listen. You will all get three throws and I will take your best distance. After everyone has thrown, I will take the top four throwers to compete on Saturday. “
I sighed, deciding to keep my throws simple until the real thing. Today’s practice sure will be interesting.
xXxXxXx
“Congratulations,” Kat told me as she raised her fist to me. I grinned at her, tapping my own fist wit hers.
“You too. I can’t believe you managed to beat Melissa in the 10k.”
She grinned, picking up her water bottle before dousing her head with it. “I couldn’t either. But I guess all that training and playing soccer with our friends paid off. But you did well, too.”
I frowned, remembering my fall during the 100 hurdles run. “I fell.”
“But you’re still in the discus and 400 hurdles event.” A small smile came on my face.
“True. But I don’t think anyone will ever let my fall drop, especially Melissa.”
Kat just waved her hand. “No one cares what she says … or at least, I don’t and that’s all that counts.”
I laughed as we both picked up our duffel bags and began walking over to Kat’s car. But before we even got halfway through the parking lot, we were interrupted by my self-proclaimed friend.
“Hey Ashlyn. I didn’t know you were a track star.”
I sighed as Blake threw his arm over my shoulders. “You do know I’m sweaty and probably stink, right?”
Blake sniffed my head and made a disgusted face, withdrawing his arm. “You’re right. You do stink.”
I softly punched his arm, rolling my eyes as he pouted and rubbed the spot I hit him. “Wuss.”
He rolled his eyes before congratulating Kat on her victory, soon talking about which event was the best.
“Hey.” I jumped, looking up to see the guy from the cafeteria.
“Hey,” I answered, looking up and down his body real quick. He was definitely better looking up close.
“I’m Damon, Blake’s friend.”
“Ashlyn, Blake’s self-proclaimed friend,” I said, a smile on my face as humor set on his face.
“So I’ve heard. Hope he wasn’t too much of a bother.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “Not too much. He’s an interesting guy though.”
He nodded his head, a smile growing on his face. I felt something stir within me, causing confusion to set in. It felt weird, not like I had a crush on Damon or something, but as though something was invading my head.
“Are you okay?” I heard Damon’s voice ask. I nodded my head, plastering a smile on my face.
“Yeah, sorry. Zoned out a bit there. I guess I’m just a bit tired.” He nodded his head before grabbing Blake’s shoulder.
“Well, I guess we better leave you girls to go home. See you guys tomorrow?” he asked as I just nodded my head. As soon as Blake said his own goodbye, the pair was gone.
I turned to Kat and smirked when I saw the blush that was on her face. “Hm, I wonder what you guys were talking about,” I teased her as her face turned even redder.
“It was nothing like that!” She protested, throwing her bag into the back of her car. I followed suit, though the smirk didn’t leave my face.
“Sure.” I teased, climbing into the passenger seat. She rolled her eyes and huffed as she sat in her own seat, starting up the car before we shot out of the parking lot.
“Whatever Ashlyn. But are you okay? You’re looking a bit flushed, and not in the good way either,” she said, quickly glancing over at me before turning back to the road. I frowned, digging through my bag until I found my compact mirror and I took a look at myself. She was right. My entire face took on a pinkish hue.
“I don’t know. I feel fine though,” I told her as I snapped my mirror closed before putting it back in my bag. She just nodded her head, pulling up in front of Walmart. I smiled at her, thanking her before I got out, taking my bag with me.
“Why don’t you ever let me drop you off at your house?” she asked me, like she did every time she took me home.
“I told you, it’s not my home. And besides, I don’t want you to be seen by the stupid people I live with,” I told her honestly. She just shook her head, although she was used to my cryptic answers. “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow.” She said before she drove off. I made sure to wait until I couldn’t see her car anymore before I started walking down one of the many back roads that surrounded the supercenter. Soon, I approached a tall, aging building, squished between two taller and newer buildings.
“Home sweet home,” I muttered under my breath as I walked into the house, my ears greeted with screaming, laughing, and crying. I sighed, dumping my bag in one of the closets near the front door and went off in search of the source of the crying, soon spying a small red-headed child crying as a boy about two years older than her sat on the couch, watching some show on the television. I picked the small girl up and patted her back.
“Shh. What’s wrong Angela?” I cooed at the three year old. She sniffed, rubbing her chubby fists over her face before pointing to the boy. “Ronnie won’t let me watch cartoon,” she said, a small pout on her face.
