It had been a while since she’d last competed and she was pretty nervous. The football team was due to be back just after school, around the time the relay would be going on. The boys were in the middle of their relay when Sarah saw the bus with the football team pull in. They were loud and being rowdy so she knew they’d won. She smiled even though her stomach was doing flips. She hadn’t realized how nervous she was about Angel watching her race until now.
There were a few more relays before hers and she knew Angel would be out of the locker room and in the bleachers in plenty of time. She concentrated on stretching, bending her leg up behind her and holding her foot with her hand against her back thigh. Sofia stood next to her doing the same thing.
Valerie was in the bleachers with a few of her friends. She’d been excited to hear about Sarah running and was there to cheer her on.
The race before hers was about to start when she saw Angel and few other guys from the team headed to the bleachers. They were wearing their jerseys and were obviously still in a good mood about their win.
“Let’s go La Jolla!” Romero yelled at the track team.
As they got closer Sarah turned to Angel and their eyes met. He was freshly showered and his hair was still wet. He gave her his breathtaking smile and she melted.
They all sat in the bleachers behind Valerie and her friends. The race ended with the other school winning, but it was very close.
“We’re up.” Sofia said.
Sarah’s stomach tensed up even more as she walked to her place on the track. She glanced back at Angel. He was standing on the bleacher bench now looking right at her. He gave her a thumbs up and flashed that smile again.
She’d done this so many times before. Why the hell was she so damn nervous now?
The runners took off and Sarah frowned when she saw what a bad start her team got. The baton reached Sofia about two lengths after the other teams second place runner had already taken off.
“Turn it up Sof!” Eric yelled.
Sarah glanced at Eric who was standing next to Angel now on the bench, then back at Sofia who was just reaching the third place runner. The other team had an even bigger lead now. She’d been in this situation before and hoped she’d have the same outcome this time.
She got in position. Her opponent took off and she waited for her team member to catch up. The second the baton was in her hand she took off and felt the familiar adrenaline rush.
The other runner was a few lengths in front of her and running hard. Sarah concentrated gaining speed slowly as she made the turn. She felt it coming and she smiled. On the straight away she did what she’d always done best and gunned it. She gained on her opponent fast and could hear the bleachers going wild.
They were almost at the end of the stretch and were neck and neck. She could hear the girl grunting to stay with her. But a few feet before the finish Sarah took the lead and won. By the time she’d stopped it sunk in. She still had it.
She was still holding her knees and catching her breath. When Sofia came running after her screaming. “That was awesome, Sarah!”
Coach Rudy hurried toward her with a huge smile on his face. Sarah stood up straight and Sofia hugged her. She heaved but smiled. The coach handed her a bottle of water. “Damn, I need you on my team. That was outstanding.”
Sarah took a big drink of the water. It was ice cold and delicious. “Thank you.”
“C’mere,” he said and hugged her hard. “Sarah, I knew you had it, but not all that. You’re a natural.”
The three of them walked back toward the rest of the team. He kept his arm around her shoulders and continued to praise her performance.
He brought in the team for a short speech congratulating the stand outs. The team cheered the loudest when he mentioned Sarah. By that time the guys and Valerie and her friends were standing close enough to hear, so they cheered as well.
The coach smiled but shook his head in despair. “Sarah, sweetheart. I gotta find a way to keep you here. You’re breaking my heart.”
Sarah hated being put on the spot like that and she blushed. He put his arm around her and laughed. “She’s blushing. Will you look at that? Fast and adorable.”
Sarah felt her face burning. She didn’t even want to look at Angel. She could only imagine what he would say.
“Alright, bring it in.”
They all put their hands in a circle for the usual cheer and the meeting finished. She walked toward the guys.
Eric and Romero high fived her as soon as she reached them. “Girl, you were smokin’!” Romero said.
Sarah smiled and finally looked at Angel. To her relief, he didn’t look as mad as she’d thought he’d be. He walked up to her and leaned his forehead to hers. “You were amazing.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m so proud of you right now. You don’t even know.”
That really made her feel good and she kissed him.
“This is your moment. I won’t ruin it.” He kissed her again. “But if I ever see that pervert’s hands on you again, I’m gonna kick his ass.”
Sarah had to laugh. For a moment there she actually thought he was going to let it go.
*
The football team didn’t make it to the championships, losing in the second game of the playoffs to a team they’d beat during the regular season. It was a heartbreaking loss, but Sarah had her own special way of consoling Angel.
It had been just over two months since she’d started going out with Angel and already she felt like she’d known him forever. Still, every kiss they shared felt as exciting and as passionate as that first night, if not more so.