keeping up with you

Speed; the rate at which someone or something is able to move or operate. Distance; the amount of space between two object or people. Time; the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole

***

When I was young I was already introduced to the joy of running, my father was a track runner and he would usually bring me to the place where he would commonly run a 400-meter track. In my elementary days, I would join athletic events as such and would normally get the 1st place award as if it was that easy of a challenge. In middle school, my reputation as a track runner began to grow and soon I earned the title, "the boy that never stops running." True to that title - I never did. For many years, I thought I was the best there ever was. 14 years, year by year - I would always get the first place, and I started thinking I was unstoppable; that no one would defeat me. 

My friends and I had our shares of memories which were mostly - of us running around, racing to a certain place and whoever would win shall receive a price; a candy or two, a lollipop or chocolate. Though those were the days when I didn't understand how the world went, like any other child - thinking about a world that's supposedly perfect but is perfectly imperfect in so many ways. 

In high school, things would seem to change. The way I look at the world seemed to have gotten bigger and more vast as it was before. As if a little girl who thought the world was just a dollhouse for her to play only for her to realize that it was as hard to build and to make it stand as a sandcastle.

***

"Wake up Edward! You'll be late for school!" said mother, from below the stairs - with her voice echoing throughout the hallway reaching towards my room. My eyes were half-asleep, I slowly opened them to see a blinking digital clock beside me - standing on the bedside corner. It was bleeping, and I soon realized that my mother wasn't joking. I quickly stood away from my bed and prepared myself for a journey as quick as I might have fallen asleep last night.

Swiftly, I grabbed a loaf of bread from the plate that was on the table before dashing off outside the door and into the spring landscape of the morning; cherry blossoms fell into the ground flooding the road with pink. Some fell into my uniform and I desperately continue running, not minding the petals that fell into my clothes for it was not filthy but rather beauty itself.

I ran as fast as I can towards the school gates, even passing through many students that were also on their way to school, but weren't as fast as me. I continue to run proudly, for long, I wouldn't have expected to be still the fastest runner in this small town. As I continue to do so, all of the reputation that I so built in the years past, started to crumble. 

Her hair flew with the wind, her hair - the same as the color of the current season. She passed towards me in great speed that left someone as fast as me in shock. I didn't give up that easily and proceeded to chase her, hoping to catch up; deliberately protecting the pride that I so hold.

As soon as I reached the main school building, I tried to catch my breath - after all the running, and all the stamina that was taken from me. I looked around thinking that I got there first before she did, but at the moment I raised my head - I quickly decided to lower it down when I saw her looking down at me.

Just who does this girl think she is? Looking down at me like that? Tsk...  I raised my head again to see her still in the same posture as before, I couldn't bear to watch her face once more for another second so then I decided to leave right before I could see her face; a face that left everyone in the entrance of the school speechless, right after she had beaten me. 

***

"Have you heard? After all these years, the boy who never stops running was finally defeated?" said a student, conversing to another. Standing on the lockers, and suddenly lowering their voices as I got closer and passed through them.

"I know right, I wouldn't have expected it to be a girl that was going to take that title away from him," replied the other student, whispering but obviously heard from where I was standing.

Take that title, my ass... Let's see how she fares with the upcoming sports day - if she should beat me in the track race, then I admit my defeat. Sports day - that annual athletic event that happens in spring or autumn. It's when all classes are suspended to have a health-related event.  Well, if that isn't nice, then I'd rather say what's nicer is to see her reaction when I defeat her on the day - tomorrow.

"Ed, I heard you got defeated by the transferee?" said my friend, trying to hide a laugh.  A transferee? So she's not from this place after all huh...

At the end of that day, I went out to the school's track where I started running around the track, to prepare myself for the upcoming event the day after. In my athletic clothing, I continued to run even as if sweat was running through my body as if I was a human waterfall, but the motivation to prove that I was the best there ever was. To have already run 3 laps around the 400-meter track, I still didn't think it was time to stop. I looked around to see a girl sitting at the stairs surrounded by the green grasses who then stood up and turned her back and her pink hair being brushed off by the wind.

I will not be defeated...