I sighed, carrying the child up to my room and placing her on my bed. I got my laptop, saving and closing all my open documents before I popped a DVD into the laptop and placed it in front of the small toddler. “Here, watch Ponyo,” I told the child before I turned to go look for Mrs. Wills.
“Mrs. Wills!” I yelled out, hoping I was heard over all the kids.
“Kitchen!” I heard her voice call back and I smiled, quickly making my way over to the kitchen.
“Hey Mrs. Wills,” I greeted the older women. She turned to me and smiled as she greeted me. “Did you take care of whoever was crying?” I nodded my head as I looked at what she was making on the stove. “Angie just wanted to watch cartoons but Ronnie was watching the tv already.”
Mrs. Wills swatted me away as I tried to sneak a taste at the pasta. “Not yet. Go make some salad if you’re going to stay in the kitchen,” she said, shooing me over to the refrigerator. I sighed, but got the ingredients out of the fridge to go make a Caesar salad.
“So how was school?” She asked me as she stuck a batch of garlic bread into the oven.
“It was fine. But we had more new kids today.”
“More kids? How many today?”
“Only two that I know of. But a total of 23 so far.”
She shook her head. “I can’t believe the number of families that are just coming into this town. I don’t know how they all found out about this small town in such a short amount of time.”
I shrugged my shoulders as I finished up the salad. She looked at it and nodded her head, grabbing the bowl away from me. “Go grab the kids for dinner, alright?” I nodded my head as went about gathering everyone for dinner.
“Man, coach is killing us today,” she panted, placing her hand over her head. I just nodded my head, too winded to reply back. But I jumped when Kat nudged my side. “Look who came to watch practice though,” she said as she looked over to the stands. I turned my head and groaned, seeing a group of new students gathered on the stands.
“So? They’re just some new kids.” Kat rolled her eyes.
“Look closely. Don’t two of them look very familiar?”
I squinted to try to see the boy’s faces and vaguely made out Blake and Kat’s “bad boy” among them. I groaned, turning my head as I ran a hand through my hair. “Those son of-“
“Ashlyn! You’re up,” Coach Kim shouted.
I sighed softly before I got up, stretching out my back a bit before jogging over to Coach.
“So Ashlyn, are you wanting to participate in only sprinting events?”
I shook my head. “I was thinking maybe only hurdles and the throwing events.”
She nodded her head, writing on her clipboard before she pointed over to the field. “Go do the throwing events with Coach Rob and then come back to do the hurdles. I’m going to have all the sprinting runs go first before I set up the hurdles.”
I nodded my head before I jogged over to the other end of the field where several other girls were already throwing discs or shot puts.
I waved over at the throwing coach before grabbing a disc and standing in line to try get some warm up throws before the mock competition.
“Alright girls. 10 minutes and we begin. You can continue to practice, but listen. You will all get three throws and I will take your best distance. After everyone has thrown, I will take the top four throwers to compete on Saturday. “
I sighed, deciding to keep my throws simple until the real thing. Today’s practice sure will be interesting.
xXxXxXx
“Congratulations,” Kat told me as she raised her fist to me. I grinned at her, tapping my own fist wit hers.
“You too. I can’t believe you managed to beat Melissa in the 10k.”
She grinned, picking up her water bottle before dousing her head with it. “I couldn’t either. But I guess all that training and playing soccer with our friends paid off. But you did well, too.”
I frowned, remembering my fall during the 100 hurdles run. “I fell.”
“But you’re still in the discus and 400 hurdles event.” A small smile came on my face.
“True. But I don’t think anyone will ever let my fall drop, especially Melissa.”
Kat just waved her hand. “No one cares what she says … or at least, I don’t and that’s all that counts.”
I laughed as we both picked up our duffel bags and began walking over to Kat’s car. But before we even got halfway through the parking lot, we were interrupted by my self-proclaimed friend.
“Hey Ashlyn. I didn’t know you were a track star.”
I sighed as Blake threw his arm over my shoulders. “You do know I’m sweaty and probably stink, right?”
Blake sniffed my head and made a disgusted face, withdrawing his arm. “You’re right. You do stink.”
I softly punched his arm, rolling my eyes as he pouted and rubbed the spot I hit him. “Wuss.”
He rolled his eyes before congratulating Kat on her victory, soon talking about which event was the best.
