Page 10 of Waking Olivia

I’m not sure why I haven’t just blocked her yet. And then she invites some of the other girls to eat with us and I know what hell truly is. Nicole, a mouthy redhead who’s the fastest girl on the team after me and Betsy, Meghan, whose dark curls are so big her head blocks half my view of the cafeteria, and Hannah, blonde and quieter than the others but not quiet enough.

Betsy and her small posse sit at a separate table. It feels as if we’re two rival gangs, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Erin and these girls have befriended me solely because I'm faster than Betsy, and add some clout to their side. Clearly it’s not my winning personality attracting them.

I listen in surly silence as they chatter. 10% of the conversation is about running, and the rest is about boys.

"You'll see the guy’s track team at tomorrow's practice," Nicole tells me the week before school starts.

I couldn’t care less about meeting the guys. Runners are too gangly for me.I prefer a build like Will's.

I want to take bleach to my brain the moment I hear that admission in my head.

"Mmmm, and Erin will get to see Brofton," someone teases.

"Dan Brofton is hands-down the hottest guy on the team,” Erin informs me. “Aside from Will, that is."

There’s a lot of sly giggling. "Will doesn't count. He's not on the team," Nicole objects.

"But if he were ..." Hannah sings, and there is more giggling. Coaches can't date students, and even if they could I can't imagine the appeal of an asshole like Will. Okay, that’s a lie. I can totally imagine the appeal. But I refuse to let myself.

"Did you see the way his shirt clung to him at yesterday’s practice?" asks Meghan.

“Wish his shorts had clung too,” cackles Nicole.

I roll my eyes. "This is like listening to a bunch of horny teenage boys."

"Welcome to the team.” Erin grins.

The guys’ teamis waiting when we wrap up the next morning. I know who Brofton is immediately because he's the kind of good-looking that is universally appealing to everyone. Dark hair, knowing eyes, a little smirk on his face like he’s imagining you naked. You might have a particular type, but Dan Brofton is cute enough to be everyone's type.And yet…

I begrudgingly admit that he'sstillnot as hot as Will.

He saunters over to me. The cocky ones always saunter. "You must be the D1 girl."

"Wow,” I deadpan. “Your psychic powers are top-notch."

“Fine.” He grins, irritatingly unfazed by my bitchiness. “So we’ve actually heard all about you."

"And what exactly did you hear?"

"That you put Mark Bell in the hospital."

"I hope that means you're all scared of me now."

"You don't look so scary.” He smiles. "And I've met Mark a few times. He ran in my division in high school, and I know for a fact that he's a world-class prick, so I'm gonna guess he had it coming.”

He definitely had it coming.

9

Will

Iamon the south face of Denali. It’s not necessarily the hardest climb, just steep as shit. The guys we’re leading are already tired, which doesn’t bode well since we’ve got at least three more hours before we hit the next camp.

“You got this?” I ask one of them. His name is Bob. He’s from Beaufort, South Carolina, which sits below sea level, and this is his first major climb. Not sure Denali should be anyone’s first major climb, but I don’t choose our clients.

His mouth is pulling inward, stretched tight. He nods.

I asked. It’s all I can do.

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