Wilson James Taylor

I woke up to a missed call from my mother and a text from Sydney. I opened it and read:

so much for calling me back

Hunter popping up in my room distracted me from replying.

"What's for breakfast?" He asked me.

*

I parked and walked Hunter to the doors.

As we walked, he was in a pretty good mood. He'd been talking my ear off all morning about how he can't wait to see Malena and hopes to set a new personal record (PR) at his meet later.

"Hunter, listen," I talked, "you know you can tell me anything, right? How's Anna been?"

"Different," he said. "she doesn't hit me anymore when she gets mad, and she drinks less. I think that's why she started smoking, but I'll take it. Ever since her last boyfriend left her, things have been better. But-- nevermind."

"No, say it," I urged him.

"She misses you, Will. Every night she cries saying she wishes you'd come back," he said, kicking a rock.

I moved out the way for some teens running by us.

With squinted eyes from the sun, I asked Hunter, "Well what do you think?"

He hunched his shoulders at first. "I don't want to say it and you get mad at me," said Hunter, not meeting my eyes.

I stopped him walking and put one hand firmly on his shoulder.

"Tell me," I pushed, looking between his eyes.

Hunter deeply sighed and knocked my hand off his scrawny body.

"I want you to get back together, there! We were happier then," he raised his voice.

He had me at a loss. I wasn't expecting that at all.

Anna and I used to be somewhat of a thing, on and off -- usually off-- but I didn't know he felt that way, or his mother.

The guilt tripping almost worked. Almost.

"Hunt-" I tried but he cut me off.

"Whatever, I gotta go, the bell's about to ring," he spat, walking off with two teammates.

I watched crowds of kids pool into the school until the doors shut behind the last of the stragglers.

Hunter might've given me some childish attitude before, but never nothing like that. It hurt me he felt so strongly, I didn't want to be the root of his unhappiness. But Anna and I was something that should've never happened. And while it's not a regret of mine necessarily, I definitely didn't even want to think of working on our relationship. Or lack thereof.

"Yo," Damian called out. He walked up with his hand ready for me to slap it.

"What you doin', look like you tryna leave work early?" he said.

"Yeah," I clicked, putting my phone away. "Hunter has a track meet I gotta make it to."

"You the boss, I don't care. Just not like you to leave work for something personal. I'm not mad, you need a break. Tell 'em I said good luck," Damian talked, patting my arm.

I pushed my hair back, not knowing what to say next.

"I, uh, talked to Sydney - about Chyna," I let out.

His eyes grew big. "What she say?"

I laughed at how eager he was to know.

Wiping sweat from my lip with the hem of my shirt, I then said, "She still wants to come see you."

He sucked his teeth. "No 'sorry' or nothin'?"

I looked around him. "Call her later, I'm sure you'll both work it out."

"Yeah. Shit, what about you and Syd?" asked Damian.

Wes and Omar walked up, catching that last part.

Omar dapped me up, then Dame.

"Who we talkin' about, the tall chick with the nice ass from the Delaney project?" Omar butt in.

"Shit, good for you, Willy. You look about ten pounds lighter, finally dropped that load, huh?" he joked, pushing my head in.

I didn't want to tell them I slept with Anna at all, but I didn't want the guys thinking about Sydney that way.

"Chill," Damian warned the two.

"We're joking," Omar laughed.

Vaping, Wes grinned at me. "I was gonna say, if you didn't hit her, I would."

"Fuck you, Wes," I said, slapping the vape pen out of his mouth.

"Oh, he's so sensitive," Wes teased, picking it up while laughing.

I got in the truck and only said bye to Damian. When they backed up and I put the car in 'drive,' I saw Wes throw his arms up.

"Come on, Will," he cracked. "I'm only half serious!"

***

After a shower, I had the idea to see what Sydney was up to. Track meets are long and Hunter lets me sit alone in the bleachers because he doesn't want me to "embarrass" him.

Delaney let me knock and think no one was home for a good three minutes before she answered the door.

"Wilson, what a surprise," she gushed. I immediately caught sight of the wine in her hands.

It's three o'clock on a Tuesday. . .

Delaney looked like she was taking a break from doing some artwork.

"Can I get you a drink?" she asked with this animalistic look in her eyes.

"No, thanks," I said, standing there still.

"Oh, Tom isn't here," she slurred her words with the glass to her lips.

I stood over her and glanced around the house.

"I'm looking for Sydney?"

