𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐞𝐬┊✓

t w e n t y o n e | n e m o p h i l i s t

«not edited»

nemophilist (n.) a hunter of the woods; one who loves the forest and its beauty and solitude —
[origin : new latin; greek]

n o v e m b e r t w e n t y s e c o n d
w e d n e s d a y

I felt my headache increase a tenth fold hearing the loud chatter in the locker room as I changed out of my joggers and pulled on my track shorts, getting ready for the meet today. Getting ready for the race I have to run in exactly two hours and the race I have to run a hour after that one. Today was a mess, simply put; come to think of it, the days leading up to today was a mess and there was no one more on the edge than Phoenix and I.

Today was state qualifiers, my first meet of our championship season, meanwhile, Phoenix had his first game of playoffs season. Just imagine how the conversation went between us when we told each other, well when I told him I wouldn't be at his game, in the stands, wearing his jersey. I had been to every single one of his games thus far and he truly believed I was his good luck as he scored the opening and winning goal of each game. To say he felt unsettled with the fact that I wasn't making his first playoff game would be an understatement.

My bus was leaving at 3:25, leaving me with fifteen minutes to calm the churning of my stomach and I made my way outside the front of the school building where a few of my teammates were already. I don't know what bothered me more - the fact that I was missing one of his games, or that this is the biggest meet thus far in my career and I cannot, cannot fuck it up. We're talking state fucking quals here. If I placed top ten in this race, I had a chance of running the state championships.

I was about to walk up to Elieze and strike some sort of conversation up with him as we waited to leave for Miramar. I was sure the entire team felt nervous down to the pits of their stomach. We were varsity, for fucks sake, most of us, if not all, were not just running one race, but two today. But as I made my way to him, I heard my name being called out behind me. I turned around, and seeing Phoenix stand with there with some distance between us, I ran into his arms, dropping my duffle and backpack in the process. His tense state relaxed as he picked me up and twirled me around. Setting me down on my two feet, he didn't let go just yet, he hugged me tightly, his arms around my waist and my hands going around his neck as I went on my tiptoes. Our jerseys were complements of the other, his wine and mine gold and I just wished someone would take a picture. What a Kodak moment. My eyes fell upon his arms, covered completely with ink with intricate designs. You could even see the ink crawling up his neck, intertwining with each other and creating something beautiful. I wanted to know all about it, I wanted to know the endless stories of his tattoos.

I stand back at my normal height, causing Phoenix to look down at me and me up at him.

"Good luck, Adrianna," he says unbelievably softly, it was almost inaudible.

"Good luck, Phoenix," I say just as softly and I lean up and plant a soft kiss on his cheek. Clearly he's taken aback, I observe as I pull away, only to be the one taken aback seconds later as he pulls me right back flush against his chest. My hands automatically go around his neck and we stay in each other's embrace for a little.

But a little turned into god knows how long because next thing I know, my bus is here and my team is getting on. I pull away from Phoenix for the last time and turn around to grab my bags off the ground. I give him one last lingering look over my shoulder before walking towards my team and boarding the bus. As we pulled off I knew he was watching. I knew he stayed rooted to his spot and he watched, I felt his eyes on me.