She laughed, and we fell into a nice easy warm-up couple of laps.
“Grace!” Becca yelled from the sidelines. “Let’s huddle up, okay?”
“Okay!” She waved, then looked at me. “Good luck.”
“You, too, Gracie!” I offered her my fisted hand for a knuckle bump, but she just looked at me with wide eyes.
“What?”
“You…called me Gracie,” she said, slowing to a stop.
“I did?” Now that she mentioned it, I had. I’d done that once before, too. It kinda suited her. “Sorry. If you—”
“Don’t be.” Her blue eyes lit up. “I like it.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Grace
Sweat beaded along on my brow as I watched Harper hand off to Aanya. I was next. I was next!
I bent my knees and drew in a deep, cleansing breath. I tapped my shoe charm and threw a quick prayer up to Emmett.
My legs trembled, and I ordered them to settle down. Letting out my cleansing breath, I saw Aanya hit the marker, and I turned and blasted into a sprint.
“Stick!” she yelled.
I put my hand out. The cold baton slapped against my warm hand, and I squeezed. A boost of energy swarmed through my chest and shot to my legs. I bolted out of the exchange zone, baton in hand, and pumped my arms.
“Go, Gracie! Go!”
That was Preach. His voice was like fuel for the fire blasting through my body, and I picked up the pace.
The tape came into sight. Ten meters left.
Come on, Grace. Push it. Push it.
I leaned through the tape, and the cheers were deafening. I felt them all the way through my chest.
“Yes!” Sam yelled.
I held the baton up, toward the sky.For you, Emmett!
Tears pricked my eyes, and I didn’t bother holding them back.For you, Emmett! Always for you.
My biggest cheerleader, my best friend. My big brother. I leaned over and put my hand on my knee, trying to catch my breath and curb the tears. Neither was coming to me. I fell to my knees as an image of Emmett tackle-hugging me at my last race last May. I’d absolutely crushed the state record in the open 100.
I could almost smell his Dial soap scent. The only soap he’d used. It’d forever remind me of him, and right now, it felt like he was standing beside me.
I heard Mom and Dad shouting their congratulations above the rest of the crowd. Tears streamed down Mom’s face, too. I pointed at them, and a fresh wave of tears streamed down my face.
“We did it! Fifty-one, Grace. Fifty-one!” Aanya tackled me around the waist. “Oh, are you okay? Are you hurt?”
“No. Just…happy.” I wiped my tears and hugged her.
Harper and Becca joined in on the hug, and I almost fell over. Becca kept us upright, and I sagged against my teammates.
Teammates.Sure liked the sound of that.