"Huh. She's in the back," she answered with a sudden frown. I wondered why her mood shifted at the mention of her niece.

I showed myself to the bedroom where Sydney stayed and she wasn't in there. She made it her own without any major decorations.
I almost questioned why she didn't spice up with room but could almost hear her answer: because that would make it feel permanent.

There was a framed picture of her and Chyna, though. Like a dummy, I started to smile at it, they looked so happy. It's nice they were such good friends, like Damian and myself.

The old song 'milkshake' by Kelis grew louder. I guessed it came from the bathroom, courtesy of Sydney.

I heard the music get louder and something told me it was because the door opened. So I put the frame back on the stand on hid on the closet.

"--Oh, once you get involved, everyone will look this way, so you must maintain your charm; same time maintain your halo. Just get the perfect blend," Sydney sang along, entering the room. She was moving fast and trying to clean up.

All of a sudden, she stopped and sniffed.

I almost blew my cover and busted out laughing.

She's going to kill me, I thought in my head.

I watched her pull her phone out and start texting. Then, she left the room.

My phone vibrated in my pocket so I took it out and looked. It was Sydney, of course, she sent:

where are you???

I laughed on the inside, this is so childish.

I replied:

work???

She just sent:

mhm

A minute later, Sydney was standing in front of the closet.

"You can come out, Will," she detected, arms folded.

I dropped my jaw and stepped out.

"You're stupid," she laughed softly.

"How'd you know I was in there?"

She smiled at me and walked to the bed to put her phone back on the charger.

With a spin, she sat down on the bed, the smile never leaving her face.

"Your body wash, dummy. I like it, would know it anywhere," she told.

"I'm not the only one in the world who uses it, though," I offered, wandering the room.

"Well, who else would be in my closet?"

"The boogeyman, actually."

"Right," she hummed. "What do you want?"

"We have somewhere to go," I said, pulling her off the bed.

Sydney looked at the time. "Where? And why aren't you at work?"

"Can you just come on? Damn," I griped, earning a slap to the arm.

"Am I dressed okay, should I change?" she asked me, modeling the casual outfit.

Though she wore light makeup and jewelry, her hair was straight and she had on black high-top Converse with grey straight-legged sweatpants, and a navy blue crew neck sweatshirt that had a tiger on it.

I'd never seen her in such baggy clothes, not even on her Instagram where she never even wore jeans in a picture unless they were curve-hugging or cutout.
What I mean is, she looked beautiful still, the new look was refreshing to see.

"Y-yeah, come on," I rushed, snapping out of it.

"So, where are we going?" she asked, packing her purse.

"Back to high school," I grinned.

***

"Hey Will, you just made it," a team mom greeted me in the stands.

"Yeah? He next?" I inquired about Hunter.

"Mhm, girls hurdles just finished. Here, Will's in the last heat," Brandy let me know, handing ovee the schedule for this meet.

Sydney waved to her and then waited for me to pick a seat to sit.

"There's so many people here," she oozed. "When I did track in high school, no one cared this much."

"Well, Hunter's team is really good and there's, like, fifteen school's here," I informed her.

I added, "Is that okay with you?"

"Yeah, it's fine, I'm excited to see Hunter run. Just know you're getting me food after this, and Hunter, too."

"Yeah, yeah," I blabbed, getting up to see Hunter at the starting line warming up.

It wasn't a scorching hot May day, just normal. Everyone sat under tents, though, and prepared themselves to be here for at least five hours.

"Hi," a brunette walked our way followed by Hunter's girl friend - Malena.

"Hey, Karina, Malena," Sydney bubbled, inviting them to sit around us. I was happy she remembered the waitresses name when I couldn't, and that they were sisters.

"Did Hunter go yet?" asked Malena, looking anxious.

"Not yet," I said, arms folded.

Karina sat with a blanket and told Malena to put the poster down before it blew away with a gust of wind or got stepped on.

"Aw, let me see," Sydney gushed. She picked up a poster Malena made for Hunter. It had a hurdle on it, his name in bold glittered letters, and a track spike shoe with wings.

"I was late because I had to make that," Malena blushed.

"That's so cute," Sydney cooed, nudging me.

Hunter really liked this Malena girl, I knew he'd appreciate the gesture. I also knew he'd be asking me what he should give her in return, probably something I'd have to pay for.

