The Runner's Heart Chapter 3

Name: Blackthorn Lord

Title: The Runner’s Heart:

Book One: Rivals

*Note, everything in this story is complete fiction and never has happened to me, or anyone I know. Any real people or places is just coincidental (all except the obvious point that it takes place in Colorado). The story itself was something I thought up randomly while laying in bed one night.

Chapter 3

Makenna’s father told her if Mia truly cared about her she would come back, and in a way, Mia had always been there. She realized by that steamy hot kiss that Mia was, as much into her, as Mack was into Mia. It was then that she realized, while staring at her own reflection in her bathroom mirror, that she would not let Mia beat her again.

It wasn’t until after the season came to a close at states that Makenna lost out to Mia (on purpose) and it was all because she got tripped by someone, who she later found out wasn’t Mia but was another girl who hated her too and because of that little trip-up Makenna fell back to 9th place where she remained for the next three laps. She only managed to kick up to 3rd by the end and while she was happy with passing four or five girls at the end, she knew the only one she couldn’t really catch back up to was Mia. She had raced and beat nearly everyone in that heat at some point during the season.

It wasn’t until after getting grilled by coach K (the distance runners coach) that she could’ve taken her at the end and had the last 200 meters to get her and the rest of the pack back, but Makenna didn’t care, she was sore and tired and her body ached from the hours of training and her ankle ached from the stupid game of tennis she played in gym class. She tripped and twisted her ankle. The stupid ankle isn’t stopping me.

Those girls from the other states were all very elite and yet Mia and Makenna would certainly both be ranked at the top in the nation for the mile. Placement going into the meet did matter since they would be going in order of rank. The top 16 would be running at States and those top 5 in states would move through to regionals, then the top 3 for regionals would move to nationals.

Mia surprised Makenna by telling Makenna after the 2nd round failure at regions (where she placed 7th with a 2:34 finish) that because she wasn’t really improving on her times in the 800 meter and didn’t really like it all that much, that she wanted to move up to, and focus on the mile and 2-mile races instead.

Makenna assured her, “I would never even try to go that high. I couldn’t run around a track for more than a 5k. It’d be too boring.”

Makenna then said to her, with a hint of attitude, “I was moving up to the 2-mile, anyway.” Even though she secretly loathed the 2-mile.

As it turned out, Coach K overheard that little discussion with Mia and gave Makenna a blank marble notebook, a pen, and inside it was a printed sheet with all the 3200 meter and mile workouts she would be working at in the summer.

Again, she hated the 3200 meter race because it was a bit on the slow side for her, but she would do it if it meant she could stay closer to Mia. This was all to get back at Mia. She wouldn’t let that escapade between them at Indoor Nationals get to her.

After she got the message from the coach to start training in the summer. She was about to leave with her parents, when she suddenly saw Mia kiss (on the lips) a boy.

That hurt Makenna. More than she wanted to admit out loud. It also made her more determined to win it all next season.

To prove to Mia that if she couldn’t have Mia, then at least she would have that 1st place that she knew Mia would want to win.

She wanted to focus on beating Mia fair and square. No distractions. No worries about losing the rivalry. No boys to interfere.

As finals week also came to a close Makenna sat listening to her dad drone on and on to her and her mom about her not making it past states. Makenna finally snapped, said she didn’t care about the times or her place, that they should’ve been happy for her just getting to states for the mile in 8th grade. So, angry and needing someone to talk to, she got a ride from Dawn to talk. Dawn in recent times became her confidante about anything revolving around Mia.
Dawn had become a major friend and supporter for Makenna getting Mia back and even coined the acronym MMF or Mia. Makenna. Forever.

As they started walking down a grassy, mountainous path. Makenna relayed all her feelings to Dawn and about everything she was going through.

She started by taking a deep breath and then released it, “I had this... idea, if you will, that someday I would find a way back into Mia’s life, get her to slowly recognize and remember me, become my hated rival, then turn the rivalry on its head and have her start to fall for me.”

After a silent moment to regain her composure and a brief nod from Dawn, she continued, “I decided a few weeks before the indoor season that I would then after getting her back, do what she did to me. Break everything off and leave her hurt and alone, just like she did to me. Just like I had felt every time she’d give me a nasty look, or nastier smile.”

After a hard look from Dawn, she held her hands out defensively and continued, “I know, I know. It was fucked up, and mean, but…” tongue-tied she couldn’t find the words to express the frustration she felt, so she just stopped, took a deep drag from the pot she and Dawn had been passing back and forth.

After handing it back to Dawn, Makenna found her words and said, “Somewhere along the way from that first encounter at the XC meet and then all the times we raced each other back and forth, one of us coming back stronger than the last time. If anyone were actually keeping tabs on it we are technically still tied since I didn’t race her at our duel meet in May. She’d never admit it, but the racing brought out the best in each others running. More focused and patient. More controlled and not pressing too much. I began to realize I didn’t want to hurt her like that because I still care and...and love her too much.”

