Chapter Eight:

“I always loved running... it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power.  You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs.”  ~Jesse Owens

I ran up to my room taking a shower before getting changed in workout clothes such as black short shorts, a green sports bra and a bright pink sweatshirt that I zipped so that green was showing and then some skin. No one would see me anyways so I didn’t care. Grabbing my running shoes I put them on and then grabbed my phone with headphones, putting on a song volume on full blast. I put my headphones in and my phone on this arm thing I also had that would hold the phone. I ran quietly outside going to the track that I knew well to run a couple laps. I took off my sweatshirt ready to run, a lot.  I ended up running for three hours until I was finally tired enough to stop. I looked at my phone seeing it was 8:30. Zipping my sweatshirt up a little past my belly button I ran to the dining room and when I got there everyone looked at me taking in my sweaty form.

“Sorry I am late, lost track of time running,” I said as I shut off my music.

“It’s alright Hun, how was your run?” Liz asked.

“It was great, I forget how many laps I did but I ran for around three hours, I am going back out after breakfast,” I said and she smiled.

“Can I join?” Blake asked.

“Yeah anyone else?” I asked.

“Count me in too,” Jonah said.

All of the Peirce boys ended up agreeing, which included Tatum so obviously the girls where going to watch.

                                                         …

“Prepare to lose,” I told the guys as we lined up at the starting line also known as the finish line since we were going to be doing a lap around the track. I may or may not be a little competitive, hey don’t judge! They are competitive too!

“Ha, you prepare to lose,” Tatum told me.

Eleven girls plus Liz and Peter were watching the race which was about to begin. All the girls were in short shorts and sport bra’s or tank tops. My sweatshirt was off by where I left a water bottle.

“Ready...Set...Go!” Peter yelled, signaling the race to start and we were off running. I was the last one as we started to run and I could hear the boys snickering but I just mentally smirked because this is what I normally do and they didn’t know what I had in store for them. When we past the first turn the were all getting tired, we past the second turn they were slowing down and as we neared the third turn I turned my jog into a run, passing the twins, triplets and Jonah. All that was left was Tatum. I turned the run into a sprint and was neck and neck with Tatum. When we were near the finish line I went full on sprint passing the line a good five seconds before Tatum.

The others were breathing heavily while I was just standing there smirking, breathing regularly.

“What! How! You were behind us at first! That’s impossible!” Jonah said complaining between breaths.

“I train like an Athlete runner, meaning I run as much as I can every moment I can and I learned how to control my breathing when I run that’s why I am not out of breath or anything like that like you all,” I said biting my lip as a smile came to my face.

“Okay woah,” Blake said between breaths.

“That was great!” Liz said smiling and hugging me even though I was very sweaty.

“Thanks!” I said hugging her back.

“Good job kiddo,” Peter said and we shook hands.

“How bout all the girls race’s, you may be better than the boys but I doubt you're the best out of us,” Paige said making me roll my eyes.

“Your on,” I said, taking a swig out of the water bottle and throwing it on my sweatshirt.

We all got in line and after Peter saying ‘Go’ we started to run. I started to jog and some girls already were behind me, the first turn past and then the second, me still behind some of the girls and they had smirks on their faces. Getting to the third lap I started to run passing some more, three were left in front of me but getting more tired with every second passing. Kacey fell behind as we were close to the The finish line, I sprinted full out passing the line a good ten seconds before they did. The two girls that were close to me were Paige and a girl I didn’t know.

“You were saying Sweetcheeks?” I said as I grabbed my water raising an eyebrow at Paige.

She only scowled at me before turning to some girls.

“Well It’s not my fault ya’ll suck at running,” I muttered before chugging the whole water bottle.

“That was awesome Echo! You are the winner by the way, I guess no competition tonight so how about a date with me?” Tatum asked.

“Sure Tatum,” I said.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to call me Tate?” He asked.

“Yeah but then I don’t want to anymore so,” I said sticking out my tongue at him.

“Well I am going to take a shower, see ya,” I said to the boys before making my way inside. It was around ten o'clock in the morning and I was a little tired from the running but only a little.

Taking a shower I got into ripped white skinny jeans, black combat boots and an off the shoulder black top. I grabbed lolipops from my stash before making my way to the library, ready to read the day away.

A/N: Dedicated to Tinkerbelle Annarama! My new friend! Everyone go follow her she's really cool! :)