“Hey.” I jumped, looking up to see the guy from the cafeteria.
“Hey,” I answered, looking up and down his body real quick. He was definitely better looking up close.
“I’m Damon, Blake’s friend.”
“Ashlyn, Blake’s self-proclaimed friend,” I said, a smile on my face as humor set on his face.
“So I’ve heard. Hope he wasn’t too much of a bother.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “Not too much. He’s an interesting guy though.”
He nodded his head, a smile growing on his face. I felt something stir within me, causing confusion to set in. It felt weird, not like I had a crush on Damon or something, but as though something was invading my head.
“Are you okay?” I heard Damon’s voice ask. I nodded my head, plastering a smile on my face.
“Yeah, sorry. Zoned out a bit there. I guess I’m just a bit tired.” He nodded his head before grabbing Blake’s shoulder.
“Well, I guess we better leave you girls to go home. See you guys tomorrow?” he asked as I just nodded my head. As soon as Blake said his own goodbye, the pair was gone.
I turned to Kat and smirked when I saw the blush that was on her face. “Hm, I wonder what you guys were talking about,” I teased her as her face turned even redder.
“It was nothing like that!” She protested, throwing her bag into the back of her car. I followed suit, though the smirk didn’t leave my face.
“Sure.” I teased, climbing into the passenger seat. She rolled her eyes and huffed as she sat in her own seat, starting up the car before we shot out of the parking lot.
“Whatever Ashlyn. But are you okay? You’re looking a bit flushed, and not in the good way either,” she said, quickly glancing over at me before turning back to the road. I frowned, digging through my bag until I found my compact mirror and I took a look at myself. She was right. My entire face took on a pinkish hue.
“I don’t know. I feel fine though,” I told her as I snapped my mirror closed before putting it back in my bag. She just nodded her head, pulling up in front of Walmart. I smiled at her, thanking her before I got out, taking my bag with me.
“Why don’t you ever let me drop you off at your house?” she asked me, like she did every time she took me home.
“I told you, it’s not my home. And besides, I don’t want you to be seen by the stupid people I live with,” I told her honestly. She just shook her head, although she was used to my cryptic answers. “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow.” She said before she drove off. I made sure to wait until I couldn’t see her car anymore before I started walking down one of the many back roads that surrounded the supercenter. Soon, I approached a tall, aging building, squished between two taller and newer buildings.
“Home sweet home,” I muttered under my breath as I walked into the house, my ears greeted with screaming, laughing, and crying. I sighed, dumping my bag in one of the closets near the front door and went off in search of the source of the crying, soon spying a small red-headed child crying as a boy about two years older than her sat on the couch, watching some show on the television. I picked the small girl up and patted her back.
“Shh. What’s wrong Angela?” I cooed at the three year old. She sniffed, rubbing her chubby fists over her face before pointing to the boy. “Ronnie won’t let me watch cartoon,” she said, a small pout on her face.
I sighed, carrying the child up to my room and placing her on my bed. I got my laptop, saving and closing all my open documents before I popped a DVD into the laptop and placed it in front of the small toddler. “Here, watch Ponyo,” I told the child before I turned to go look for Mrs. Wills.
“Mrs. Wills!” I yelled out, hoping I was heard over all the kids.
“Kitchen!” I heard her voice call back and I smiled, quickly making my way over to the kitchen.
“Hey Mrs. Wills,” I greeted the older women. She turned to me and smiled as she greeted me. “Did you take care of whoever was crying?” I nodded my head as I looked at what she was making on the stove. “Angie just wanted to watch cartoons but Ronnie was watching the tv already.”
Mrs. Wills swatted me away as I tried to sneak a taste at the pasta. “Not yet. Go make some salad if you’re going to stay in the kitchen,” she said, shooing me over to the refrigerator. I sighed, but got the ingredients out of the fridge to go make a Caesar salad.
“So how was school?” She asked me as she stuck a batch of garlic bread into the oven.
“It was fine. But we had more new kids today.”
“More kids? How many today?”
“Only two that I know of. But a total of 23 so far.”
She shook her head. “I can’t believe the number of families that are just coming into this town. I don’t know how they all found out about this small town in such a short amount of time.”
I shrugged my shoulders as I finished up the salad. She looked at it and nodded her head, grabbing the bowl away from me. “Go grab the kids for dinner, alright?” I nodded my head as went about gathering everyone for dinner.