Hi! I am a huge finding sky fan so I couldn't resist writing a story even though I probably should be revising...oh well! Hope you enjoy,
Complete Chocoholic.
The gun fired, and before my brain could even process what was happening my body jerked forwards. I sprinted along the track, already feeling the burn in my muscles. I knew I wasn't supposed to, but a quick glance around told me I was well in the lead, as usual.
The runner to my left was Hayley Whittock from Bath uni, good at the 1500m but sprinting was less of her thing. To my right, Joanne Bright from Sussex, a girl who had the longest legs I have even seen, but not much coordination. It was due to her giant legs that she usually pulled in second place, a few seconds after me.
I don't really know why I am a good runner. My mother was 5 foot 2, not exactly the ideal physique for a sprinter, and my father was about average for a man. One of the things that still gets to me and makes me cry myself to sleep at night, even to this day, is that they never got to see me run. Both of them were so caught up in their own hectic lifestyles that they could never find the time to come and support me at a single race. I suppose then I thought running was just going to be a hobby, an occasional break from school life on a Tuesday afternoon, not my life plan like it is now, but I still have a twinge of anger at them everytime it crosses my mind.
It's unfair, I know. They would have come to see me when I got better and when I decided to plan my life around running. We could have been like a normal family: celebrating whenever I won anything, discussing tactics and other runners and their parents and the track...anything! But then there was a car crash, and this future died with them.
No, stop. I thought to myself. This is really not the time. I focused instead on the cheering crowd through my blurry eyes. 10 paces to go, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. I stopped running, bracing my hands on the back of my head and taking huge gulps of air.
I had won. I was the national 400m champion for the fourth time in a row. Despite my thoughts earlier about my parents, I broke into a smile. Next year, I would definitely be going to the olympics now. The thought amazed me, it still seemed like something that only amazing athletes competed in, an impossible dream from when I was a child.
"Congratulations, once again VioleMt."
Looking up, I saw my coach beaming at me, I was his star pupil.
"Thanks, Coach Hadley," I said. He had coached me right from the start, through my ups and downs, and taught me from all of them. It sounds stupid to say but I kind of thought of him as a second father, and I know he thought of me like a daughter.
"I'm so proud of you, and I know you would have done your parents proud too. I know they would love to be here with you right now."
"Thank you sir." Tears glistened in my eyes - I couldn't help it.
"Get over to the bench then, the presentation will be later." He gave me an encouraging smile.
"Thanks." I brushed past him, ignoring the glares of the other girls in my race and headed over towards the Bristol bench.
I was immediately pulled into a massive hug by my friend, Suzie. She was a high jumper, and she did her event earlier and came second.
"Oh my god!" she screamed into my ear. "You are such a legend, Vee, should I be kneeling down to you?"
"No, of course n-" I began to say, but was stopped by her screaming again. "Oh my god!"
Whilst she told me how amazing I was, I became aware of all the people watching us. My eye was drawn to a large family in the stands over looking the track below. There was a small woman, clutching the hand of a large man with jet black hair. He looked like a former wrestler, very attractive for an older man, I had to admit. In the row below them were seven boys, all absolutely gorgeous. They were all broad shouldered, dark haired men, and there was a certain air of confidence about them.
Next to them were two stunning girls, gossiping away to each other. One was slightly Italian looking - olive skin, dark, straight hair - and the other was a petite blonde.
But my eyes were quickly drawn back to a boy in the middle of his brothers (I assumed, they looked so much like each other). He was gorgeous, dark eyebrows and soft hair.
Wait, what was I doing? I was never like this, never interested in boys...that was Suzie's job. Focusing again, I looked at Suzie. She had a cheeky grin on her face.
"Noticed them then, huh?" She laughed at my expression. "They're amazing, aren't they? I did some research, they've come from America on holiday, and they're looking at Bristol university as a possibility for Xavier - he's the one in the middle. Apparently he's, like, an Olympic standard skier and he's also a runner, not sure exactly what though, you know, long distance or sprinter."
"Oh," was the imaginative response I came up with. "I think I'm gonna go get changed."
