Arcadian

Free fall

It's been a week since Harper moved in and let's just say it's been the funniest week of my life.

Her and Miles are pretty much best friends now. He abandons us every chance he can get to go sit on Harper's bunk so they can gossip and play the sims together.

Tyler and Dex have been constantly fighting over her, Dex argues that he wanted to make a move on her first but Tyler says that Dex just wants to fuck whereas he actually wants to develop something real with her.

Carter and me are the only ones who are completely indifferent about her arrival. Sure it's been annoying having her be the main topic of conversation with everyone in our classes but we recognise that it's not her fault. I don't mind her tagging along with us through the day because she never causes any problems and is always down for whatever.

She is a bit strange though.

Every morning at least one of us stirs awake when we hear her sneaking out in the early hours of the morning for like an hour before returning in time for breakfast. None of us know where she goes and we don't want to ask and invade her privacy but I can tell the curiosity is weighing down on all of us.

The reason this week has been so funny is because I can watch in real time as Lucian slowly loses his mind.

If there's one thing you should know about my brother it's that he despises losing and now that he's in all the top set groups with Harper who consistently one ups him in everything, he's becoming slightly unhinged.

Today all that competitiveness is going to be amplified because it's our year's annual sports day. Each year has an event once a year where one person will emerge victorious out of everyone else.

The rules are simple, each dorm room so around eight people on average do mini competitions out on the field. The person who wins out of the dorm get's to go onto the next round competing against all the other winners. This process repeats until eventually there is one winner out of the whole year who then ends up getting a prize and special privileges.

None of us have ever really taken it seriously before but now that Lucian wants to beat Harper at something and Dex and Tyler want to impress her, everyone is going all out.

I laugh watching those two idiots argue as they stretch. Harper is already driving half the group crazy.

"Ready, Set, Go," One of the teachers screams as we all take off running down the field towards the end line.

I thank the years of running that has prepared me for this as I overtake everyone quickly. Everyone except Lucian, who is speeding off in front of me. How is this boy so fast?

He finishes first with me following second. Miles is the last one to cross the finish line, meaning he has been eliminated. I walk over to him, placing my hand on his shoulder to comfort him but in reality I'm just trying to stabilise myself.

I've been fasting since my first day here, which means my body has gone one week without food. This is not totally unusual for me, back in my prime fitness days I would go around twelve days without food, my diet only consisting on water and Diet Coke.

We go through another couple rounds of games, including a egg race, hula hooping and a balancing competition until eventually it was just me, Carter and Lucian left.

"Guy's can we take a break first," I beg, feeling extremely lightheaded as we make our way to the obstacle course.

"Cmon guys Harper can't handle it," Carter taunts. "I can," I reply, feigning confidence. "I just think we should just rest for a bit," I suggest.

The boys snicker, completely ignoring my request as we finally approach the entrance of the woods at the back of the field. The dirt path is lined with logs, tires and nets that we have to crawl under.

We wait for the team in front of us to get slightly further down as we stand at the starting line. Carter ties his shoe laces as I sway side to side, my eyes going blurry. I blink furiously, trying to regain some composure as the teachers start counting us off.

"Three, two, one go!" The teacher shouts, causing the three of us to bolt down the path. We make it to the first obstacle, the nets which I get through much quicker than the boys.

I'm running to the tires when my vision get's significantly worse. I begin running slower, now not being able to go in a straight line as I swerve randomly. I watch as Carter and Lucian overtake me.

The last thing I see is Lucian turning around and smirking at me, probably happy to finally being able to beat me in something as darkness over takes my eyes and I fall to the ground.