Thirty minutes later the female 200 meters was set to begin.

Sure enough, Willow was lined up in the 5th lane. Scarlett was further down in the 8th lane and Shalissa occupied the 6th lane. 

The younger division ran just minutes ago but it had been a snoozefest, with a member of another participating school winning in an unimpressive time.

Kevin had snuck onto the field from the stands after that, hoping to not be seen by Willow before his race. He still doubted she would have even engaged in conversation if she had known he was an athlete.

Now though, she looked laser-focused as the starter prepared his starter's pistol. It would be no exaggeration to say the intensity in her eyes could melt diamonds as the starter made the 'on your mark' call.

The girls responded, going down as one like Kevin had seen a million times before. Except it wasn't like all the other times. For the first time, he was completely invested and intrigued by who would be the winner.

Sure, in the past when Scarlett was involved he wanted her to win, but deep down he knew she wouldn't. No matter how upbeat she was there was always an element of doubt in her eyes, and if she didn't believe in herself, how would she win?

But Willow's eyes told a different story. She was so focused on the finished line around the curve that there was no way any other thought was playing through her mind. So lost in those sunlight-streaked eyes was he that the starter's pistol jumped him out of his stupor. An athlete next to him laughed at his moment of fright but Kevin didn't care.

He latched his eyes back on the race and what a sight met him. Shalissa had bolted out of the blocks as usual, scurrying away from the pack, but what really caught Kevin's attention was the fact she wasn't alone. 

Willow was right next to her. He couldn't tell if she was in fact in front as the two attacked the curve like a predator gaining on its prey but as he joined the rest of the athletes running down the field to see the finish close up, the positioning was unmistakable. 

Willow, who hadn't even bothered running her curve close to the inside line was coasting down the backstretch in first, her small legs a blur as they pumped like the whirl of helicopter blades. 

Shalissa looked surprised and was clearly giving it her all, fighting to bridge the significant gap but to no avail. 

As Kevin reached the end of the field right next to the track he caught a glimpse of Willow's face. There was no sense of strain, no wrinkles from immense effort, nor even remnants of the intense focus she had displayed in the starting blocks. Rather, her face was a portrait of joyful tranquility with a smile decorating her features.

She wasn't running just to win, she was enjoying herself.

As soon as she crossed the line her joyous demeanor dissipated as if someone had flipped an off switch. Shalissa, after coming second by a significant margin congratulated Willow with a hug which she returned, but Kevin could see that the expression he had noticed before was gone.

The expression that had fascinated him.

"She's a pretty fast one," Darius said from next to him quietly.

The comment brought Kevin out of his own head and he became aware of his surroundings. Although they were plenty of athletes around him who had matching track attire to Willow none of them cheered or looked even a little proud. They watched with the same indifference as if she had come last and not first.

"She doesn't seem that popular though," Kevin remarked loud enough so Darius could hear.

Darius didn't seem surprised. "When you're the fastest, you either act all friendly with the right people and become popular, or you refuse and become the object of jealousy and social exile. I'd assume she's of the latter variety."

Kevin eyed the boy. He talked just like Kevin would imagine a psychology lecturer to speak but his words rang true as usual.

"Well, as someone headed in that direction I better go mingle with someone more experienced," Kevin replied.

Darius chuckled and for a second it looked like he might actually follow Kevin as he started heading in her direction, but he stopped himself as someone called his name. With Braylon temporarily out of the picture, he was the temporary king of the track team which meant the track team posse was following him like some bees attracted to honey. He took one last glance at Kevin's departing figure, free of the weight of social status then painted a smile on his face and turned to the approaching boys.

Kevin's regret grew with each approaching step. It wasn't his plan to reveal he was an athlete before he ran but seeing such an inspiring run unsupported had rubbed him the wrong way.

Willow saw his approach and her confusion was evident as she took in the track attire he had changed into. 

"Uh, hey," he said lamely when he reached her. Kevin didn't get nervous often but he sure seemed to be experiencing it a lot today.

