Welcome back, readers! Hope the last chapter didn't leave you feeling TOO upset, because the story continues now! Sit back, relax and enjoy the next part of Chasing Heart! Thank you so far to everyone who has read/reviewed/both. :D
The day of the race, Vanessa felt determined, but her heart was still sunk in all she had lost to gain this right. She began to wonder if this was all worth it? No, she couldn't give this up now, then what good would have enduring all that suffering would have been? As she went to her locker to gather her things, she sighed lightly, heading down to the girls' changing room in the lower floor of the school to get in her track outfit.
In the principal's office, Mr. Kingsley sighed lightly as he spoke to Taryn. "Yeth. I promithe, I will give you exthtra credit for math tho you don't fail again."
Taryn smiled lightly, nodding. "Thanks, Mr. Kingsley. I'm glad we see eye to eye on this. I'll go get the girls now and we'll head straight there." She said before leaving his office. Mr. Kingsley plopped down in his chair, holding his head.
"See how simple that was, old man?" A voice spoke after the girl left, the individual entering the office.
"I don't want to thpeak to you. I did what I had to do. Vanetha Vonsthtark will not rathe!"
"Good. Now you and I get what we both want. I'll meet you at the bleachers outside."
Meanwhile, Vanessa was about to head out when she was met with Taryn, Candace, Randy and Gregory.
"Uh, boys aren't allowed in here." Vanessa said, looking between all of them. Gregory shoved his hands in his pockets, glancing to the side sadly when Vanessa glared at him.
"Oh, but we just wanted to wish you luck today." Taryn smiled. "After all, the fate of the championship rests on us now."
"Oookay... something's not right here. You guys hate my guts. What's going on here, what do you want? Get to the point and cut the charade." Vanessa said.
Candace shrugged. "You said it, not me."
Taryn snapped her fingers, and Vanessa widened her eyes as Randy grabbed her, Candace opening her locker. Vanessa struggled, but between the two of them, she couldn't fight them off as they shoved her inside. Gregory snapped out of his funk, his eyes widening.
"H- Hey! No, wait, stop that!" He shouted, trying to get Randy off of Vanessa but Taryn pulled him back, smirking.
"You wanna stay in our group, don't you Gregory? This is what happens to losers like her. You're just helping us keep everything in order." Taryn said.
Candace shoved the door shut to Vanessa's locker, trapping her inside. "Enjoy spending the race in your little dungeon, Vanessa!"
"No! NO! Let me out, please! Gregory! Gregory, please don't let them do this to me! I have to go to that race!" Vanessa cried from inside.
"Gregory doesn't LIKE you anymore, Vanessa!" Candace shouted. "He's my guy now, so forget it!"
As they left, laughing amongst themselves, Gregory glanced back, the sounds of Vanessa screaming, crying and banging against the inside of the locker pulling at his heart strings. But if he tried to help her, he couldn't fight the group of heartless children on his own. Suddenly, a thought came into his head.
"Come on Gregory, come to the track with us!" Candace shouted.
"Sure, but um... I'm just going to get us some snacks first... you all need a boost before the big race, right?" He said.
"Wait a minute... you're not going to try to help Vanessa, are you?" Taryn narrowed her eyes.
"Help her? No, I was being stupid back there, you know? I promise, she's gonna feel real bad when this is all over." Gregory said, hoping that he sounded at least somewhat convincing.
"Get me a Baby Ruth!" Randy said, making Taryn lower her guard.
"Fine. Hurry back, lover boy." She smirked, and she joined the others in heading to the track.
Once gone, Gregory hurried out of the school, running down the road. "I have to hurry... if I can't get her out of there before this race starts, she'll never forgive me!"
Ralph sat in the tree tops, his eyes closed in deep thought. Even if she hated him, he hoped that she won the race today and found happiness. Little did he know that other forces were working against her, and he would no longer be ignorant of this when he heard footsteps enter the forest. He opened his eyes, glancing down and was surprised to see Gregory.
"So... what do you do after school anyway? You always disappear for a few hours."
"I train. I have a... a friend that helps me."
"A friend? I thought I was your friend."
"Of course you are, dummy. Just because I have another friend doesn't mean I don't like you."
"I guess." He smiled. "So who is he? I didn't know you hung out with anyone else from school."
"He isn't from school. He... he's a bit different. I see him in the forest every day. But you can't tell anyone, not a single soul, got it?"
"Sure, okay. So why's he gotta be secret?"
"Because he's... not from around here. That's all you've gotta know."
"Hey!" Gregory shouted. "Vanessa's friend! If you're here, she's in trouble! I... I really screwed up, and I need your help!" He jumped a bit when he heard a loud thud near him, looking around. "Hello? Are you Vanessa's friend?"
Ralph stood behind the large rock, again avoiding being seen. "Yes. Are you the human boy who caused her pain?"
