Page 21 of Your Pace or Mine
Of course. No matter what Darius did, it always came back to that.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, and as much as he wanted to ignore it, the first selection would be announced any day now.
He knew what he would find before he even opened the message from Ellison.
Coach
Still 2 spots, don’t panic.
Two seconds of searching showed him the first spot had gone to Jackson.
Darius’s stomach gave a weird lurch. He was happy for Jackson; this would change everything for him. The Olympics meant more sponsors, and he knew Jackson needed the money, despite how reticent he always was about even mentioning his financial situation around Darius. Besides, Jackson deserved to be on the team. He was a great runner.
Despite his happiness for Jax, Darius was fucking devastated because it should have been him.
It should have.
“It’s bullshit, really, their just trying to look woke at the expense of medals. Inclusion gone too far. We shouldn’t be penalising people just because they can afford the right gear.”
“Shut up, Mark,” the group chorused.
Mark threw his hands in the air. “What? I’m on Hewitt’s side here. I thought we liked him again,” he glanced around, looking for confirmation from the others. “Look, I’m not prejudiced or anything, but…”
Jamie came up behind Mark and covered his mouth with his hand. “Believe me when I say this is for your own good, Mark.”
Jamie jogged past Mark to take his place next to Darius, making absolutely no effort not to be overheard. He turned to Darius. “Sorry about him.”
“Can’t be helped sometimes,” Darius replied.
Anders had made his way back over to them. “You likely won’t see Hewitt again next week,” he announced to the group.
Darius did a double-take. “I’m sorry, are you kicking me out?”
Anders let out a deep, bitter chuckle. “No, I just know how younoble-types deal with rejection, and it wouldn’t be fair to let down these good people because of your ego.”
“Myego?“ Darius countered.
The other runners exchanged uneasy glances, the silence punctuated only by the sound of someone clearing their throat awkwardly. Jackson, whose group had arrived just in time to witness Anders’s shot at Darius, stepped forward.
“Coach,” Jackson began, his tone calm but firm. “What exactly are you trying to accomplish here?”
Anders turned to him sharply, his frustration evident. “I’m trying to make sure this clinic runs smoothly, trying to give people what they need,” he snapped, turning back to Darius. “But some people think they can use it as an in for the Olympic team. There is no place for your brand of elitism and bigotry inthe sport, thinking you can just glide through on your name andpurchasedtalent without putting in the real work.”
Darius took a deep breath. He tried to maintain his calm exterior, but inside, he was crumbling. There was no reason to carry on with this farce. His earlier joy hardened into something colder. “I’m not fucking homophobic or elitist,” Darius muttered.
Anders scoffed. “I know your father, Hewitt. I know what you’re like.”
“You don’t know anything about me,” Darius challenged, stepping closer.
“Of course I do,” Anders shot back, his voice rising. “You’ve been handed every advantage. Raised in the heart of prejudiced, traditionalist bullshit. You think you’re different to the rest of them? Or that clocking a few fast times makes you one of us? It doesn’t. It never will.”
The words hit like a slap, but Darius refused to let it show. He crossed his arms, tilting his head as if studying Anders. “I’ve worked just as hard as anyone else.”
Anders laughed bitterly. “Hard? You don’t even know the meaning of the word. You’ve never had to fight for anything in your life. All you care about is your family legacy,and who cares who you have to step on to keep it. You don’t belong here, and it isn’t fair to anyone that you continue taking up space.”
Jackson stepped in then, his voice cutting through the tension. “That’s enough, Coach. I don’t know why—“
“You want me to spell it out, Jennings? Christ, I’d think you, of all people, would be happy with the outcome,” Anders said. “Fine. Well, let me make it very clear, no team of mine will ever have a Hewitt running on it.”
