Oh. My. Gods. - Weebly
Oh. My. Gods. - Weebly Oh. My. Gods. - Weebly
Nicole must be mistaken. Griffin Blake is a really nice guy. “Welcome to the Academy track and cross-country team tryouts,” Coach Zakinthos says. “Some of you are familiar with the process, but for new students I will explain.” It may be my imagination, but I think he is talking only to me. Everyone else seems bored by his little welcome speech. We’re sitting on the soccer field at the center of a big stone stadium that’s on the far side of the campus from Damian’s house. It looks like a mini version of the Coliseum in Rome, complete with rows and rows of stone benches. We’ve already done group stretching and some stuff to get our blood flowing, like jumping jacks and push-ups—while Coach Z paces back and forth. His white and blue track pants whoosh with every step. The apparel aside, he looks like he’s never seen the athletic side of a sporting event. I guess being part-god is no guarantee of physical perfection. Approaching ancient, over fifty at least, he has a beer gut to rival diehard football fans. A light jog looks like a stretch, let alone actually making it on a run. Maybe he coaches discus. “Everyone will select up to five events and will compete in those events for a position on the team. The top three finishers in each will automatically earn a slot, but the final roster rests at the coaches’ discretion. In distance running, there’s just one race. Six boys and six girls qualify. Any questions so far?” 74
He looks right at me. There are at least sixty kids sitting on the field, but his question is only for me. I throw a sideways glance at Griffin, sitting near the back of the group with Adara between his legs and surrounded by the rest of the Ares clique. His piercing blue eyes are trained on me. I start to smile, but as soon as he notices me looking, he scowls and looks away. Boys can be so strange. When I don’t answer, Coach Z glances at his clipboard. “There are twenty-five events to choose from. Throwers stay here with me. Jumpers go with Coach Andriakos. Hurdlers with Coach Karatzas. Sprinters meet Coach Vandoros at the starting line. And distance runners, Coach Leonidas is waiting for you at the entrance to the tunnel.” Around me, everyone gets up and heads off toward their coaches. I know I am going to the tunnel, but I hold back, waiting to see where Griffin goes. Adara, her arms wrapped around his neck, gives him a quick kiss before bouncing off with the rest of the sprinters. He turns and sets off at a jog. Toward the tunnel. Omigod. Heart thumping in my chest, I follow close behind. From the second I saw him on the beach I thought he looked like a distance runner, but now I know it’s true. That’s one thing we have in common. “Ah, Miss Castro,” Coach Leonidas says as I walk through the tunnel, “you are a distance runner.” He smiles and rubs his hands together. “Excellent. Tell me about your background.” 75
- Page 31 and 32: think about it, I’m off the train
- Page 33 and 34: in exhaustion and watching the wave
- Page 35 and 36: guy who keeps his speech squeaky cl
- Page 37 and 38: And while I might doubt her judgmen
- Page 39 and 40: tie—my first clue that he’s a l
- Page 41 and 42: around. “We descendants are more
- Page 43 and 44: defines their world in terms of ‘
- Page 45 and 46: I grab my backpack off the ground a
- Page 47 and 48: Stella laughs at me and pops one in
- Page 49 and 50: I don’t plan on eating anything t
- Page 51 and 52: major changes in our lives. I didn
- Page 53 and 54: Is that all? “Fine,” I say, sou
- Page 55 and 56: I click send and log off. Bed is ca
- Page 57 and 58: water on my face in the bathroom, l
- Page 59 and 60: high cheekbones. His lips are full
- Page 61 and 62: that time have been technological m
- Page 63 and 64: Reaching up, I finger the glass in
- Page 65 and 66: Clearly, Stella is not high on her
- Page 67 and 68: one year than I’ve read in my ent
- Page 69 and 70: is a lot more appealing as a mentor
- Page 71 and 72: Some of the girls are in sundresses
- Page 73 and 74: sandra and the Hades harem and foll
- Page 75 and 76: smile is more parental, small but s
- Page 77 and 78: Don’t they have better things to
- Page 79 and 80: Nicole points at Troy. “Travatas
- Page 81: His coal black hair curls over the
- Page 85 and 86: I cheer, too. After all the embarra
- Page 87 and 88: “Yeah,” he says, blushing a lit
- Page 89 and 90: would know it. I’m only amusing m
- Page 91 and 92: The sounds of footsteps and heavy b
- Page 93 and 94: I wave my hand back over my shoulde
- Page 95 and 96: ice on Coach Lenny’s head. A grou
- Page 97 and 98: “Everyone, may I have your attent
- Page 99 and 100: “Damian told me the cross-country
- Page 101 and 102: “Of course,” she says with that
- Page 103 and 104: eight homework problems are going t
- Page 105 and 106: He points to the chair in front of
- Page 107 and 108: “Son of a—” “Something wron
- Page 109 and 110: TrojanTiger: just wanted to check i
- Page 111 and 112: To my total shock, Damian laughs ou
- Page 113 and 114: Coach Lenny starts scribbling on th
- Page 115 and 116: I gasp. At first I think she must n
- Page 117 and 118: perate. She pauses in the doorway,
- Page 119 and 120: “You will if you want to get back
- Page 121 and 122: “Mmnff,” I grumble and settle b
- Page 123 and 124: “You can’t run and do schoolwor
- Page 125 and 126: What can I say about Griffin Blake?
- Page 127 and 128: I sign off, sad to be so far away f
- Page 129 and 130: can do. But—and this is a big but
- Page 131 and 132: “That’s ridiculous,” Troy say
He looks right at me. There are at least sixty kids sitting on the<br />
field, but his question is only for me. I throw a sideways glance at<br />
Griffin, sitting near the back of the group with Adara between his<br />
legs and surrounded by the rest of the Ares clique. His piercing<br />
blue eyes are trained on me.<br />
I start to smile, but as soon as he notices me looking, he scowls<br />
and looks away. Boys can be so strange.<br />
When I don’t answer, Coach Z glances at his clipboard. “There<br />
are twenty-five events to choose from. Throwers stay here with me.<br />
Jumpers go with Coach Andriakos. Hurdlers with Coach Karatzas.<br />
Sprinters meet Coach Vandoros at the starting line. And distance<br />
runners, Coach Leonidas is waiting for you at the entrance to the<br />
tunnel.”<br />
Around me, everyone gets up and heads off toward their coaches.<br />
I know I am going to the tunnel, but I hold back, waiting to see<br />
where Griffin goes.<br />
Adara, her arms wrapped around his neck, gives him a quick kiss<br />
before bouncing off with the rest of the sprinters. He turns and sets<br />
off at a jog.<br />
Toward the tunnel.<br />
Omigod.<br />
Heart thumping in my chest, I follow close behind. From the<br />
second I saw him on the beach I thought he looked like a distance<br />
runner, but now I know it’s true.<br />
That’s one thing we have in common.<br />
“Ah, Miss Castro,” Coach Leonidas says as I walk through the<br />
tunnel, “you are a distance runner.” He smiles and rubs his hands<br />
together. “Excellent. Tell me about your background.”<br />
75
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