Kevin sat alone on the bench in the athlete's area. Michael had been kicked out as the attendants finally realized he wasn't competing in anything since he had stayed in there pretty much the whole time.

Kevin cradled his head in his hands and leaned over, obscuring his face from the outside world. The athletes around him took notice, granting him extra space to grieve his loss. It was a universal understanding between athletes, some of whom had been in the exact same position Kevin now found himself in. 

A competitor who had desperately chased victory and failed needed space to mourn and not the typical 'you still did good' or 'you'll do better next time' empty lines. A part of Kevin rejoiced at Michael not being here because he knew he wouldn't get it.

The bench creaked as someone joined him at the other end. He didn't react, already figuring out who the only person to break the sacred rule would be. 

"Quite a race," Willow said.

Kevin uncovered his face, scowling at her tone. He really didn't want to hear any motivational speech right now.

"You blew it."

He turned to her, stunned. "What?"

"As soon as it looked like you were in trouble, you let go of the balance we discussed and started straining yourself again."

Kevin's scowl grew. "Your balance was about to get me beaten!"

"And your instability method didn't? All you did was risk injury in an effort that didn't change the outcome regardless."

That shut him up. 

Willow sighed. "Look, I understand that it's hard to resist getting hypnotized by that finish line. Especially for you since your ego is enormous." Kevin opened his mouth to protest. "Don't bother, your forced stride in the second half of that race said more than any words of denial could. You have to conquer and control that ego and not the other way around."

Kevin looked away, fixating his eyes on the energetic hopeful athletes warming up around them. Maybe he would've preferred the cringy motivational speech after all. "Wait, shouldn't you be warming up? Even by your standards, you're starting it pretty late."

Willow shook her head. "I dropped out of the 100 meters."

"Huh? Why?!"

Willow shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal. "I'm wary of the strain I put on my body. I didn't need to run the 100 meters after winning the 200 meters."

Kevin looked at her with a confused frown. She seemed to enjoy herself to the fullest when she ran, as Kevin did in practice so why would she be so quick to forfeit her race? The excuse she used wasn't quite adding up.

"Think about what I said, though," Willow said before Kevin could ask a follow-up question. She stood to leave.

"Wait!" Kevin called without thinking.

Willow paused, looking back quizzically. 

"Could I come to your practice?" He blurted out. In times like these, he wished he had more extroverted bones in his body. That way, he wouldn't sound like a damn idiot when he got nervous.

"What?" Willow said, scrunching up her face as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You have your own coach, don't you? And a track team, from quite a big school too, why in the world would you want to come to a Woodlane High practice?"

"To see you." He cringed, realizing how it sounded. "To see how you practice," he quickly corrected. "I'm thinking that watching how you practice will help me understand what you're trying to say better. I know it sounds weird but I think that will speak clearer than words."

"You were right about it sounding weird," Willow replied with a raised eyebrow. "And I'm not sure if you realize but my coach isn't exactly going to be eager to have someone from a rival school at her training."

"How will she know I'm not from Woodlane?"

"Well, ignoring the fact she has watched you race four times now, she personally knows every supporter who shows up occasionally at our practice, since there isn't a lot. Not everyone has their whole school body as track and field fans, y'know?"

Kevin smirked. "Sounds like a top-secret mission in the making."

"Absolutely not," Willow said immediately.

"What? You're the star of the team I'm sure if you're caught you won't get in much trouble. The offense is pretty mild to begin with," Kevin pointed out.

"Regardless, it sounds like more trouble than it's worth."

"Don't tell me you're scared," Kevin said, adopting a sly tone. "The great Willow is scared of a little fun!"

"That hardly sounds like any fun for me."

"Then how about this," Kevin said, an idea appearing in his mind. "I'll also allow you to come and experience an Eastwood High practice."

Willow scowled. "And why in the world would I want to train with even more pompous egocentric lumps of meat than what I'm used to?"

Kevin smiled, anticipating her answer. "You misunderstand. I don't train alongside the track team. My coach, Ryan trains me individually away from the rest. I guess that he realized that I work better alone or something." Willow's eyes widened at that. "Anyway, I can almost guarantee he won't have any problems with you joining us, he really loves training people. So, you get to do your judging on higher-level lumps of meat and train with a former professional runner without it being an entire team practice."