Dawn smiled patiently and said softly, “Go get her. You don’t want to be a sad senior like me who’s still a virgin. And can’t even see her girlfriend because we’re long distance. I know, it seems almost worse that she’s right there and won’t reciprocate what you feel, but it will take some time to feel things out with her. Like all things.”

Makenna stopped walking and turned to ask, shocked, “Wait, what do you mean? You’re still a virgin?”

Dawn just smiled knowingly and shrugged the gasp off, “Yes. I am, and I’m not disappointed in saying it. I mean, I love Soph, I love her more than I’ve ever loved anyone before, but I want to lose it to someone special and I know she thinks highly of me, and I know she’d never do that, but I’ve been in some bad situations with exes before. It isn’t fun. It left me anxious and not-too-trusting on dates.”

Makenna smiled softly and said, “If you were my type I’d definitely date you, too, you know?”

Dawn just snorted at that joke and said, “Too bad you’re a bit too young for my tastes, or I’d definitely date you, too.”

Makenna stopped walking again and said almost in a whisper, “I don’t know if I can. I mean, we did kiss.”

Dawn, in shock, asked, “Wait, what? You did kiss? When?”

Makenna smiled and said, “Yeah, we kissed after her race at Indoor Nationals. Even though she was sweaty and smelled gross she was still so fuckin’ sexy. I mean, I practically tore off her clothes in the bathroom just to get to be close to her. I know 9th and 8th grade girls aren’t supposed to do that stuff, but I thought “fuck it” and went for it. I’m not sure if that’s what she was thinking, though.”

Dawn stopped and suddenly hugged Makenna tightly and then smacked her on the ass hard, which startled and pushed all of Makenna’s buttons very quickly. She removed Dawn’s hand from her butt.

Dawn said, teasingly, “Damn girl, you are intense. See, all you need to do is find that passion again and ignite it between you two. Maybe you can use this rivalry thing between you two to turn the tides on her and make her” stopping and pausing for effect, “sopping wet.”

Makenna responded quickly, turning to her smirking friend, “First off, eww. Second off, don’t ever say that again.”

Dawn, smiling still, laughed almost as if high and said, “Damn, this is good stuff. I’m going to make a book out of this juicy stuff going on in our own backyard. What should the title be” While she made hand gestures, “Makenna. Mia. Forever: The Real Story’ How would that sound?”

Makenna just laughed and retorted back, “No, I don’t think so. Change our names and the work is all yours to keep.”

Dawn smiled and putting an arm around Makenna said, “See? I knew you were a kind soul.”

For some reason, that statement from Dawn made Makenna smile inside and gave her hope that she was indeed not just useless in Mia’s eyes.

She chose to change the topic before it got any more outrageous.

…

They spent a few more hours just sharing stories and laughing together.

They went on talking about other things, as well as Dawn’s graduation party. Soon the conversation came to a close and Dawn dropped her off at home at 6:00 that night.

Makenna was left with the thoughts of her and Mia swirling in her head.

She decided she would take Dawn for her words, but she would also tread softly. Keep the rivalry intact, but remain cordial with Mia. She didn't want to just scare off Mia before she even got to really be with Mia again.

She masturbated and orgasmed three times at just the thought of seeing Mia’s perky little tits, the deep-tanned skin, and the body that would make anybody drool at the mouth.

Really though, Makenna thought, It’s really her gorgeously tanned, toned legs and tight ass that I am fawning over. I just want to bend Mia over and stick my face in her ass and-wow-where did that come from? Makenna pulled her head out of those dirty thoughts for the moment.

Probably seemed kinda kinky to even think, even to Makenna’s standards because she was so horny all the time, that thought intrigued and confused her. Why was she feeling like this for one girl only? She didn’t feel that way for every hot girl that she flirted with, maybe it was because she just knew deep down that she only had one type of girl she was into, Mia Kane.

…

Summer was approaching and Makenna was going to just relax for the first half. Maybe even get a part-time job over at the ice cream shop down the road. Her grades came back and she already knew that she passed everything with a mixture of A’s and B’s. She had one C grade. That was math, but she knew she wouldn’t need much math in college or in her degree field. She wanted to study the human brain. She found it a fascinating thing. Maybe psychology, or more specifically, neuropsychology. If she could just pass the hard, college-level math class in high school she would be one step closer to not even possibly having to take it at all in college.

Mia also had pretty much straight A’s. All except math just like Makenna. She wanted to help people. She didn’t know what the Hell that meant, but she knew she was good with people, aside from Makenna Knox, she thought, as she sat on her bed using her leg massage roller after another tough swim and bike day. She would do mixes of heavy and light workouts this summer. Including morning swims and bike rides.

Makenna was actually glad she was done with track. She had a completely opposite take on offseason training. All she wanted was to focus on getting mentally and physically rested and recovered for the next year in classes, since they would all be advanced, college-level classes, and cross country season would be coming. She would do some hill reps, long runs, and 300 meter track workouts to get her legs back 6 weeks before the first practice.

The End for now… until Chapter 4 comes along with a bit of a jump in time.

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