Ignoring Pia, I bring my hand to Eden’s chin and turn her head gently towards me. “Kiera did this?”
She sighs. “I don’t know for sure.”
“I do,” Pia interjects. “There are like twenty people who saw her.”
Fuck. This is my fault.
“No,” Eden says, grabbing my waist. “Don’t put this on yourself. Kiera’s a piece of work.”
“I didn’t know she’d do something like this, babe. Jesus, I’m sorry.”
“So you should be,” Pia huffs.
“P, that’s enough. Seriously. Kiera’s had it out for me since way before I got with Sloane. She’s just been looking for an excuse, and Sloane being with me is it. She’s self-entitled and nasty. She also manipulated Sloane into thinking they were friends. Hell, she did it to you guys too. So enough of the shit throwing, yeah?”
They glare at each other for a second before Pia sighs. “Sorry, S. That was uncalled for. I was just pissed off.”
“It’s okay. I’m pissed off too, and I promise to sort this out once and for all.”
“Can we just get to the end of the race?” Eden asks. “That’s all I want to do. Oh, and maybe eat like a massive veggie burger after, with a milkshake.”
I give her a smile, but my insides are boiling. I knew Kiera liked me, but I never, ever thought she’d stoop so low as to hurt someone. What the hell did it even achieve apart from pissing a lot of people off? Kiera might have influence in the school, but she’s majorly underestimating the support Eden has gathered over the course of this semester.
Her underdog-style story has won the heart of everyone at Holcroft. Ha! I say it like she was some poor girl who had a tough upbringing and has fought her way to the top. Instead, Eden just hated sports and rebelled. Whatever her story, the students at Holcroft have gotten behind her and want to see her succeed. I can’t see it going over very well that Kiera did something so shitty to sabotage her.
I’m pulled out of my head by Eden, tugging me along. Her limp is still pronounced, but she’s distracted enough by our friends chatting away that it doesn’t cause her enough pain to stop walking.
“So what’re ya gonna do with your newfound freedom, next semester, Eden?” Bryce asks. He’s taken the top half of his costume off. His shirt is soaked through with sweat.
“Believe it or not, I’m going to carry on with gym,” she says, laughing at everyone’s reaction.
“Jesus, who are you, and what have you done with my sloth-like friend?” Pia says, putting her hands all over Eden as if to check it’s really her. I laugh as Eden bats her away, which starts an all-out hand slapping war.
“Alright, knock it off,” I say, stepping between them. “We’ve only got half a kilometer to go, and you need to keep walking so your ankle doesn’t seize up.”
Pia sticks her tongue out at Eden, who returns the gesture. I roll my eyes and everyone else titters, but we finally get moving again.
As we get closer to Holcroft and therefore completing the loop, more people appear. Many of them have food in their hands and are wearing the commemorative pin we had made for those who completed the race. A girl I recognize from algebra spots us and claps. It’s a weird thing to do, but okay.
Eden looks at her and then at me. I shrug. As the girl continues to clap, she catches the attention of other students who smile and join in. It’s then I realize what’s happening. They’re cheering Eden on. They want to see her cross the finish line.
Squeezing her hand, I laugh at her confusion. “Babe, this is for you.”
More and more people are wandering over, clapping their hands. I see mine and Eden’s parents pushing through. They must have heard what happened. Eden is going red and looks like she’s seconds away from hiding behind me.
Bryce, being the goof he is, starts waving and thanking everyone for their support. He even bows a couple of times, making the growing group of spectators laugh.
We are just a few meters away from the finish. Maybe fifty if I had to guess, when I see two students unfurl the already used finish line ribbon. They pull it taut across the end zone and smile at us.
Oh my goodness, my heart is so full right now. Becca, Bella, Pia, and Todd are all smiling and laughing as they high-five anyone close by. Eden is the only one not enjoying herself. I get it. She really doesn’t like the attention, but I hope she realizes this is such a lovely thing to be happening. She’s made a lasting mark on this school, even if it’s down to being a stubborn sloth.
“Oh my god,” she mutters quietly.
Laughing, I pull us to a stop and bring my hand up to stroke her face. “Be proud, babe. You’re about to do what ninety percent of the school thought was impossible—for you—to do.”
She huffs and scowls, but I know it’s all for fun. “I wasn’t that bad.”
Raising my eyebrow, I wait her out until she cracks a grin.
