Page 98 of See You at the Finish Line

did it work?

I laugh as Paige shakes her head and replies with a middle finger emoji before we begin running again.

“There’s only two kilometres left. Want to race?” Paige asks, already speeding up.

“You’re on,” I say and blast past her.

I hear her swear under her breath, and then she’s on my tail. She’s fast but it’s only two kilometres, and since she won the last race, there’s no way I’m letting her win this one. Plus, the frustration of losing will distract her.

“See you at the finish line!” I call back, picking upmy speed.

I’m in front the whole way so I have no idea if she checks her phone, but I know she’s keeping up with me. I cross the finish line first and immediately turn to watch her cross right after me, taunting her with a silly little happy dance. She laughs and keels over, trying to catch her breath.

“Did you let me win last time?” she asks, sucking air into her lungs.

“Hell no, I would never,” I say sincerely. She beat me fair and square.

“Then how the hell did you beat me here?”

“Easy. Pride.” I beam and she laughs again. We get our medals and down some water. I’m feeling high on this adrenaline. Who needs drugs when there’s running?

“Any texts?” I ask.

She checks her phone, an odd look in her eye. “No.”

As she bends over to brace her hands on her knees, breathing deeply, I lay a hand on her back and rub soothing circles.

She shakes me off and takes a few steps away. Just like that, my stomach drops. She’s glaring at me.

“Why didn’t you text me back?”

My mouth drops open. My head reels as I try to think. I have nothing. I am so confused.

“What are you talking about?”

“After Moab. I texted you and you never texted me back.”

That pulls me up short.

“You never texted me.”

It’s her turn to look confused.

“What? Yes, I did.”

“You didn’t even send the pictures,” I say quietly. I was never mad at her. It had hurt, not hearing from her, but I understood. She didn’t want anything to do with me after I got her disqualified, after my friend ratted us out.

“I sent the pictures, Adam, and I texted you, asking to see you again. You never replied.”

I’m shaking my head before she’s done talking. “I never got any texts, Paige.”

“What?!” She pulls her phone out and immediately starts scrolling. When she finds what she’s looking for, she shows me the screen.

Stalker

Friday 5:45 a.m.

Here are your photos, stalker*Attachment 6 photos*

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