Page 5 of Racing Hearts

“Almost.” Ellie pointed her thumb at Sierra. “Just waiting on one.”

The fact that they were waiting for her didn’t seem to bother Sierra. She spent another five minutes on the phone before walking over to join them.

“Everything okay?” Ellie asked when she noticed the tense look on Sierra’s face.

“I’m fine,” Sierra snapped before walking right past her to join the rest of the group.

Sierra’s time with the group didn’t last long. They were barely into the run when she pulled ahead and never looked back.So much for doing this as a team.

After a grueling run, Ellie made it back to the track with the rest of her teammates just in time to see Sierra packing up her things and walking away.

Juniper was definitely right. There was no point in Ellie trying with this girl if she wasn’t going to put in any effort, especially if trying meant going against her best friend’s wishes. If Sierra wanted to be cordial, the ball was in her court now.

***

As the weeks passed, Sierra continued to be in attendance at every optional practice, but her attitude didn’t improve at all. She came, did the workout as instructed, and left without another word. It was actually starting to piss Ellie off that this was the girl who was most likely going to get her best friend booted from the relay. This girl might be fast, and dedicated, but she didn’t appear to be a team player at all.

Ellie was so frustrated with her, she actually considered not going to the last week of optional practices because she needed a break from being ignored. She wasn’t surewhyit bothered her so much, but it really made her blood boil every time she was around Sierra and Sierra acted like she had no interest in Ellie. Half the time, it seemed like Sierra could barely even look at her. It was infuriating.

Ellie hadn’t missed one practice, optional or not, since freshman year, though, so there was no way she was going to start now, especially when she had such fierce competition on her own team. Luckily, she was somehow able to convince Juniper to actually attend the last few optional practices with her. Okay, she knew exactly why Juniper had agreed. It was only because Ellie made a deal that she would drink atone moreparty with her if she came. Ellie wasn’t against drinking and would do it when she wasn’t in season (which wasn’t toooften, much to her best friend’s chagrin), but as soon as official practices started, she stopped. There was always a big party at the track guys’ house after the first week of official practice tocelebrate making it through, so Ellie had told Juniper that she wouldn’t only go, but would also drink this time.

“Be honest with me, am I going to completely die today?” Juniper asked as they walked to the track together.

Ellie shook her head. “Not any more than you normally do on the first day of official practice.” Ellie felt a devilish grin spread across her face.

“Great.” Juniper groaned. “So, Iamgoing to die.”

Ellie put her arm around Juniper. “Don’t worry, I’ll take it easy on you.”

“Uh-huh, sure.” Juniper pushed away from Ellie, causing her arm to drop back to her side.

She was saying something else, but her words faded into the background as Ellie’s eyes latched onto someone walking in the distance. Even though Sierra drove her insane, she still often found herself unable to look away from her, and now was one of those times.

She was walking next to someone, and it looked like the two of them were having a heated discussion, but Ellie couldn’t focus on the other person. Sierra was shaking her head and waving her arms in the air, and even though it was none of her business (and frankly, shouldn’t be any worry to her), Ellie wanted to know what she was saying. Even though she wished she didn’t, Sierra intrigued her. Maybe it was just the fact that Sierra was so hot, but it felt deeper than that. A part of her wondered if there was more to this girl than she was seeing on the surface.Orit had just been way too long since Ellie got laid and her libido was doing the thinking for her.

“What the hell are you staring at?” Juniper asked, causing Ellie to jump in surprise.

“No one. Nothing.” Ellie cleared her throat then turned her body toward her best friend, so Sierra was completely out of her field of view.

She watched as Juniper’s gaze moved to where Ellie had just been staring and held her breath as she waited for her friend to lecture her for checking out the enemy. Juniper furrowed her eyebrows and continued to stare as if she was calculating something. “Why does that girl look so familiar?”

Seriously? Juniper doesn’t recognize her own teammate and sworn enemy? What the fuck?

Ellie wasn’t sure how to answer her best friend’s question without getting herself in trouble. Ellie opened her mouth and was about to make up a lie about why she was staring at the enemy, but she stopped when a sly grin came onto her friend’s face.

Juniper snapped her fingers. “Fuck. I know who that is!” She waved a finger in Sierra’s direction, not even trying to hide the fact that she was pointing at her. “That’s the same girl you were checking out at the PA state meet this summer.”

Wait. What.Ellie turned to look in Sierra’s direction once again and blinked as she focused on the girl beside her. The girl had red hair and was sporting a no-fucks grin that didn’t match the tense look on Sierra’s face.And shit.Juniper was right. That definitelywasthe girl Ellie had supposedly been checking out at the track meet. Why was she here now? What was she doing with Sierra? What were they talking about? More importantly, why did Ellie care?

Juniper laughed as she brought her hands in front of her mouth to amplify her voice. “Yo, fresh meat, is your friend single?” She nodded toward Ellie. “I think this one has a crush on her.”

Shit. This wasn’t good. Ellie didn’t need some random girl she’d never met thinking she was checking her out. The girl’ssmile changed to a scowl as she turned to whisper something to Sierra before storming away.

Sierra’s face was red, and she glared at Ellie and Juniper as she stormed toward them, head shaking the whole time. “Teresa’snotgay!” she shouted so loud that it caused the redhead to momentarily look back before continuing to quickly walk away from them. “She’s straight, so don’t even think about going for her. She practically has a boyfriend. Maybe a few.” Sierra rolled her eyes as if the thought of someone preferring the same gender was insane.

Before Ellie could even think of how to respond, Sierra pushed past them and hurried away.

“Wow. Tell me you’re homophobic without telling me you're homophobic!” Juniper shouted after her.

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