"No! Don't! Guys dig running outfits, and there are some guys you might want to impress..." She jerked her head over her shoulder, grinning.
"Okay, fine." I undid my big blonde wavy hair, and then retired it in a high ponytail. I sat down on the bench, and we turned to watch the next event.
That evening, after I had grabbed all my work from my locker and clothes from the changing room (thankfully they held the national athletics championships at Bristol university this year) I started to head off home.
It was getting dark, the stars and moon just appearing over the horizon. It was only a ten minute walk from my flat to uni, and I swear I can walk it blind folded, I've walked it do many times.
5 minutes into the walk, I heard loud laughter and chatter, and noticed the gorgeous family from earlier walking behind me. They were probably headed for the hotel nearby.
I took a short cut onto the back street alleys, leaving the family behind on the main road. Thinking about the run today, I wasn't aware of the heavy footsteps behind me until they were quite close.
I turned, my blood frozen in my veins. It was a man, stalking in the shadows. It's okay, just keep walking and pretend you haven't noticed, I mentally reassured myself. I could see my flat up ahead of me, and I quickened my pace slightly, desperate to reach the safety of my flat and-
"You can't outrun me, Violet Bevens." I turned, startled. "I know what you are, and what your power is - and a power of that ability should not be wasted. You could be of great use to us."
"Who are you? What do you want?" I replied, freaking out. My hands fumbled for my money, I would give him everything in my purse if it meant he would leave me alone.
"Now, that is none of your business, is it really? All you need to know is that a fantastic job opportunity has opened up, and I want you to be that person. So, I suggest you get in the car."
A black car with tinted windows I hadn't even noticed before slinked out of the shadows. I had always known I was a savant, and that my powers could be extremely powerful if I chose to use them in that way, but ever since my parents had died four years ago I had shoved it to the back of my mind and ignored it. Now everything was flooding back, and it wasn't welcome.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not interested." I turned to leave.
"Nice try, but I'm afraid you don't have a decision in this." Before I knew what was happening my arm jerked backwards behind me. I heard a sickening snap, and then pain pounded through me. I screamed then, gave it all I had, praying that somebody would hear me. He wouldn't use his power in front of a human, surely?
"Shut up, girl!" The man ran towards me, anger blazing in his eyes. He made a move to grab me, and in that instant I knew I had to use my power. However much I might not want to, I didn't have a choice now.
I pictured myself, fading, flickering away, until I had that out-of-body feeling I hadn't felt for so long. It was what told me I was invisible. The man grabbed handfuls of air infront of me, searching for me.
"You know that won't work, Violet. I can still do this." He closed his eyes, seeking me.
The left leg was ripped backwards, unnaturally far. I screamed out in agony, flickering back into my visible form. I crumpled to the ground, helpless, whimpering.
And then I saw him. The gorgeous boy from earlier in the stands, running towards the man. He had seen me shift into my invisible form and the man break my arm and leg...he knew we weren't human. So why wasn't he running away?
Before I could shout out for him to stop, to get away while he still could, he dragged the man away from me, delivery a swift punch to his jaw. The other man made a move to punch him back, but he blocked it and punched him again, knocking him out.
Discarding the unconscious body in the gutter a little way away, he ran over to me.
Hello? He said into my mind. Are you okay?
I was jolted with a swirl of emotions - relief, happiness, confusion, and pure utter joy. Soul finder. He was my soul finder. Suddenly my life was complete and it was like he was the missing puzzle piece I had been searching for my whole life, even if I hadn't realised it at the time.
I lay there on the alley floor, staring up into his eyes as he crouched above me. We're soul finders, I replied, smiling in sheer happiness.
I watched his face go through the same emotions as me. He gasped slightly, his eyes seemed to brighten and his hand moved to ever-so-gently caress my cheek.
"I never thought I'd find you." He replied. "You're gorgeous, by the way." He grinned, now stroking my hair.
"I could say the same for you."
Hope you enjoyed once again, please don't be afraid to leave a review. Like/dislike/love/hate?
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Complete Chocoholic