Kiss of A Titan

As expected, it became evident to everyone in school the following week that Richard and I were somewhat in a kind of relationship and it wasn't news to the athletic team or even those in the drama club that Richard had given up on Lori following their last year's breakup as a result of some actions best known to those who knew what Lori did that ended her relationship with Richard. Not only was anyone I privately tried asking what had been the cause of their separation but Chloe, whom I suspected knew the truth like anyone who was present in the school last year, refused to say a thing about it to me even when I tried bribing her with her favorite Sunday salad with crunchy beef. Even Amanda was unwilling to share the information with me and as a result of their defiance, I decided to forgo any intention of interfering with Richard's past and to move forward for the better regardless of how difficult it was getting to avoid a whole of people watching my every movement around the school like an hawk ever since classes resumed as usual.

For the team, it was ironically different from the way others thought about me and it was rather encouraging to secluded much of my school activities to the gymnasium where I felt a lot comfortable with the trainees whilst avoiding unnecessary eyes like the cafeteria where I could no longer have my lunch in peace and with the next round of the Olympics that was to be held in Denver coming up the midweek of August, I had my head all wrap up in the preparations for the games of which I was eager to convince everyone particular the coach to participate with the aggressive training I had intently engage himself in to get a spotlight at the Olympics like the rest of the senior athletes in the team. Consequently, Richard and I had to make our dating discreet as possible so as not to hinder our participation in the Olympics but most importantly, to ensure we both tend to our training as athletes whilst sustaining the unofficial love we had for each other.

Eventually, the day to make the three-day trip to Denver for the games came without any interruptions after the team adequate preparations for the event were done at least to the best of the training Coach Robbins had to engage his team in. After the prom, he had preoccupied his athletes with vigorous training on different routines best known to win enough gold medals at the Olympics in Denver and everyone in the team including myself felt his strong desire to put on a spectacular display in the forthcoming game hosted by the rival team from Denver due to the fact that competition was on a foreign ground rather than the home soil.

He knew very well that the host team of every summer games usually had more advantage than its away rival which was the main reason why he had the ladies partake in different acrobatic stunts whilst the guys whose training were by far severe than the girls, had their main focus involved in getting themselves ready for the outdoor games.

When the day came, everyone was already prepared with their athlete sporty gears, to set out of town in the school bus along with the Coach as well as a few cheerleaders handpicked for the event including the school mascot. The drive from Houston to Denver, which went on for miles, was quite irksome than what I had anticipated, though I was excited to leave town to see Denver, a place my aunt once visited with her late husband before finally settling down in Georgia with the rest of us. In spite of the few stops we made on the way at the motels we came across on the route designated by the Coach, we were able to arrive at the school in Denver very much early to see other participants as well as the host fans already roaming around the vicinity with almost similar buzzing atmosphere that was felt at the two events hosted by Houston High.

The games lasted for two days and the Coach's efforts of winning substantial medals for the team paid off but it wasn't easy competing in the games against our opponents who were formidable in all aspects of the games. It was out of sheer luck that Coach Robbins told me to represent the team in the women's swimming event and I was equally thrilled like the other participants that I starred in the Olympics despite his flimsy confidence in my performance due to what happened at the pre-season games. As a result of him giving me a second chance at the games, I repaid his trust by winning a silver medal for the team and it was quite an achievement I never had dreamed to have attained though it was rather unfortunate that the celebration was confined to only Richard and the team who were there present when I was awarded.

After the games were over, everyone took out time to gather their belongings arranged in their respective duffle bags for imminent return back to Houston and around 9am, everyone was dressed in the Titans team cardigan awaiting the school bus that brought the entire team and the few cheerleaders to Denver two days earlier at the nearest bus stop not too far from the school perimeter.

For a safer return to Houston, Coach Robbins instructed the driver to take the team using the popular route through Dallas instead of Oklahoma through a phone call. But before the bus arrived, I and the rest of team were taking their time talking about how the team's performances in each of the events and I was standing next to Paige, hearing her own opinion a short distance away from the main bus stop where Richard was preoccupied with his discussion with Linder and Martin the athlete who came third in the hurdles event during the first day of the competition.

Having something in mind and bored standing with the boys, Katherine left the gathering and went over to where Paige and I were talking about the game. She hadn't gotten to where we were until she realized something was missing from her duffle bag and hastened her footsteps till she intruded in our conversation which changed the whole topic of discussion.