Karina and Sydney got to know each other as I watched the following races. I admired how Sydney could just talk to anyone and act like she's known them forever, she's really a people-person. You would've thought they were best friends for decades the way they took pictures, exchanged numbers, and went to the bathroom together.

Finally, Hunter's heat was up. He and six other guys lined up on the eight lane track to do the one hundred and ten meter hurdles.

I never made it so early to a meet to see him do this race as I worked and it's the second event. I knew he was good, though, the best at his school. Brandy let me know the boys in this heat were running fourteen to fifteen seconds which was good for high schoolers but even better for Hunter, a sophomore, as everyone else in the heat were juniors and seniors.

Sydney got back just in time, she brought back a black blanket and some snacks.

"Popcorn?" she offered, shaking the bag in my face.

I took a handful and scarfed it down.

When the stadium fell quiet, I knew the coach at the starting line on the track began to call it.

I sat up and saw the boys down in the blocks.

Nervous, I looked over my shoulder at Brandy and she gave me an assuring smile.

BANG! The gun went off, letting the boys know to start. Off they went, sprinting to the first hurdle. The boy in lane six fell and the crowd went "ooh." I thought that had to hurt, physically and his ego.

"GO HUNTER!" I, like everyone else, rooted for him.

Only one guy was ahead of him and he was a beast, I can't lie. Next to Hunter's, everyone screamed his name - Trayvon. It was clear Hunter wasn't gonna get him unless he fell which I doubted, I'm sure he could hurdle in his sleep.

In seconds, the race was over. Hunter dipped at the finish line and got second. Trayvon finished with 14.6 to Hunter's 15.1, it seemed like no big deal but in sports, that's a lot of time. Nothing more practice wouldn't help with.

Hunter shook Trayvon's hand and they walked off the track together on their heels to not scratch their spikes against the ground and bleachers.

"Woo, go Hunter!" Malena yelled as he approached us in the stands.

"Good job, Hunter. I recorded it all," Brandy said.

"Thanks," he panted, hugging Malena first.

"Oh, hey, Sydney," he said, sending me a look.

"Good job," she told him, offering a granola bar which he denied.

Hunter put his clothes on and then asked what I was doing there.

I laughed. "Came to see you, you're welcome."

"Guess you didn't care about what I said earlier?" he griped, alluding to Sydney accompanying me.

I just let him walk off with Malena.

"Kids," Karina exhaled, shaking her head.

*

9:14pm

Hunter was on his last event, the four-by-four, in which he ran last leg (anchor.) He hadn't come back to see or talk to me in hours, nor did we see Malena.

Brandy's son, Connor, let me know Hunter was mad about getting second in each event to Trayvon from the rival school - his only competition here. Every time they announced Hunter's name to get on the podium, he got a silver medal around his neck, never gold. As competitive as I am, I couldn't even say anything other than "good job, you're just in tenth grade" to cheer him up. Shit, I would've been mad, too.

Hunter's team won and they weren't in the fastest heat but they got the third best time overall somehow and got a bronze medal.

The announcer revealed who won, who broke records, and which boys and girls team would take home the trophy for this year's invitational meet.

Hunter stomped over to me in his warmup suit and Crocs. He shoved his medals at me so I could finally see them, and tossed the bag over his shoulder.

Malena had stuck one of his number three lane stickers - the ones runners put on their hips and chest- on the back of her clear iPhone pro case.

Some teams and supporters had already left, others were packing things up. I, for one, been ready to go.

When they didn't call Hunter's team as the winners, he put his hood up and walked down the bleachers buried in his phone, Malena on his tail.

I sighed, seeing him act like this. I knew it wasn't just because the losses, but because of what he said earlier - me and his mother getting (back) together.

Should I mention any of this to Sydney, I mentally debated.

"Hungry," I asked Hunter at the Jeep. "Sydney told me I owe you Chick-fil-a?"

Hunter hardly looked up at me. "No."

He turned to Karina who's white Honda was parked in front of my truck.

"Can I go with you?" he asked.

"Will, is that okay?" she questioned.

I looked at Hunter and Malena's hopeful faces. I didn't agree so they could have some more quality time together, only because it might cheer Hunt up.

"Yeah," I gave in.

It was an hour and a half drive so I let them know I'd pick him up from his high school then.

"No, thanks," he said, shutting himself and Malena inside the car.

I made a mental note to talk about his tone later.

Karina waved and reversed out of the space.

Sydney tugged on my arm. She said, "Come on, I hear your stomach growling, too."