Gregory lowered his head at that. "Yeah... I... I guess I got caught up in everything. I can't take back what I did, but... you can still help her. In the school... the locker rooms, the other kids trapped her in there. I can tell you how to get inside, but... the race starts in twenty minutes. If she isn't out there when that race starts... everything she worked for will have been for nothing."
Ralph clenched his fists, trying to stay composed. "Are you sure of this?"
"Yes. I'll tell you how to get inside." Gregory answered.
Ralph listened intently, and the moment Gregory finished, he was off. Gregory did not get a clear sight of the man because of his speed, but he caught a glimpse of what Vanessa meant when she said he was different.
He hadn't a moment to lose. This was his only chance of redemption, to make up to Vanessa where he had failed. He paused only for a moment at the edge of the forest to make sure the coast was clear. Everyone was at the track, so he had no problem getting into the school unseen.
At the same time, Mr. Kingsley joined the spectators on the bleachers, scanning the track. He sighed lightly when he saw no sign of Vanessa, jumping when he felt a light hand on his shoulder.
"Hey, Mr. Kingsley." It was none other than Sonny Hedger, smiling lightly as he ran a hand through his hair. "So, where's the star girl you were telling me about...?"
"O- Oh, er..." Mr. Kingsley tugged a bit on his shirt collar. "I apologithe, mithter Hedger, but it seemth she couldn't make it today."
"Huh... from what you told me you said she was pretty good. Shame, I would have liked to have seen her in action."
"Y- Yeth, sure..." He looked down to Coach Bill, getting his attention. "Coach Bill, get the ratherth ready!"
"But sir, we are missing a third person from our school to-"
"Jutht get thith rathe thtarted!" He snapped.
Vanessa was curled up inside the locker, hugging herself. She looked up at the light flooding in from the slits in the locker door, sobbing as she wiped her face. She jumped when she suddenly heard a loud CRASH, sitting up straighter.
"H- Hello? Is someone there? Please, let me out of here!" She cried, banging on the door. She was about to hit it again when the door was torn away, squeaking a bit as she fell forward, catching herself. She was met with a pair of large feet, slowly looking up as she stood. "R- Ralph...?" She breathed. "How... how did you know I was here?"
Ralph smiled upon her sadly, discarding the locker door aside. "A certain human boy warned me of what happened to you." He replied, sighing lightly. "I apologize... for being a fool."
Vanessa's expression softened, and she smiled a bit. "And...?"
Ralph shifted his weight a bit. "And, I was wrong for what I did."
"... And?" Vanessa smiled, raising her brows.
Ralph sighed, smiling back. "And... I am a big lummox."
"The biggest lummox ever." Vanessa giggled.
"Now, there is no time to waste. You must get to that race."
Vanessa gasped. "You're right! Oh no, I won't make it in time!"
"You will... with my help." Ralph smiled, scooping the girl up and smashing through the already broken doorway out of the locker room, heading back into the forest. He ran around the perimeter and up to the back of the bleachers, dropping her off faster than if she had ran straight to the track.
"Thanks... Ralph." She smiled, and she headed quickly to the track.
In his heart, Ralph felt something he hadn't felt in a long time... true happiness. He felt content with his actions, satisfied he had done the right thing. Now, they both had a chance to achieve their dreams.
As Vanessa approached the track, Mr. Kingsley was just finishing making his introduction speech.
"And tho, I wish both, Sthmithtown and Coram high schools the betht of luck, and may the betht rather win!" When he turned, he gasped lightly, his mouth hanging open slightly as Vanessa strode past him to the track. She smiled at him, not saying a word as she stepped into her place. Taryn and Candace stared wordlessly, and she smirked back at them.
"Think you got rid of me, huh? Be prepared to eat my dust." Vanessa said to them. She looked around, taking note of the top three racers from the competing school as well.
As Mr. Kingsley sat down with an expression of disbelief, he blinked when he was lightly elbowed by Sonny.
"Looks like she made it after all." He smiled. "Now the race can start."
Coach Bill held up a small flag, clearing his throat a bit. "Okay everyone, on your marks..."
Vanessa crouched into starting position, but something caught her eye. She looked up into the bleachers, and Gregory looked back at her, smiling timidly. She smiled back knowingly, winking at him as she resumed her concentration to the track.
"... get set..."
This was it. This would either make or break her now, and she couldn't mess this up. This was everything she had waited for, and the prize was ready for her claim.
"Go." Coach Bill waved the flag down unenthusiastically.
Nothing could stop Vanessa now from reaching the end.
My, my, what a cliffhanger! Will Vanessa be able to beat her rival classmates as well as the champions from the competing school? Speculate and wonder until the answers are revealed in the next chapter! Thank you all for your support thus far, and I hope to see more reviews soon! :D