"....Like I said, we really did great with the new athletes on our team especially you", Paige replied but I was distracted from continuing our discussion when I noticed Katherine coming towards us. It was then Katherine came into our midst and inquired about her missing goggles.

"Sorry for intruding, Paige, have you seen my goggles?", She asked and we gave her a puzzling look.

"No, I haven't. Not since the game ended", "Me neither. Did you check your bag properly?", "I have but I can't seem to find it", "Maybe you left it in the dressing room when we getting ready to leave earlier", "I think I did but I can't go back. What if the bus arrives before then?", Katherine replied feigning total disappointment in herself. Paige patted her back trying to comfort her and I felt sorry for her enough to decide to help her at that moment even when the chances of returning back in time to join the others leave with the school bus was slim.

"I'll help you go get it", "You will?", It was Katherine who asked as they both looked at me.

"Yes but you have to tell the others not to leave without me", "Alright then, we promise to tell Coach about your absence", Paige replied and I started jogging back to the school to make up for lost time.

"You sure you'll make it back in time?" she asked from afar after I had gone some distance away from them.

"Sure, I will...the school isn't that far off from here!" I yelled on the top of my voice as I trotted quickly down the road towards the direction of the school carrying my duffle bag in one hand. They watched me going till I was out of sight and went back to join the others at the main bus stop. Few minutes later, I was at the school ground which was completely deserted with nobody in sight and I took the opportunity to scour around the section that once served as the dressing room for the athletes during the game but found nothing. I went looking elsewhere and it took me over half an hour to find Katherine's goggles which I found lying somewhere around the school field.

Then I went back to the bus stop and to my dismay, the others had already gone without me and it was highly terrifying to be left behind alone by the team. I thought for a moment what had gone wrong but all I could think of was that I was lost in a city with no one to turn to for help. Richard was the first person that I thought about and it did occur to me that he didn't realize that I was not among those that boarded the bus nor did he see me when I left to find Katherine's goggles. I decided to seek any help I could find from anyone living in the main city and I started hiking under the hot sun on the same route the bus must have taken when it left a couple of minutes ago.

Having covered enough distance away from the bus stop where all I could see were forest trees surrounding me at either side, I tried phoning Richard to notify him of the present predicament but unfortunately, the call didn't go through since it turned out that there was no signal around the area where I was mistakenly abandoned.

I hadn't gone far into the main city when I came across a driver who pulled over at the first glance on seeing me walking by the roadside with my duffel bag still dangling from my left shoulder under the hot sunny afternoon. The road seemed rather lonely and quiet enough for him to have quickly noticed that I was the only one walking on that path towards the main city.

At first, I felt relieved and thought he would be able to help the predicament I was in but after seeing the driver, I thought it best not to receive any help from him. He turned out to be a man in his early forties with a furry beard and a bald head whose scarlet pickup truck was familiar with the wayside as well as that of the countryside of Texas. His stomach was quite bulgy and I had suspected at first sight that he was a drunkard whose unkempt outfit portrayed more of his addiction than his character.

"Need a ride, Miss?", "No thanks", I said feeling repulsive at seeing his face and continued walking but he drove further on catching up with me.

"It would please you to know that I saw your team on my way earlier", "Where did you see them?" I asked curiously and stopped walking.

"Well...not too far off the outskirts of town but we can catch up with them if we hurry" he cunningly replied, chewing what I thought was gum while gripping the steering wheel.

I thought it best to follow him since he had already spotted them despite being irritated by the creepy look at me.

"Fine...I'll join you", "That's good then. Hop in and I'll help you get back to your team", he said grinning triumphantly even when I sneered at him.

"You can drop your bag in the back before you come inside", I did as he advised even though I felt reluctant to abide by his rules. He speedily drove off after I entered the car towards the direction I was headed. Soon we were in the main city but the school bus was nowhere to be seen among the numerous cars he drove past along the way.

I felt disappointed that I had run out of luck and thought things would never be okay if my aunt found out that I was lost in a huge city but little did I know that I had bigger problems to deal with. I knew that it wouldn't take quite long for the pickup driver to drop me off and thought he would stop driving when we indeed reached the outskirts of the city but it was like he had other plans for me despite having told him that my destination was Houston.

I started to feel weird sitting beside the driver in his car up till nightfall and it was then that it occurred to me that I could have him drop me off at the nearest subway station before taking a train to Houston through Dallas or Oklahoma whichever would be the best way to get to Houston.