Masks are Greater than Sunglasses [ COMPLETE ]

one - running away from my problems

- Rya -

In life, there are always those moments that change everything. You never know it at the time, but months later you look back and you can pinpoint the exact moment when everything changed. For me, that was three months ago. It was a good day at first. l I still think back on it and ask myself how everything changed so quickly. Maybe, maybe, if I had just not turned down that ride, I wouldn't be sitting here in the middle of the largest law enforcement building in the city explaining this to you. Maybe... Well, I guess I'll just start then.

Everything was normal until the Supers showed up.

---

My feet pound against the track, breath coming hard and fast. I see the finish line 10 meters away, 5 meters away, 1 meter away. I race across it, not daring to slow down. I push a path through the other panting runners around me, not stopping until I get to the edge of the stadium where the crowd is finally thin enough for me to catch my breath.

My pulse thunders against my temples, pounding through every inch of my body. I stretch my arms above my head feeling the last rays of the setting sun warm my skin. A grin breaks out over my face. This is what truly being alive feels like. I feel alive.

A loud whooping cheer breaks me from my thoughts. My grin grows even wider as I see the group all leaning over the front bars of the stands. A girl with hair pulled back into a messy bun is in front, waving wildly. She's holding one end of a massive sign with the words GO WESTEND HIGH! scrawled across it in bright red lettering. Hanging onto the other end is another girl who couldn't look more opposite, her blonde hair perfectly styled and held back with a headband that matches the Westend colors.

I wave back at my two friends, Emery and Olivia. Next to Emery a boy leans over the rail, running a hand through his ginger hair. I start to walk toward the group but I'm too late, Jackson has already vaulted over the edge landing catlike on the turf. He turns quickly, helping Emery over the edge. The two of them start sprinting toward me, Olivia behind them rolling her eyes as she makes for the stairs.

With unexpected force, Emery throws her arms around me in a celebratory hug. She pulls back and squeals, "Way to go Rya, second place that's amazing!"

"Well, it's not first." Jackson shrugs with a smirk even as Emery indigently socks him in the arm.

"Hey I'm kidding, I'm kidding." He puts his hands up defensively, green eyes twinkling mischievously as they fix on Emery, "It's a good thing too because Em here was about to take me down."

"Oh shut up." She mutters, her face going pink. As Olivia sidles up beside us, we exchange a knowing glance, pretending not to see Jackson bump Emery with his elbow or how Emery's face turns from rose to fuchsia.

"You did great! But please don't get offended if I don't hug you, you're all sweaty." Olivia wrinkles her nose at this last sentence as if there's no greater sin against the fashion gods than sweat.

I grin looking around at the three of them, "Thanks for coming guys, you really didn't have to."

"Course we did!" Emery smiles and slings her arm around my shoulders and raises an eyebrow at Olivia as she squeals with disgust. A surge of affection for my friends shoots through my chest, we are the most mismatched group which is the only reason it works. Emery tugs me back toward the Westend tent, "Come on let's go celebrate!"

"Ice cream?" Jackson asks, his face lighting up with the kind of pure bliss that only the thought of food can bring.

Olivia shakes her head in exasperation, "How are you in shape with all the crap you eat?"