Chapter 4
Moving through the masses of students towards the boys' locker room, Greg was antsy, all but counting down the minutes until the end of school. He had one more class after PhysEd, first level Japanese, and then freedom for an entire week. Entering the locker room, he quickly dumped his backpack into his locker and changed into the dark blue shorts and grey t-shirt of his gym clothes as all around him his classmates did the same. He sat apart from the others, paying them little mind as he tied his sneakers. Greg was just about to head out to the field when Declan dropped down onto the bench next to him. He was slightly out of breath, and hurried to change. Greg waited for him to finish, and together they trotted through the access tunnel toward the field.
They joined the class in formation as the teacher led the students in a rigorous series of calisthenics and stretches. Ten minutes later they were running the trail that wove through the small patch of woods at the back of the campus. With their long legs, it wasn't difficult for Greg and Declan to lead the pack, but they paced themselves to better blend in. They ignored any efforts by other runners to split them up, disrupt their stride, seeing it for the good-natured challenges that kept the run interesting.
The boys completed 2 circuits of the trail course before gathering on the field to cool down. They collapsed on the ground, laying on their backs gasping for air, or walking off their fatigue. Declan and Greg paced in large circles around the group, drinking water from canteens and making plans for the next day. They decided to meet outside the gates of the Embassy where Declan lived first thing in the morning and ride their bikes to the trail head near the base of the ridge they planned to climb.
Dismissed by the teacher with an admonition to try not to have too much fun during their holiday week, the class booed him down good-naturedly before joking and teasing their way back into the locker room.