Page 23 of Fake Dates and Home Plates (Way Off Base #1)
Chapter Twenty-Two
Henley
Standing at the starting line for my last college race, I stare at the ground. This course is familiar. Even some of the runners surrounding me are familiar.
But the pinch in my gut—that’s new.
I wasn’t this nervous for my very first race. This isn’t my last race ever , but I know this one is special. It’s the last time I’ll run with this team, these girls, my school.
The bus ride last night took six hours. We played silly road trip games and sang obnoxious pop songs at the top of our lungs.
And when Coach invited me to sit up front for a few minutes, I swear her voice cracked as she told me how proud she was of me, that nothing today would ever lessen that. Then, we both pretended we weren’t crying as another song started up.
This morning, though so similar to our other meets, feels like so much more.
I turn to Lily, who’s already got glassy eyes, though she shakes her head quickly. “Captain, I’m going to need you to keep it together, or I’ll spend the entire course hyperventilating from crying.”
With a quick nod, I say just loud enough for my team to hear, “Alright, let’s leave it all here, ladies. Cross that finish line knowing you gave everything you could.”
A round of agreement is murmured, and I feel the shift in energy to something more positive, more confident.
Jumping in place, I will my body to push away these jitters. I roll my head side to side, loosening the tension in my neck. The nerves start to roll away, replaced by determination.
I know my parents are at the halfway mark, like usual, but I’m a bit giddy wondering where Theo will be waiting.
He was extremely vague when I questioned him about it. Giving him a blow job while he read an absolutely filthy section of his book didn’t help convince him to spill whatever he was hiding either.
I shake my head, trying to focus on the race and nothing else.
The whistle blows, and in the next heartbeat, we’re off.
The sound of everyone’s breathing and their feet hitting the ground is chaos, but my body knows what to do. It remembers every hill, every curve of this course.
So I settle into my stride, near the front but not leading.
The crowd is loud, bodies filling every inch of space behind the plastic tape blocking off the course. People are shouting their encouragement and cheering us on, but the voices begin to blend before eventually fading out to silence.
Then, I see it.
A poster, bright pink and ridiculous.
It’s a printout of Theo’s face with a quote bubble that says: YOU GOT THIS, GETAWAY GIRL!
The sign is held by one of his teammates I recognize from game night, Ezra, who is whooping and fist-pumping with his free hand. My mouth curves into a smile, and I speed up just a little more. I feel the butterflies in my stomach flittering around uncontrollably.
At the next mark, I see a thin figure with long, blonde hair, holding another sign with Theo’s face on it.Sunny cups a hand around her mouth to shout, “Your ass looks fantastic in those tiny bottoms, Harkin!”
Her sign reads: DOWN A MILE, I LOVE YOUR SMILE.
Oh, he’s rhyming now. Cheesy but fucking adorable.
Lily chuckles beside me, but we’re not losing focus on what’s important right now, continuing to pass more runners, more bib numbers.
In my head, I start playing my favorite songs from my running playlist, letting the memorized lyrics provide another sense of familiarity.
A guy I’m not certain I remember is up next, his sign reading: KEEP UP THE PACE, YOU’LL WIN THIS RACE.
Great, another rhyme. I’m sensing a theme.
The runners around me are starting to spread out, some unable to keep up with the leading pack while others are already increasing their speed again.
At the halfway mark, my parents are both holding up their Theo signs.
Together, they say: HAVE YOU EVEN brOKEN A SWEAT? IF I GAMBLED, YOU’D HAVE MY BET!
Okay, that was a little more clever but still ridiculous.
Bash’s blonde hair catches my attention off to the side; it’s a shade or two darker than his sister’s in the sunlight. Lily makes a noise beside me but doesn’t say anything.
I assume it’s because this sign reads: I’M ALL OUT OF RHYMES, SET A RECORD TIME!
Fucking cheesy, barely even rhyming on that one.
Between the music I’ve memorized on repeat in my mind and the cute signs, my nerves are long gone. I told the girls to leave it all on the course today, and it’s time for me to do the same.
My next stride increases my pace before I kick into a sprint. I let my body do what feels natural, but I continue to push myself a little more with each distance marker we pass.
I know the finish line is getting close when the sounds of the other runners near me start to disappear. Ahead of me are two girls from different schools, both giving it their all, probably trying to set their own records.
Unfortunately for them, I’m too stubborn to lose.
This is my race. My year. My time.
With every last bit of energy I can muster, I push forward one last time. Every other noise fades away. If my opponents make any sounds of disappointment, I don’t hear them.
My eyes are on the finish line.
Until I see a flash of pink standing a short distance behind it.
Decked out in one of my favorite colors, holding a sign with my face, is Theo.
His sign says: NATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY RECORD HOLDER HENLEY HARKIN IS MY GIRLFRIEND!
I’ve never doubted there were people on this Earth who supported me: my parents, Coach, Lily.I’ve always felt loved and cared for.