"So you're an athlete," Willow said, her voice and expression unreadable. 

"Yeah, a sprinter just like you." He said hesitantly. "I was going to tell you but..." His voice trailed off, unable to find the words.

Willow eyed him suspiciously. "You don't look like much of an athlete."

Kevin smirked. "I could've said the same about you...before that performance. That was an amazing race."

Willow shrugged. "Eh, it was whatever."

Where was that passion he had seen on the track?

"Kevin!" A voice called from the field. Kevin turned to see an agitated Coach Ryan looking at him expectantly. "The male's 200 meters is in 5 minutes, did you warm up?"

Kevin scratched his head. "Uh...a little?"

Coach Ryan folded his arms. That was never a good sign.

Kevin turned back to Willow quickly. "Yeah, uh, I gotta go."

Willow looked amused. "Duty calls." She paused, looking away briefly. "Try not to come last or I'll have to wipe you from my memory if that happens."

Was that her version of saying good luck?

Kevin nodded then quickly joined Coach Ryan on the field before he found some rope to hang him with. 

"New friend?" Coach Ryan asked when he got to him.

Kevin shrugged. "I don't know...maybe?"

"Good, because your only friend right now should be that grass you're going to warm up on."

Eight minutes and a rushed warm-up later, Kevin stood with eight others at the 200-meter starting blocks. The only other person he knew from the lineup was Darius which should be his only competition in such an underground meet.

"On your marks!"

Kevin knelt down with the others, taking in the coarse track against his skin. The world slowed down and his mind went blank as he closed his eyes and imagined his victory.

"Set!"

Kevin opened his eyes as he raised up, placing his right foot in the back pedal and his left in the front pedal of the starting blocks. He trained his eyes on the ground as he stayed still in anticipation of the starter's pistol and mentally prepared his push-off footwork.

His mind was a blank slate with only one thought travelling around its dark interior.

Win.

Bang.

Kevin shot into action alongside the other competitors, not getting the best start but not falling right behind either.

Ten strides in it was apparent that it really was only him and Darius in the race as the two started to create a lead despite their average starts.

Transitioning around the curve was actually harder than usual for Kevin as pain shot through his leg but he gritted his teeth and forced his form to not falter, staying head to head with the much more controlled Darius.

As they came onto the backstretch though, the strain from his leg loosened and he started to truly build momentum, streaking across the track like an airplane before takeoff.

For a second it seemed like Darius would stay on his side the entire way but with just thirty meters left, Kevin started to edge him out with each stride and as he passed the finish line the win was unquestionable.

Kevin soaked up the cheers from the crowd and the athletes on the field. 

The feeling of winning was something he could certainly get used to.

He nodded respectfully at Darius who returned the gesture.

Coach Ryan was quick to bring him back down to earth with seasoned quickness.

"This is the first win of many needed to reach your goals," Coach Ryan reminded him, "don't lose track of that. With that said, good run and you won't be leaving my sight this time so you don't just forget to warm up for the 100 meters."

Kevin groaned but didn't complain. He wouldn't dare admit it out loud but that moment on the curve where he had felt a sharp pain had scared the heck out of him. It had briefly opened the locked box where he kept memories he didn't want to relive.

Although it took thirty minutes for the older division's 100 meters to start Kevin didn't see Willow again until it was time for her to enter the blocks again.

Like before, she ran elegantly and seemed to thoroughly enjoy herself as she blazed to the win. Shalissa came second again and Scarlett finished in a much less impressive third place. There was fast like Scarlett, then there was very fast like Shalissa but Willow was the type of speed he had never seen from a female, not on TV. Her small stature only added to the aesthetic look of her practically floating down the track.

Kevin didn't get an opportunity to talk to her after the race this time since Coach was keeping an eye on him to make sure he didn't wander off and stop warming up this time. Kevin was honestly fine with it, after tasting victory and remembering his past injury, being prepared was a top priority.

