“I’ll walk you to the nurse,” Sam said.
“Thanks.”
My mind started spinning again, and my heart picked back up, but this time I managed to take several deep breaths, shoving the thoughts back, deep inside my brain.
Holy crap.This is scary.Was Becca right?
Did I just have an anxiety attack?
Chapter Thirty-Four
Grace
Aanya hit the straights like a freaking cannonball.
I kissed my charm, then watched for her to hit the sweet spot so I could close this race out. We were in the lead. Maybe even headed for another record from what I could tell.
Ten, nine, eight.
I glanced over my shoulder one last time, then took off.
“Stick!” Aanya yelled.
I shot out my hand.
The smooth baton landed on my fingertips.
Wait. That wasn’t right.
“Shit!” Aanya said.
I squeezed my fingers around the baton, but I didn’t feel all of it against my palm like I normally did. I had to see.
It slipped out of my hand. I looked over my shoulder, hoping I could grab it. Maybe salvage this.
“No!” Aanya yelled, her hands jamming into her hair.
The baton fell in slow motion, turning over two times as it plummeted to the track. I slowed, but I had already been at almost full speed and approaching the last precious inches of the exchange box.
The tip hit the track, and the stupid thing shot out of our lane like Becca shot out of the blocks. There was no stopping it.
“Shit!”
“No!” Harper yelled, followed closely by Becca’s bellow.
I fell to my knees. Frustration exploded in my veins like hot lava.
This is all my fault!I picked up the baton and banged it into the track. One of my bashes, the edge of the baton clipped my braced hand, and a jolt of pain shot through my two fingers like a bolt of electricity.
“Shit,” Aanya said.
I stayed down on the track. I needed to move, but it didn’t matter. We were disqualified.
Slumped shoulders and head hanging low, Aanya offered me her hand. She didn’t say anything else, but I saw the disappointment in her eyes.
I’d royally fucked up.
“Come on, Grace, we need to get you off the track.” Coach offered me his hand and helped me to my feet.