The way Theo shows up for me is different from any of that, though. He never falters from the kind, genuine boy who held my hair after I ruined his shoes. He’s constantly proud of me, no matter how big or small my accomplishments are. He’s not afraid of my hopes or dreams.
Theo just wants to be part of my life, however he can fit.
With tears forming in my eyes as I cross the finish line first, I know I want that with him too.
I want to show up at his baseball games and shout things I don’t even understand. I want to wait for him after the losses so my arms are the first comfort he feels. I want to go on rage runs with him in every city I can and never let him beat me just so I can see how big he smiles when I win.
My body is ready to collapse as I come to a stop, but a strong arm wraps around my waist to hold me up.
“Fuck yeah, Getaway Girl.”
Even though I’m drenched in sweat and my chest is heaving, I wrap my arms around his neck and drag his lips to mine.
Without words, I try to express how lucky I feel to be his, how fortunate I am that he’s mine.
As if he can read my thoughts, he deepens the kiss, telling me just how much he feels the same.
When we break apart, I lean on him while I do my cool-down walk, waiting for all the runners to finish.
My teammates join me one by one, along with all the friends and family here to support us.
When my parents and Theo’s friends arrive at our group, I notice something I missed on the course.
I was so focused on the giant Theo head posters, I didn’t see how they were all wearing pink and black.
While Theo is the only one wearing my face on his shirt this time, he managed to get everyone coordinated in my favorite colors.
Sunny is wearing a pink sweater dress and black boots while her brother is wearing black jeans and a pink t-shirt. The guy I didn’t know, who introduces himself as Lukas, is wearing a pink hat with his black joggers and t-shirt.
Ezra’s outfit is my favorite, though: black jeans, a black V-neck shirt, and pink high-top sneakers along with a pink barbell that I catch when he sticks his tongue out to show it off.
Something tells me that’s not the only metal he’s rocking either.
My parents wrap me up in a hug sandwich, telling me how proud they are, tears in their eyes.
“You are incredible, Henley. I can’t believe the little girl who used to make me carry her halfway through my normal run just did that .” My dad’s voice is filled with awe as he points to the board.
Henley Harkin 18:53.7
Everyone around me bursts out into celebration, taking turns lifting me and giving me high-fives. Lily wraps me in a sweaty hug, holding each other a little tighter than normal.
I’m not expecting it when Ezra and Bash lift me up on their shoulders. I almost lose my balance before two hands settle on my hips from behind, lifting me off them and back to the ground.
The look on Theo’s face as he stares down his teammates is hot as fuck.
Hot as in take me on the nearest flat surface as long as my parents don’t see or hear us hot.
“Mine,” he says as he narrows his eyes playfully, but his tone leaves no room for confusion. He’s serious, throwing his arm over my shoulder and kissing the side of my head.
I like that—a lot.
All the commotion distracted me from the number on the board, but as Theo breaks his sweet kiss, it sinks in.
I just broke the national record.
“How’d you know? Did you bring a backup sign?” I ask Theo.
He shakes his head. “Absolutely not. I knew you were going to do it. Didn’t doubt that for a second.”
As we wait for awards, our group stands under our tent, slowly introducing ourselves. But when Bash holds his hand out to Lily, she slaps it down.
“Are you for real? You’re going to pretend like you don’t know me?” Her voice is filled with anger.
Oh no. Theo must come to the same realization as me, because we look at one another with wide eyes.
Bash’s eyebrows lower in confusion before raising up to meet his hairline. “Oh, fuck. I mean, you look different like this.” He gestures to her in her warm-up clothes.
“I’m not even surprised. Of course, the guy who stood me up after promising he’d make up for his lackluster performance in the bedroom wouldn’t even remember the girl he left hanging.”
I can’t help the loud laugh I let out. Lily told me all about that night, though she never mentioned the guy's name.
She refers to him as Two-Pump Chump. Freshman year, they both drank a little too much but still decided to hook up, only the guy was too quick, getting off in less than a minute and passing out right after.
He promised they’d have dinner the next night, but he never showed.
Lily looks over with a slight smile on her face, noticing I’ve connected the dots.
“I swear, I didn’t mean—” Bash tries to explain but is cut off when she just walks away, headed for the stage they’ve set up near the officials' tent.
I’d feel bad for him, but the fact that he didn’t even make sure to get her off before blowing his load is a shitty thing to do. Standing her up after crosses into the next level of shitty behavior.
Sunny watches him with wide eyes, a mix of humor and shock on her face. Something tells me Bash has his own version of events their inner circle has heard all about.
“Well, that was entertaining, but I’d like to go watch my baby get her last college gold medal now,” my mom says as she grabs my dad’s hand and starts leading him away.
Theo keeps his hold on me as we follow. When the short ceremony is over, I hold up my gold medal, and Lily holds up her bronze. We placed second as a team, and although I wanted to be first, I know we still did something extraordinary.
It might be my last time running for Shoreline and with these teammates, ending one hell of a season and my college career, but it feels like something new is just starting.