"Go get 'em," Coach Ryan said with a pat on Kevin's back as his race was called soon after.

"Aye aye, cap'n," Kevin called back.

As Kevin lined up he knew his body was ready. Maybe warming up early was the way to go after all.

"On your mark!"

Kevin complied, becoming one with the track once more.

"Get set."

Kevin felt the familiar starting blocks on his feet, his body sprung up like a coil ready to launch off.

"Go!"

Again he got just an average start but with the competition, it just didn't matter. Within a few strides, he was right ahead of Darius.

He embraced the wind lashing against his face, attempting to enjoy his run to the fullest as Willow had done. However, with Darius on his hip, he felt the need to increase the gap and ensure his victory, the tendril thought of win snaking into his mind and commanding him forward.

Darius, his only real competition, just couldn't keep up as he hit his top speed, his feet carrying him to the line at a smoldering pace. 

He crossed the line with seconds to spare on Darius' 2nd place finish, holding up a hand in victory. His ego, satisfied, released the hold on his mind as he soaked in his sprint sweep victory. 

He caught Willow's eye among the cheering athletes in the crowd. She didn't look impressed, in fact, they was a small frown on her face as she watched him celebrate. Realizing he was watching her though, she give him a small thumbs up and forced a smile.

Kevin pushed the image of her frown out of his mind and gave her a nod. 

He was the sprint champion of the meet. 

A winner.

"What?" Michael shrieked.

Upon arriving home, Kevin got a bunch of notifications from Michael asking how he had done at the meet and detailing how much he wished he had gone instead of staying at school.

After hearing Kevin mention a girl though, Michael decided this divine event was too shocking to be told via text message and promptly called him.

"She beat Shalissa?" Michael echoed, shock radiating off his voice and through the cellphone.

He nodded by habit before Kevin remembered Michael couldn't see him. "Yep, twice. I swear she has the most elegant stride I've ever seen...it's like that one corny thing you say; she becomes one with the wind."

Michael scoffed. "It's not corny! And your untrained eye can't be trusted to judge the wind-chosen one. I will have to access one of her races myself as the grandmaster."

Kevin rolled his eyes. That was Michael's dorky way of saying he wanted to meet her. Michael often called Kevin scared when he would reject the advances of the rare female advance, because according to Michael, no sane straight hot-blooded teenage boy would be content without at least one female by his side, so this development was probably especially exciting for him.

"Wait, you got her number right?"

Oops.

"Uh..."

"No way," Michael breathed. "The one girl you finally seem interested in and you didn't even get her number, Kev? She doesn't even go to our school, you may never see her again!"

"That's pretty unlikely. Someone as fast as her is bound to be invited to invitationals at least." Kevin pointed out.

"And when will that be?"

Kevin shrugged, facepalming when he realized that again -Michael couldn't see him. He still wasn't particularly used to talking on the phone often.

"I don't know."

"By the time that comes around she may have lost interest or even worse got a jealous firebreathing boyfriend, Kevin! She's a high school teenager, you have to attack while your presence is still on her mind or she'll move on to the boy she sees more often, then you'll have to watch her be happy on her social media as she grows up and eventually, watch her marriage from afar."

Kevin raised an eyebrow. "That sounded a bit too specific, Michael."

"I've been through it about twenty times with my ever-changing celebrity crushes. Trust me, Kev, this comes from a place of experience."

Kevin laughed. He was pretty sure Scarlett Johannson and Sofia Vergara didn't count as heartbreak "experience", but regardless, Willow didn't strike him as the type he was describing.

"Whatever, Michael, it'll all work out," Kevin said.

Michael groaned. "For someone who doesn't believe in fate, you say that way too often."

Kevin smiled, shifting his gaze to the family portrait with his father smiling. It had been his father's favorite line whenever something came up and if a solution did happen to present himself he would always say 'I told you so'.

Kevin's smile wavered but he repeated it again.

"It'll all work out."