Chapter 26: RACE

Maya's POV

Present day

"Can all runners please come to the starting line? The race will be starting in five minutes!" A man's voice calls over the intercom.

"That's me," I smile finishing my stretches. Aunt Ali then pulls me into a hug.

"Good luck," She whispers.

"Thanks."

"Now focus. I don't want you to worry about tomorrow," She says. I groan.

"I'd just managed to get that out of my head," I whine.

"Sorry," She says sincerely. "Now go."

I nod and then walk over to the start line. There was quite a few people here for me. Of course Aunt Ali and Deekes were here, and then there was Cuddy, Foreman, Chase and Wilson. Everyone was here except House. I wasn't expecting it especially due to fact I hadn't been particularly nice to be around recently with my MCAT tomorrow. I was jittery when I was nervous with my anxiety escalating.

"Yo speedy!" Deekes yells from behind me. "Good luck!"

I smile at him and take my place. I put in one earphone and slip my I-pod into my armband as I start to run through my tactics. Steady rhythm right left right left, keep it in time with the music and your breathing. You always run best listening to music. Watch your steps. It was raining last night and left potholes and a lot of mud.

Focus. Focus. Focus.

I take a deep breath as the Official walks up to the side.

"On your mark! Get set!" He yells,

He fires the gun into the air.

I start running at my own speed.

I've got this.

Cameron's POV

I stand at the in the field with Cuddy, the team, Wilson and Deekes waiting for Maya to finish. Her personal best for this was the highest in her section and she bordered on Olympic level but I was unsure if she'd be able to pull that off today. However I knew she'd do well. She always did.

"So where does Maya usually place?" Chase asks.

"First," I smirk. "She hid that one well. Nobody knew she could run until she just did."

"What's her tactics?" Cuddy asks. "She's hung quite far back."

"She goes at her own speed. Most people tire quickly so she overtakes them easily. She then runs the last two hundred to three hundred metres flat out," I explain.

"That's smart," Cuddy smiles.

"She runs with her headphones in. When she runs she loses herself. She keeps the rhythm of her steps in time to the music. She usually runs to Punk or Heavy rock music."

"When will she be finished?"

"I give her ten minutes."

Maya's POV

I keep my rhythm steady and breathing calm. I was under two kilometres off finishing. Right left right left. Mud splashes the whole way up my legs and my thighs are scratched from having to run through a particularly heavily wooded area but I keep my eyes focused on the terrain and keep my rhythm.

The burning in my muscles and lungs keeps me going. Keeps me focused. Makes me forget. I start to push myself harder as the next song starts. Left right left right.

I walk a lonely road, the only one that I have ever known. Don't know where it goes, but it's home to me and I walk alone.

I keep going. I was now in second place.

Push harder. Come on! Push!

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me. My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating. Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me. 'Til then I walk alone.

I push harder and harder until I overtake first place and then pass the 7km marker. I start to force that last burst of energy. Adrenalin course through my veins. Left right left right. Breathe in. Breathe out. I reach the 400m point.

Run Maya.

Sprint.

I cross the line and keep the pace going so I don't stop dead and hurt myself. I eventually come to halt and the coach falls in beside me. He hands me a bottle of water and I take it gratefully. I was breathing heavily and my muscles ached but I felt great.

"That's my girl!" He says giving me a hug. "First place! And do you want to know the best part is?"

"What?" I say breathing heavily. I open the bottle and take a swig.

"You beat your personal best by over a minute and a half!"

"I did what!?"

"You got twenty-five minutes and fifty seconds. They think it's the fastest time recorded on this course," He grins.

Before I can respond, I'm practically tackled by Deekes. He pulls me into a bear hug and spins me around. My breath had only just calmed slightly and it goes out in a whoosh.

"Deekes!" I rasp.

"That's my Speedy!" He exclaims.

"You two have two minutes before Dr Cameron comes over!" The coach says leaving.

The coach is barely gone before Deekes kisses me hard. I grin into the kiss and wrap my arms around his neck. He pulls back and I lean against him breathing heavily. Despite being slightly hidden this was one of the most public displays of affection he's ever shown.

"What was that for?" I breathe heavily.

"Just saying congratulations," He smiles.

"That was a congratulations?" I chuckle still catching my breath.

"It was also a sort of goodbye… When your Aunt gets a hold of you there's no hope I'm going to see you again till tomorrow night. When she comes over she's going to congratulate you, there will then be the awarding of medals and so on and then she will bring you home and help you study for your MCAT," He says.

"Of course the great MCAT," I say sarcastically. Inside I was freaking out. You are not going to fail them. You are not going to fail them.

My mind drifts to the last time I thought I failed them. What I'd did…

"You okay?" Deekes asks breaking through my thoughts.

"Uh yeah," I say. "Fine."

I smile as convincingly as I can at him. It doesn't work. Deekes pulls be tighter into his arms and I nuzzle into him.

"You're not going to let them down Maya," He whispers. "I promise you that they are so proud of you. Your parents would be so proud of you."

I hope they were. Gosh I hope they were.