She fixed her surprised expression and forced her face to come across as more neutral. "You talk a big game, hurdler." 

Kevin chuckled. He guessed that Michael was rubbing off on him.

"So?"

"So I'll think about it," she said, not bothering to give him the satisfaction of a yes. 

Despite her answer, he could see an interested twinkle in her gaze. The athlete within wanted to jump at the opportunity of a training session that was so tailor-made for her but for some reason, she was holding back.

"We should probably exchange numbers then," Kevin said stiffly. He had practiced the maneuver quite a bit in the mirror but he had never gotten it to look as cool as it did in movies. Now, he was sure he had managed to say it in an even cringier way than he anticipated. "In case you end up deciding to give it a try, of course."

Willow chuckled at his awkwardness. "Sure, I guess." She rattled off her number which Kevin took down with concentrated precision. 

He watched her go as she didn't even bother to scout her potential future competitors. She really did seem to be on the track by herself when she ran, unbothered by the surrounding participants, and even now she didn't seem to have a slither of interest in the others.

He figured that was a part of her strength.

"I came to cheer you up but it seems someone already accomplished that," a voice whispered into Kevin's ear.

He jumped off the bench and turned to see a chuckling Coach Ryan. 

"Same girl as before, huh?" Coach Ryan asked as Kevin collected his bearings.

"Don't worry Coach, I'm still focused," Kevin promised, his expression darkening. "In fact," he glanced at Robert who was on the other side of the area. "I'm more focused than ever to wipe that smug grin off that joker's face."

Coach Ryan nodded, sitting down beside him with a suddenly serious face. "Of that, I had no doubts. However, we have to face the reality that this is the second time he's beaten you and clearly that suggests that something has to change." He lapped his foot, something Kevin had learned meant that he was deep in thought. "I know your first thought would be to train harder," he continued, "but you're already training harder than I probably should be allowing. Thus that leaves our method of training. We have long hid under the familiarity of the underestimation from your peers, keeping it as an inside joke and laughing when you ultimately outrun them. We've finally reached the level where this is no longer the case. Your top speed seems to be faster than that Maddison kid but it's not just his start that propels him forward enough but also how quickly he accelerates to his top speed."

Kevin groaned, realizing where the discussion was heading.

Coach smiled. "And as you know that is because of his physique. It then makes sense that we stop being so laid back about your strength training and take it seriously." Kevin groaned again, his fears confirmed. "No more small reps, it's time to push yourself harder in the gym. With caution!" He quickly added.

Kevin sighed. "I hear you."

"One last thing. You seem to run the 200 meters much better despite considering yourself a 100-meter sprinter and I think a part of that is you overthink the 100 meters more. In the 200 meters, you seemed much more loose and prepared to react to the starter's pistol, for example."

Kevin considered his words, thinking back to how he felt before each race, not just today but the last few weeks. He had to admit that Coach might be on to something. He always had a looser demeanor in the 200 meters because he knew he would have more ground to catch back the pack should he have a bad start.

"That is a mental hurdle I suspect you'll have to get over yourself though, I'd imagine," Coach said.

Just then, Kevin's phone buzzed. He hadn't dared remove it from his secure grip and now his eyes dashed down to the popup notification.

It was from Willow!

'I'm down, hurdler.'

Perhaps he would have some help getting over that hurdle after all.

His attention was suddenly commanded to the field as the starter's pistol cracked through the air. He had been so caught up in the conversation with Coach and now Willow that he hadn't heard the lineup call or the starting calls from the announcer and starter.

Sure enough, the 100-meter senior female lineup had an empty lane where Willow was supposed to run, and now without her rival, Shalissa could have jogged the first 40 meters and probably still catch back up and pass everyone.

Still, she rocketed to the finish line with her unorthodox slouched technique well before anyone else. 

The crowd cheered earnestly but Shalissa didn't look pleased at all as she accepted congratulations from her peers. Kevin could understand her frustrations.

She still hadn't beaten the one that had her number, much like himself, so this small win was but a small peek of sunshine on a shaded lake. 

"I think that your little friend will push Shalissa to new heights," Coach said from next to him. "I've never seen her this focused."

Kevin nodded his agreement. He would even pay for tickets if he had to, to see that final showdown between Willow and Shalissa that was so sweetly brewing on the horizon.