Page 82 of Your Pace or Mine
“Nope,” he said, his tone clipped.
“You should.”
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I can’t.”
Alanna raised an eyebrow but didn’t press. Instead, she linked her arm with his again. “Come on, let’s get that coffee. You’re no good to anyone if you’re grumpyandunder-caffeinated.”
As they waited in line, Darius glanced around the bustling expo hall. He still felt out of place, and the glowing beacon of a pacer flag wasn’t helping. As the queue moved forward, he recognised an obnoxious voice behind them.
“Surely we don’tallneed to stand in the queue.“ It was Mark, he’d recognise the drawl anywhere, and if Mark was there, then it was likely the whole group was.
Adam spotted him first. “Darius!”
His voice seemed to ring out above the noise of the hall.
Darius turned and nodded at them.
“Friends of yours?” Alanna asked.
“I’ve been coaching them,” Darius replied.
Alanna nodded. “Want to join them before they make a bigger scene and reveal your secret identity?”
“Very funny. But yeah, probably a good idea,” he sighed.
He waved to Adam as the queue moved forward, and Darius with it. He ordered his and Alanna’s drinks before stepping aside, out of the main traffic of the area, as they waited for the group to collect their orders.
When they approached, Alanna immediately reached out, introducing herself.
Claire blinked in recognition. “Alanna? As inParalympic Gold Medallist Alanna? Wow, okay, uh—nice to meet you.”
As the group began peppering Alanna with questions, Chi pulled Darius aside. “He picked up his bib first thing, so I think he’ll be there.”
“How did you find out?”
Chi shrugged. “I’m good at making friends, they checked for me.”
“Okay, that’s good, right? He’s doing alright?”
Chi tilted their head. “I don’t get it. You two are so obviously in love, and you’re both suffering. Why not try to fix it?”
“I’m sure you’ve seen the papers, Chi. It’s not that simple.”
“Please, of course it is. You love him,” Chi scoffed. “So find a way to fix it. Because we want to get the group back together, make it a permanent thing, and it won’t be the same without you two.”
“I’m trying, Chi. I just don’t know how.”
Chi shrugged. “Well, figure it out quick.”
Darius nodded, as if that wasn’t what he’d been trying to do for days.
“Holy fuck,” a voice came from the side, “you’re Darius Hewitt.”
Chi shot him a sly smile, returning to the rest of the group as Darius tried to plaster a grin on his face, the fake one reserved for meeting fans or the press. It wasn’t that he didn’t like talking to people. He didn’t… so maybe it was that, but today of all days. Fuck.
The man next to him couldn’t have been more than twenty years old; he had long brown hair tied up in a bun and an Oxford Blues cross-country jumper that instantly transported Darius back in time. He was carrying a pacing flag as well.
“My boyfriend is going to be so jealous, he’s running his first elite race tomorrow, so he’s already gone home to rest, but he’s a huge fan. When you came out this year, mate, it changed everything for us.”
