Chapter Text
I never thought another uma could pull my focus off racing like Daitaku Helios. The moment I laid eyes on her I knew she was the love of my life. It all started the first day of 8th grade at Tracen Academy. I had transferred there after being homeschooled up until then with my family’s private tutor. Before Tracen, I was training for steeplechase, but the family thought I’d be better as a standard runner, so off to Tracen I went. That first lunch was terrifying, just sitting alone. I knew no one. But Helios sat next to me. “Hey, fam! Anyone sitting here?” she said. I looked up, and the whole world exploded around me as I locked eyes with her. After staring for an awkwardly long time, I suddenly shook my head and hopped into the seat next to me. That first lunch, she mostly talked at me, using tons of words I had never even heard before, but I still listened, cause nothing in the world mattered more than what she had to say. She stood out from every other uma with her brown and blue hair, colorful earrings, and the adorable way she laughed with her mouth open, showing off that cute little sharp tooth she had. From that day on, I followed her around like a lost puppy, and she happily taught me about her slang terms, turning me into her little gyaru apprentice. Tosen Jordan eventually joined our little group, and we got to know a few other umas, like the president, who often consulted Helios on slang.
Today was our placement test for our high school trainers at Tracen Academy. We had all missed the first test, so we had to make it up at the placement test for transfer students. While we were waiting to enter the gates, Helios hyped us up for the race. “Okay, chat! You’ll slay this race. You can cook, trust me. You’ll leave these NPCs in the dust!”
“Are you sure? I wasn’t running so well last week,” I said, trying to hide the terror in my voice. “I don’t think I’ll, uh, pass the vibe check?”
Helios giggled. “You got this, fam! Run with all you got, trust!”
We went into the gates. Helios was right next to me. My heart sped up. My palms began to sweat. Not again, I thought. The announcer began to count off as my breath sped up. No. No. No. The gates clicked and swung open. And I hesitated. For several seconds, I just stood there. Watching. Waiting. Waiting for absolutely nothing. I bolted forward as tears filled my eyes. Through the blur, I saw the racers ahead of me. So far. How could I catch up? I can’t get through the pack. I’m a runaway. The race was already lost. I saw Helios ahead, laughing as she ran. She always looked so happy. But me? I was too lovesick to focus if she was even in the same racecourse as me. I finished the race dead last. 3 lengths behind another uma I didn’t recognize. I collapsed onto the ground. The effort was too much, too late. Choking back tears, I struggled to slow my heavy breathing. Helios ran over.
“Palmer?” Helios said. Her usual smile was gone. I kept breathing, faster and faster. The world felt like it was collapsing around me. Here I was, on my hands and knees, hyperventilating and crying like an idiot in front of the love of my life.
When I finally managed to catch my breath, I shakily stood up. “I’m okay. Just a bit tired,” I said, forcing a smile. “Do you think you and Jordan will get scouted?”
“Nah. We’re too wild for any trainer to want us.” She grinned. “But that’s totally cool! Trainers can be sooo boring. I can skip training whenever I want to chill!” I breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing her happy again.
“Yeah. And if you guys don’t get scouted, I know I won’t. But at least I have my family’s trainer to fall back on.” I already felt better. Helios was like that. Just being around her could light up your whole day. Helios guided me back over to where Jordan was waiting, and the three of us partied and celebrated the rest of the evening.