The Amazon Trail, one of Pelch’s many runners’ course; yet the Amazon was 2 miles of wooded terrain and made you feel like you were going to die of exhaustion once done. Abby and I to the trail every Saturday and Sunday for the last 6 weeks we had revised and rejuvenated our friendship. At first I just knew we would never get over our past that seemed to be hovering over us yet everyday seemed to be easier.

I had a tired but wide smile on my face as I peered back at Abby to only see her trailing behind me. She was wearing a red Pelch t-shirt was drenched in sweat and perspiration and track shorts. Her hair was tied back into a messy pony tail that strains of hair were falling all out on the sides of her head as she looked frustrated at my advance on her.

“Don’t be too happy Corrine” Abby was out of breath; she took a deep breath biting her lips as we jumped over a fallen log and continued up the course. I turned back and looked at her.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t hear you. I smiled, completely glorified in her torture. Abby took another deep breath as she ran a little faster just enough to be on my heels.

“I said” You could hear her breathing hard and heavy as she sucked in to push out the last words. “Don’t be too happy when you least expect it I’ll step it up and whoop your ass this week.”

“Step it p?” and evil smile crossed my face.

“Yes,” Abby exasperated. I started moving my feet up the winding hill as were approaching the end of the course. I truly loved Pelch and the new atmosphere of everything. Life was good, great in fact. Swimming was a blast, the team had completely taken off without a hitch and now we were sailing. Regan of course tried to undermined me every chance she got. At first they would listen to her yet little by little as the time passed whenever I spoke I noticed they were quiet and listening to what I had to say.

“Okay, let’s step it up” I broke out from my fast paced jog into a full on spring completely leaving Abby in my dust. I could see her stopping, bent over and gasping for breath as she realized there was no chance she was catching up with me.

--

I sat on the hill overlooking campus. The sky was darkening giving off the colors red, orange and purple where at the base of the horizon they all mixed.  It was beautiful. I could hear the twigs snapping behind me causing me to turn around to see Abby walking slowly up the hell to the finish line.  She shot me a nasty look before settling next to me and overlooking everything.

“I came up here all the time when I first came here” Abby said. A sweet smile crossed her face.  “This place was always empty for me when I needed it the most.” Abby and I could see the kids gathering together at the gravel pit where little functions took place.

“What’s going on down there?” I could see the smile slowly form across Abby’s face.

“You mean to tell me you don’t know what this is?” I shook my head. “Bond fire… for you guys”

“Really?” My whole face broke out into a smile. Abby just nodded.

“Oh come on our old high school use to have them all the time” Abby inquired.

“Yea but do you remember how much of a social outcast I was back then.” Abby nodded again.

“So the question is you still are” I thought for a second looking at the gathering.

--

The seniors were piling all the logs the logs into the pit carefully because it was their last year. The juniors little by little fueled the old barrels lined around the logs that would be set once the big fire started. It would supply extra illumination once the campus was completely dark. The sophomores prepared the punch that was sitting off to the side where the teachers could monitor without it being spiked under their noses which always happened without fail. As for the freshmen’s they just sat down on their blankets and watch the festivities and traditions which they would partake in next year.

Pepper and Ivy were pouring wood chips into some of the barrels as their head completely kept turning every way but to what they were doing looking for Corrine.  “She will be here” Pepper rolled her eyes.

“Yea, just in time for all the work to be done” Ivy dumped all the chips into the barrel causing for saw dust to come up and into her face. Ivy turned away coughing. “Damn it” Pepper just laughed.

“The bond fire is for her team, she shouldn’t have to help.” Pepper defended.

“You know next year we will be the ones piling the logs into the pit” Ivy mouth dropped open.

“Oh hell no”

“Hey guys” Janey ran up, her hair was down and flowing. She was wearing her swim jacket which was issued to each of us that was red with ‘Pelch’ written on the back and ‘swim’ written in huge letters on the front, she had tight blue jeans to finish the assemble. “Corrine and Abby still on their run?”

“Seems like it, and she is missing all the fun” Ivy hissed sarcastically. Janey moved her hands into her pockets hitting at the uncomfortable shrug, but she straightened her shoulders up when she saw me and Abby running down the hill towards the group. She held her arms out from where I moved quickly into the embrace picking her up and giving her a smooth quick kiss.

 "Someone missed me" I stated placing her back on the ground and moving into another kiss. Janey just look at me wit a weak smile. We turned towards the girls and waved.

“So who wants to distract the teacher while I pour rum in the punch?” Ivy reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a small copper flask.

“By just going up and doing it, they don’t care” Pepper slapped Ivy carefully on the arm.

“Yes they do!!” Ivy yelled causing Pepper to just laugh.

“I already poured about half a bottle of vodka in it, the teacher didn’t even blink” A large smile crossed Ivy’s face.

“Damn I love this school” Ivy started off towards the punch bowl.

“We better go and make sure she keep the balance of the liquor just right, we have way too many freshmen’s out here for that type of drinking” Pepper whispered grabbing my arm and leading me towards the freshmen table but Janey had already wrapped her hand around my arm stopping me and pulling me back.

“Actually” Janey spoke up. “Corrine has got to go to the team meeting before the bond fire which if she doesn’t hurry and get changed will soon be late for” Pepper let my arm and go and smiled.

“Don’t worry I can help you with the punch” Abby jumped in joining Pepper. I furrowed my eyebrows at Abby.

“What you know about Drinking?” Abby eyes had hit the ground she was standing on, a slight blush moving into her sculpted cheeks.

“It can be a good escape” Before I could respond Janey was already leading me away from the group towards the gym.

--

“So what do you think about the line up” Coach asked me handing me the paper for our swimming arrangements for the meet the next day. We were in his office having a small briefing on the level our team was performing at and what would make them better. I quickly scanned the list and saw a few items I wanted to change so I fished out a pen and laid the paper on the table.

“Tess Winters should be placed in the butterfly race instead of the back stroke.” The coach scratched his chin.

“Winters does pretty well in the back stroke” he added in.

“Yea she does place pretty well, an average of 2^nd of 3^rd place mostly second but her form is great as well as the upper body she could really handle this race” I answered back as I scribbled Tess’s name over Regan’s for the butterfly.

“What about Regan, she owns that part of the race” Coach took a look at my changes as I was making them.

“Regan is well rounded great damn swimmer she would do well in anything. We could pull two first places in these areas easily. I know there is bound to be some rift and uncomfortable feeling but I’ve watched Winters and she could do this.” I crossed my arms and looked at the coach for the final approval.

“You tell Tess and I will let Regan know. Make sure you pull a little time out to put Tess to the clock on this and see if she could really do some damage in this before we hit the water.”

“I’m not wrong about this” I defended my decision. Coach Langston just looked at me and signed.