Like Gold

21.

21.

"JASMINE, LET'S GO!"

I rolled my eyes, shutting my front door and grabbing my bike. Jace slammed on the car horn again, sticking his head out the open window to yell, "Hurry up!"

"I'm coming!" I shouted, deliberately slowing down to annoy him. "You really need to learn some patience."

I slowed at the steps, taking them one at a time before pausing. "Oops, forgot my helmet!"

"Jaaas," he whined, frowning. I laughed, hopping back up the porch to grab my bike helmet and strapping it onto my head.

"Why are you in such a hurry to get to school?" I hopped onto my bike, slowly pedalling down the driveway and to the path beside Jace's car.

He tapped on the steering wheel, glancing at the time on his dashboard before stepping on the accelerator. "We'll be late."

"We're early."

"For now," he chastised, raising a brow.

I snorted. "You are such a dork."

He grinned, shoving a hand through his brown hair, and sending me a half-shrug. "Your favourite dork."

I hummed. "I don't know about that."

He cut me a look, his eyes narrowing. "How many other dorks do you know?"

"Counting you?" He nodded. "One."

"So, I'm your favourite by default." He beamed at me through the window.

I laughed, pedalling my bike harder up the small hill. "I don't know about that."

"I'm truly hurt," Jace said finally, shaking his head. He released a small chuckle before sobering and saying, "I have to get to school early because I'm trying out for the track team."

I almost flew off my bike. I threw him a bewildered look, glancing frantically between him and the road ahead of me to ensure I didn't run over any pedestrians.

"Track team?" I repeated.

He nodded, eyes glued to the road. "Yeah. I actually used to run track back in Cali."

"Are you sure your leg's okay?" I asked. "I mean, you just started driving again –" he hit a pothole and I snorted – "and barely even that."

"I've been jogging recently. Building up my stamina." His voice faltered and he released a breath. "Honestly, I wasn't really planning to run track again, at least not so soon. But my mom was so happy to see me jogging again. And I started running in the mornings and evenings, and I felt the wind in my hair and the adrenaline in my blood – and I realised how much I missed it. The freedom of just running until you can't anymore."

I stayed quiet. I had never been much of an athlete. I played volleyball in middle school, but running? Just the thought of it made me feel out of breath.

But I could understand the idea. I felt the same way on my bike. Some days, I pedalled as fast as I could just to hear the wind whipping in my ears and feel my heart pumping. I felt free.

It didn't stop me from worrying, though. Just a few weeks ago, he was walking with a limp, crutches stuffed beneath his arms, wobbling with each step. And now he wanted to run track? It sounded like a recipe for permanent muscle damage.

After a moment, Jace spoke again.

"You know, I was in a wheelchair for a while."

I blinked, spinning to meet his eye. He kept his gaze steady on the road, though he must have felt my surprise because he released a bitter laugh and nodded.