Bailey Blackwell [Blackwell - Nightgrove Academy Book One

Nightgrove Academy, where friends might be enemies, and enemies might be deadly...

Seventeen-year-old track star Isabelle Beckett just got plucked from Nowheresville, Wyoming and thrust into a world of magic and secrets, where danger lurks around every corner. Shell have to deal with more than one bully, including the insufferable Jake Watkins, while learning to master the powers she never knew she had. But when a forbidden night outside the school walls goes horribly wrong, and the Academys top students begin to disappear under mysterious circumstances, Izzy wonders if accepting this scholarship might cost far more than shed ever bargained for

You can do this.

Izzy mentally repeated the mantra she had been telling herself all day as she took a final sip of water and began to walk over to the sprinting blocks. The double shift shed worked the night before at the diner, combined with the fatigue of the two previous races she had run that day, had her stifling a yawn, but shed be darned if that would stop her from winning the 200-meter on the last track meet of the year.

Izzy shot a glance to her best friend Sam two lanes over. She was stretching her hamstrings and Izzy gave her a thumbs up and a nod as they locked eyes. Sam returned the gesture and Izzy was struck by the determined expression on her friends face. Though Sam often came in second place, Izzy had come in first in the race they had run earlier that day, and the vast majority of the races that year. It almost made Izzy want to lay back and let her friend win this one.

Almost.

Ready, an official yelled.

She took a deep breath as she put her feet onto the sprinting blocks. A moment later, the starter pistol sounded and she broke into a sprint, losing all sense of the crowd, the noise, even where the other runners around her were positioned. None of that mattered as her arms and legs pumped in counter-rhythm, steady as a metronome. Her gaze was locked on the finish line, a rush of adrenaline coursing through her as she bounded toward it. That feeling made all of her practice worth it.

She had known she would win the race the second shed found her focus and got in the zone. That almost addictive, heady space of total clarity and concentration, where she didnt have to think or feel. She just had to let her body do what it knew it had to. When she felt that way, there was no one who could beat her.

She perched her hands on her hips as she slowed to a walk and turned around to see how the others had fared. Sam was just finishing in second placeno surprise therebut typically, Izzy wasnt so far ahead of the pack. It had been a major feat, for sure, and shed crushed her own previous best. She glanced up at her father, who was cheering in the stands as always, shooting him a wide grin.

When the runners had all finished their sprint and went to the side of the track, Izzy was nearly knocked over by an enthusiastic hug from Sam.

Ive never seen someone run so fast, you mustve broken some kind of world record, Sam shouted. It was like somebody stuck a rocket up your butt or something!

Had to close out the year strong, Izzy replied, cheeks heating with pleasure at her friends sweet words. And you killed it, too, woohoo! Im so glad youre my teammate.

Great job, girls, Coach Harris said, beaming at both of them as he approached, you two put us at a huge advantage over Henderson. Itll be hard for the other girls to blow a lead like this.

Their coach winked and continued to make his way over to the people who would be competing in the next event, giving them some final words of encouragement.

Coach was right. Stockridge High would almost certainly take the win now that she and Sam had created such a huge lead by finishing first and second place, respectively, in each event they participated in. Izzy was ecstatic, but she knew that, under it all, Sam was feeling a little deflated. She worked just as hard as Izzy did, only shed been doing it for the past five years while Izzy had just started running track this year. She could only imagine how hard it had been for Sam to give up her role as the fastest on the team since Izzy had joined. Youd never know it, though. Sam showed not even an ounce of resentment. She understood that Izzys only way out of a life of the working class poor was through running, and she didnt begrudge her an ounce of her success.

Lets watch the last few events together, Izzy said, gesturing to an open spot on a bench near the track.

I still cant believe how fast you were today, Sam marveled, shaking her head.

You were damn fast yourself, I dont think anyone else was even close to beating you, Izzy replied.

I hope the scouts were watching us, itll be our last chance to get any kind of sports scholarship.

It wouldnt be crazy for you to get a late offer after how well you did today, Izzy said.

I hope I do, Sam said with her eyes now locked on the distance running event that was going on as the sun had begun to set.

The last few events passed by quickly, and soon enough, it was official. Stockridge had won yet another track meet, making it a record year for the team. The victory was bittersweet, as it was the last meet in her high school career.

Great job, Iz! a female voice shouted as some of her teammates passed her on their way to the locker room.

Izzy smiled and returned the compliment. She didnt mind the attention but she wanted to talk to her father, who was making his way down the stands toward her. He worked the graveyard shift at a clothing factory and he had gone without sleep to watch her run, as he often did. She stood and slipped into the circle of his arms and gave him a squeeze.

Great job, Isabelle, I think that was your best performance all year, he said with a grin. Why dont I take you and Sam out for a burger to celebrate your win?

Sounds good, Izzy said, but I have to go to the locker room first. Ill meet you at the car in a few minutes and tell her well see her there.

No problem, he said.

Sam was waiting on the bench to walk with her but most of the other athletes had already made their way inside.

My dad said hes gonna get us a burger at the diner after were done here, Izzy said as they walked, wanna meet us?

Sure, Sam said, Im starving.

We deserve a good meal after how we ran today, Izzy replied.

As the pair joined the rest of the team in the locker room, one of the cheerleaders, Jessica Taylor, stood up and waved at Sam. Izzy reluctantly allowed herself to be dragged over to where the cheerleaders were opening their lockers, despite the fact that shed rather eat a bullet than talk to the girl.

Jessica grinned at Sam and reached out to hug her. Great job today, she said, the girls and I are going to my house to eat after this, do you she shot Izzy a glance, guys want to come?

Cant, sorry. Izzy and I are actually about to grab a bite to eat at the diner with her dad.

Oh, are you going there because you get free meals for working there, Izzy? I cant eat that greasy stuff, Im trying to watch my figure, Jessica said, blinking in mock innocence.

If only you were half as concerned about your personality as you were your weight, maybe youd be less of a garbage person, Izzy replied in the same sweet tone that Jessica had used towards her.

Jessica put on her best hurt look and turned back towards her locker, saying nothing as Izzy stormed over to the other side of the locker room. Sam followed after a few parting words with Jessica and her friends, while Izzy fought a stab of guilt. She shouldnt have allowed herself to be baited into sinking to Jessicas level, even though her reply didnt come close to making up for all of the times things had been the other way around.